BDS

The “Boycott, Divestment, and Sanction” (BDS) movement began July 2005, when Palestinian civil society called on the international community to take justice into their own hands by adhering to BDS standards. This decision was born out of historical lessons, primarily the BDS campaign that successfully ended apartheid in South Africa.

The BDS movement rests on boycotting, divesting, and sanctioning the State of Israel for its ongoing human rights abuses, international law violations, and apartheid system.

As students at the University of Houston, we have an obligation to keep our university moral. The University does not adhere to BDS standards, and thus by paying tuition, we are contributing to the State of Israel’s inhumanity. We call on you to join the BDS movement and the struggle for justice in Israel/Palestine.

• Boycott:

Consumers, vote with your dollar! There are a number of companies that directly fund or are invested in the Israeli apartheid state. Boycott Israeli goods and un-ethical companies, such as Coca-Cola, Danon, Johnson by Johnson, and many more. For a full list, visit youthanormalization.blogspot.com.

• Divest:

Divestment: putting an end to investments in Israel and companies that support Israeli occupation and apartheid.
The University of Houston is invested in unethical
companies tied to the Is-raeli apartheid state, such as Caterpillar, Halliburton, and Lockheed Martin. Our tuition money goes directly to war profiteers that de-molish Palestinian homes. Tell the university that we refuse to take part in injustice!

• Sanction:

Sanction Israel at the local, state, national, and inter-national level. Use your voice as citizens of this coun-try (and other countries) to pressure politicians and pass sanctions against the Israeli apartheid state. If we all speak up, they have to listen!
-Why Israel?

Israel is an apartheid state that en-gages in human rights abuses and war crimes. Apartheid is defined as “an institutionalized regime of systematic oppression and domination by one racial group over any other racial group committed with the intention of maintaining that regime.” The massacre of Gaza, the apartheid wall across the West Bank, and Israel’s illegal and expanding settlements remind us why we must stand up to Is-rael’s injustice.

Israel’s government has:

* ethnically cleansed over 500 Pales-tinian villages and towns since its creation.
* deported over 5 Million refugees.
* demolished over 60,000 Palestinian homes.
* been condemned by the UN over 500 times.
* Imprisoned more civilians per capita than any other country (over 250,000 people)

Palestinians must deal with over 24 laws that restrict their lives. Such as:

• Jewish-only roads
• Jewish-only housing
• Jewish-only civil rights
• And many more…

The world condemns the Israeli govern-ment’s actions.
YOU SHOULD TOO

First South Africa, Now Israel:

The international community has learned from the South African example. Just as the BDS campaign against apartheid South Africa ended the injustice, it will do the same for Palestine.
Since 2005, the movement has picked up speed. Many nations and their govern-ments have begun to adhere to BDS stan-dards. From Norway to Brazil, from labor unions to celebrities, across universities and communities the world over, people are waking up to the reality of apartheid Israel and taking justice into their own hands.
Let us be the voice of the voiceless. Join the BDS movement and support UH di-vestment from Israel!

Websites for more information:

BDS Movement: Bdsmovement.net
Boycott List: Youthanormalization.blogspot.com
Palestinian Cultural Boycott: Pacbi.org
U.S. Campaign to Endtheoccupation.org