Boycott, Divest, Sanction: Holding Institutions To Account

Student Justice for Palestine Pōneke

CW: Genocide, Crimes Against Humanity

Israel’s genocide in Gaza is fast approaching the two-year mark. As we watch the mounting horrors—the mass killing, the starvation, the occupation—through our screens, it is easy to feel hopeless. It is easy to be convinced that there is nothing that can be done when a genocidal state is given impunity, despite a global popular movement in support of the Palestinian cause. But we must not let our anger and disbelief become apathy. 

The struggle for Palestinian liberation has been going on for decades, and its leaders past and present have articulated many modes of solidarity. One of these is BDS: an effective and accessible way to make a material difference.

What is BDS?

“Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) is a Palestinian-led movement for freedom, justice and equality. BDS upholds the simple principle that Palestinians are entitled to the same rights as the rest of humanity.”

• What is BDS?, from bdsmovement.net

The BDS call comes from a coalition of Palestinian civil society organisations, asking individuals, businesses, institutions, and states to boycott, divest from, and sanction Israel. These non-violent actions apply economic and cultural pressure on Israel to end its reign of apartheid of the Palestinian people and comply with international law.

BDS and the University

BDS requires scale to be effective. That means buy-in from all levels, from individuals to states. 

Targeted consumer boycotts with mass buy-in can be effective—check out @bdsaotearoa on Instagram or bdsaotearoa.nz for a guide on local targeted boycotts. Leveraging our affiliation to institutions can allow for even more powerful BDS action.

Last year, SJP Pōneke led a successful campaign urging Te Herenga Waka to divest the ~$50,000 worth of Israeli Government bonds it held in its investment portfolio. It is imperative that the university treats this move away from complicity in war crimes as a commitment, rather than a single action. To do so, the university can adopt a formalised policy to adhere to the BDS guidelines in its investment and procurements. 

Beyond severing their financial ties to Israeli war crimes and apartheid, universities have an important role to play in the cultural and academic boycott of Israel. Israeli universities are a key component in legitimizing and serving Israel’s military and settler-colonial interests. The BDS movement specifically calls on academics and universities not to form collaborations with Israeli universities. This doesn’t mean discriminating against academics with Israeli nationality, but severing institutional ties that serve to enable Israel as an occupying force. 

Aren’t Universities Supposed to be Politically Neutral?

The BDS movement highlights that complicity in occupation is an active choice. This means that there is no politically neutral position for a university to take: either it leaves the door open to having financial and academic ties to Israel, or it makes a commitment to reject complicity in genocide.

The University of Canterbury’s Academic Board passed a motion advising UC governance to divest from and disclose affiliations with companies or organisations complicit in Israel’s violations of international law, and suspend any academic or cultural collaborations with Israeli universities. Victoria’s Academic Board can—and must—do the same.

What Can Students Do?

This Tuesday, Te Herenga Waka’s Academic Board will vote on a motion to endorse BDS at the university. The motion includes a directive to the university’s governance to divest from Israel and any companies aiding in human rights abuses and suspend relationships with Israeli institutions. 

Students can’t vote on the Academic Board, but we can be a visual presence to hold academics accountable. 

ACT NOW:

1. Show your support for the Academic Board motion by attending the meeting in person. Come to the Hunter Council Chambers at 1pm on Tuesday, September 23rd to show your support for the motion.

2. Participate in the Global Financial Strike for Gaza: spend no money on any Thursday to send a message to global markets that the genocide must end. See 

3. Email MPs urging them to support Chloë Swarbrick’s Bill To Sanction Unlawful Occupation of Palestine