About – SA BDS Coalition

Who We Are

The South African BDS Coalition is a network of Palestine solidarity organisations and is the South African affiliate to the Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC) that issued the call for international boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel in 2015. The BNC represents the broadest coalition of Palestinian civil society, including all political parties, trade unions, human rights and grass roots organisations.

Click here for our 2020 - 2022 Activity Report

The coalition is made up of a diverse group of organisations and individuals who are committed to justice and equality in historic Palestine. We work to raise awareness about Israel's illegal system of occupation and apartheid. We advocate for change through education, advocacy, and activism in solidarity with the Palestinian people and their struggle for self-determination.

OUR PRINCIPLES

What We Believe

Acting Against:

• All forms of sexual harassment and gender discrimination;

• All forms of racism including anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, xenophobia, homophobia all forms of oppression and exploitation.

Actively Supporting:

• Intersectional struggles for human rights and justice;

• Non-violent international solidarity.

POLITICS

On the Politics of Israel and Palestine

The SA BDS Coalition and its affiliates broadly understand the situation in the terms outlined below. In turn, this informs our strategy and approach to solidarity.

Apartheid

Israel is a settler colonial apartheid state. Israeli policies and practices of fragmentation, segregation, discrimination, and deprivation.

Secularism

The struggle for Palestinian liberation is not about religious differences and Zionism is a political ideology that is distinct from Judaism.

Internationalism

We support boycotts, divestment, and sanctions as a key strategy of international solidarity in support of the Palestinian struggle.

Our Demands

An end to occupation and colonisation, the dismantling of the apartheid wall, the Right of Return for all Palestinians, and equal rights for all.

MEET OUR AFFILIATES

All affiliate organisations share a common understanding of the principles and tactics behind the BDS movement as a key strategy of international solidarity in support of the Palestinian struggle.

Palestine Solidarity Alliance Gauteng

Palestine Solidarity Campaign Cape Town

South African Jews for a Free Palestine South Africa

Palestine Solidarity Campaign Gauteng

Potch For Palestine North West Province

PSA Youth League Gauteng

Wits PSC University of the Witwatersrand

South African Academic Network Against Apartheid Israel South Africa

PSO @ NMU Nelson Mandela University (Gqeberha)

SU PSF Stellenbosch University

KZN PSF University of KwaZulu Natal

UWC PSA University of the Western Cape

UCT PSF University of Cape Town

UP PSC University of Pretoria

WORKING GROUPS

Understand our Focus

The Palestinian struggle is an intersectional and international one and we thus also support those struggling for the advancement of human rights and freedoms, democracy, social justice, equity, dignity, respect and against inequalities in South Africa and beyond. We have established a range of working groups to forge mutual solidarity and collective action.