Anti-BDS Laws and the Politics Around Them

The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement is a Palestinian-led movement for freedom, justice and equality inspired by the South African anti-apartheid movement. Since its formal launch in 2005, the BDS movement has had a major impact on ending international support for Israeli apartheid, with companies now divesting from or not investing in Israel including companies like Ben and Jerry’s. Owing to the strength of the BDS movement in the US and in Palestine, Israel has sought to break it. To date, 33 US States have passed anti-BDS laws - laws that aim to stop individuals and companies from securing contracts if they support the BDS movement. It is in this light that the Just Vision film, titled Boycott, is made. Boycott follows the attempts to challenge these anti-BDS laws in a number of US States including Texas, Arkansas and Arizona. Today we speak with the films director Julia Bacha and Bahia Amawi.