#BDS: 'Boycott Israel campaign escalating'

Almost four years into the Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip, misery is a part of daily life for the enclave's 1.5 million residents, who are living in what some people call 'the world's largest open-air prison.'

Press TV has interviewed Kamel Hawwash, the vice chairman of Palestine Solidarity Campaign in London, to ask him his view on the matter.

Press TV: You are sitting in London and representing Palestine Solidarity Campaign. What type of message does this all send to the international community in your perspective?

Kamel Hawwash: Well, the message is that the international community has not done enough to bring (the) Israelis to account -- that the people in Palestine and in Gaza haven't been forgotten. Tomorrow, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and other organizations are holding a vigil outside the Israeli embassy in London because we haven't forgotten.

But, there is no doubt that the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza has continued, and at the same time -- and we must not forget this -- that an out-and-out attack on Palestinians continues in the West Bank and in East al-Quds (Jerusalem) with the continuation of settlement building, continuation of house evictions and demolitions.

So, the international community is absolutely guilty of not bringing Israel to account. We know that the American administration -- which came in supposedly on a ticket of trying to create a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza and East al-Quds (Jerusalem) -- has almost washed its hands of it because it has decided it cannot take on this right-wing extremist and I'd say racist Israeli government.

So, what we have is a high level of awareness among citizens of the world. There is a lot of support for the Palestinian people and the people of Gaza. The flotilla … was an example of attempts to break the siege and there have been other convoys that tried to bring food and medicine to the people of Gaza, but they need to be free. They need to be free of the continuing occupation by the Israelis and they need to be able to develop a state for the Palestinian people which will allow them to live in freedom, just like any other people in the world.

So, we must continue to keep the pressure up; various organizations and people around the world [must keep up the pressure] on the Israelis -- and in particular, to look at issues that will cause Israel problems including the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Movement because Israel only begins to do things when it feels it is hurting. And one way of doing that is to intensify the campaign of isolating it through the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Campaign. 


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