Attacks on University of Pennyslvania #BDS conference

BDS is Nazism and Omar Barghouti is Hitler says UPenn professor in shocking smear, Ali Abunimah
Whenever you think that smears against the Palestinian solidarity movement cannot get more inflammatory or sickening, something new appears. In the latest shot against the upcoming boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) conference at the University of Pennsylvania next weekend, the movement is being openly compared to Nazism by a University of Pennsylvania professor. Read more here.

Anti-Defamation League reprises debunked quote in attempt to discredit Helena Cobban and Penn BDS conference, Alex Kane

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is playing a leading role in the escalating debate over the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement and this week's pro-BDS conference at the University of Pennyslvania. Over at the organization's "Access ADL" blog, the ADL has begun to publish what they call are highlights from "five of the most anti-Israel individuals scheduled to speak at the conference." But they completely miss the mark in their attack on Helena Cobban, and instead attribute a quote to Cobban that she says she never said and for which there is no evidence of.  Read more here. 

#BDS Success: Lara Fabian Out of Lebanon!

Thank You Lara
Lara Fabian was forced to cancel a concert planned for Valentine's Day in Lebanon after activists launched a campaign against the singer due to recently surfaced surfaced of her at a pro-Israeli banquet. Read more here.

Lara Fabian Out of Lebanon: Lessons Learned
The success of boycott activists in preventing a pro-Israel pop singer from performing a Valentine’s Day concert in Lebanon despite accusations of “cultural terrorism” and heated debates on Facebook may change the way boycott is advocated and legally protected in the country.  Read more here.

French campaigns to intensify efforts in support of Palestine

 French pro-Palestinian organizations and figures promised to intensify their events and activities in solidarity with the occupied people of Palestine in general and the besieged people of Gaza in particular. This came during the 10-day visit made by head of the Palestinian NGOs Amjad Ashawa to Paris and other French cities. He had the chance to meet with French officials, heads and activists of civil organizations and solidarity campaigns. During his presence in France, Ashawa participated in a meeting held by the solidarity campaign "French boat to Gaza". Many French political figures and national figures are members of this campaign. He also met with officials from the French foreign ministry and stressed the need for the French role in supporting the Palestinian people's rights and pressuring the Israeli occupation to end all forms of aggression against them.  Source

Short history of #BDS in France

We cannot mention BDS in France without mentioning the work of the Coalition against Agrexco (CCA) of which BDSF has been a partner all the way. The CCA had immediately grasped the importance of making it a European struggle, and it has been a laboratory of BDS and of international solidarity. As the first great BDS battle in France and in Europe against an Israeli company, it had the merit of "relocating" international solidarity that is usually exogenous (we are in solidarity with Palestinians over there), into actions against a target that is over here, in France and in Europe. This battle was led together with the BNC who was instrumental in refocusing the struggle against the company as a whole (products being the way to get to the broader target). This battle also showed that the agricultural question, which includes questions of land, water and methods of production, goes well beyond food, and that it was at the heart of environmental and economical problems of our time. Finally, the CCA imposed an unprecedented symbolic defeat to the Israeli colonial ideology.  Read more here. 

The #BDS movement grows in Italy

Over the weekend of January 21-22, the third national meeting of the BDS movement (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) against Israel was held in Bologna, Italy. Roughly 80 activists from over 20 Italian cities representing groups, associations and political parties throughout Italy participated. The scope of the meeting was to evaluate the progress of ongoing campaigns, establish strategic objectives and shared work methods, exchange information between the various Italian groups working on BDS and reassess organizational aspects of the BDS movement in Italy.  Read more here.