UK lawmaker accuses BDS Movement of 'fueling anti-Semitic attacks'
Robert Carter
Press TV, London
A British government minister has launched a direct attack on the pro-Palestine boycott campaign against Israel, claiming that the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement fuels Antisemitism including hate crimes in Jewish rich areas of London.
Speaking while visiting orthodox Jewish community leaders in north London, Communities Secretary Michael Gove was quoted by a pro-Israel newspaper stating: The BDS campaign is not about running an ethical foreign policy. The BDS campaign is designed for only one purpose: to attack and delegitimise the State of Israel and the idea that there should be a Jewish state at all. That campaign has not only undermined efforts for peace in the Middle East. It also leads to community tension in the UK. We’ve seen an increase in antisemitic incidents and the BDS campaign is a driver of that.
Founded in 2005, the BDS Movement is a Palestinian led campaign promoting boycott and economic sanctions against Israel. Pro-Israel groups have long lobbied British authorities to act against the practice. Those demands appear to have been answered. With plans announced to ban economic and cultural boycotts of Israel with new anti-BDS legislation announced during the Queen's Speech on May 10th - a move slammed by pro-Palestine activists.
Since the Queen’s speech several government ministers have targeted the BDS. Just last week, Home Secretary Priti Patel branded the BDS “racist” during a talk at a pro-Israel event. According to Gove the anti-BDS legislation will be put to the House of Commons before the end of this year. The move, described as a “chilling attack on democracy” may face legal challenges. Meaning the fight for Palestine is far from over in the UK.
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