Evolution of the International Movement Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions – BDS

Abstract

The article describes insight into the factors and conditions influencing the formation of the international movement BDS including its key subjects and its most effective strategies for achieving all the goals identified. From the authors’ point of view Israel itself, by its extremely cruel and asymmetric measures against the Palestinian resistance to occupation during the second intifada stimulated the rise of the BDS movement popularity and as well as anti-Israeli tendencies in Western democracies. Another, no less important reason for the formation of the BDS is the failure of the peace process for the solution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in accordance with the agreements reached in Oslo. Under these complicated circumstances, Palestinian Arab civil society has called on the international community to end the Israeli occupation. The study provided a thorough overview of the main financial sources of the movement. The use of funds from the EU community budget, national budgets of a number of Western states, the largest charitable foundations, etc. is stated. The authors analyze the reasons for the popularity of the movement at the beginning of the 21st century, including in some structural divisions of the UN and the European Union. Special attention is focusing on measures to counter the movement by Israel, the US and some European states. In the conclusion, the study identifies and characterizes the current status of the movement, which is steadily losing its adherents at all levels, including academic and confessional spheres.