Stephen Lendman

Unifor has more than 310,000 members nationwide.

At its August 18 - 20 convention in Winnipeg, it adopted a resolution, titled “Palestinian Self-Determination and the Movement for Boycott, Divestment and Sanction.”

It affirms opposition to violence against civilians, along with “other human rights violations by either side in the conflict.”

It called for using BDS tactics to target “sectors of Israel’s economy and society which profit from the ongoing occupation of the OPT (occupied Palestinian territories),” adding:

“Unifor will support…BDS until such time as Israel implements a permanent ban on further settlement construction in the OPT, and enters into good faith negotiations with representatives of the Palestinian people for the purpose of establishing a viable, contiguous and truly sovereign Palestinian state.”

“The International Court of Justice has ruled that Israel’s settlements in the (OPT) violate international law (and that) Israeli settlement expansions in the OPT are an undeniable obstacle to the Israel  -  Palestine peace process.”

BDS commemorated its 12th anniversary in June. Committed activism matters. It makes a difference. BDS successes proved it, likely many more to come.

2017 was a banner year. The UN Richard Falk/Virginia Tilley report condemning Israeli apartheid remains significant, despite Secretary-General Antonio Guterres pulling it in deference to Washington and Israel.

The US Mennonite Church overwhelmingly voted to divest from companies profiting from occupation harshness. Earlier, the US Presbyterian Church, United Church of Christ and United Methodist Church did the same thing.

The Mennonite Church urged its members to boycott Israeli products produced in illegal settlements.

The Spanish parliament endorsed BDS. The Palestine Solidarity Campaign prevailed in court over Britain’s government.

A ruling deemed it unlawful for it to restrict the right of local authorities to divest from companies complicit with Israeli human rights violations.

Switzerland’s parliament blocked Israeli lobbying efforts to criminalize support for BDS - disturbingly what’s gaining traction in America.

Norway’s largest trade union, with nearly a million members, endorsed BDS in a show of solidarity with persecuted Palestinians.

The Lebanese doctors’ syndicate dropped G4S, the world’s largest private security company - because of its deepening ties with Israeli violations of human rights - including training its police involved in attacking Palestinians in occupied Jerusalem.

An Ecuadorean research institute dropped G4S in response to a BDS campaign. So did a California transportation board.

BDS achieved other successes against the company in Jordan, Colombia, Finland, Britain, South Africa, and in the European Parliament.

Israel’s largest public transportation operator lost a 190-million euro contract to run a Dutch public transportation system.

Barcelona’s city council adopted procurement guidelines, prohibiting profitmaking from occupation harshness. Other Spanish city councils declared themselves “Apartheid Free Zones.”

Boycotts targeted Tel Aviv’s international LGBT film festival. Numerous artists declined to participate.

Two Chilean universities cancelled events sponsored by the Israeli embassy. Students in US colleges and universities endorsed BDS.

Six NFL football players turned down all-expense-paid trips to Israel. Together with South Korean BDS supporters, the BDS Committee of Palestinian Citizens of Israel launched a campaign to boycott and divest from Hyundai Heavy Industries until it ends its complicity with Israeli human rights violations.

BDS is vital - the single most effective initiative against Israeli ruthlessness. I’m a proud cultural member.

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

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My newest book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."
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