No to BDS, but there is a better way

The Board of Deputies has issued its response to the Methodist Church in Britain’s Consultation about the tactic of Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel.

The Board’s response, which can be viewed in full below, emphasises that, rather than the destructive and divisive nature of BDS, those who want to have a positive impact on the Israel-Palestine conflict should actively invest in peace and reconciliation projects, as these build bridges rather than destroy them. The Board’s document analyses each of the arguments used by the advocates of BDS, deconstructs them and exposes their flaws. During the consultation period, the Board received a significant amount of correspondence from Jews, Methodists and people of other faith backgrounds, expressing concern about BDS. Jonathan Arkush, Vice President, said: “This is a robust response to BDS, which expresses the Jewish community’s broad consensus that BDS has the unacceptable aim of delegitimising Israel, encourages the rejectionists of peace, hurts moderates and sows divisions.
 “We wanted to expose the harm caused by the boycotters and propose a positive alternative: A way that can bring faith communities and civil society in this country together as peacemakers, contributing as one to a better future for Israelis, Palestinians and the wider Middle East. “While we work towards our contribution on the Israel-Palestine conflict, we continue to encourage Jews and Methodists to reach out to each other to build dialogue and understanding in this country. Rather than importing conflict through BDS campaigns, we should be seeking to export good relations”. To read the Board’s response, please click here.