BDS Workshop on May 23

Thursday, May 23, 6:30pm in the Gold Room of the downtown Duluth Public Library

Since 1948 Israel has pursued an aggressive displacement of Palestinians from their homeland with political and financial support of the U.S. and the taxpayers of Minnesota.  The MN State Board of Investment owns over $23 million of Israel bonds. 

As part of the Israeli general treasury, this money is used for activities like the building of Israeli settlements on Palestinian land and the construction of a separation wall leaving less than 12% of historic Palestine for the indigenous population.

A vigorous Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign (BDS) against Israel, along the lines of what was waged in South Africa in the 1980s, has been growing steadily.   A BDS campaign holds Israel morally responsible for its actions in the court of world opinion.  

On May 23 there will be a workshop entitled "Boycott and Divest for Justice in Israel/Palestine."  The workshop will cover the need for a vigorous BDS campaign to force the Israeli government to recognize Palestinian rights both in Israel and the Occupied Territories.  It will include examples of successful expansion of the international BDS campaign to labor, education, the arts, churches, businesses and many others.  Presenters are Sylvia Schwarz and Bob Kosuth, both of Minnesota Break the Bonds, a statewide organization that promotes the divestment of Minnesota's Israel bonds.