Impact

Thanks to strategic campaigning and the tireless work of people of conscience and organisations across the world, the impact of the BDS movement is increasing substantially. This page features some of the major direct and indirect impacts of the BDS movement. Use the left and right arrows below to scroll between the examples.

Divestment by governments and banks

Investors to have divested from companies targeted by the BDS movement include government pension funds in Sweden, Norway, New Zealand and Luxumbourg and investors including George Soros, the Bill Gates Foundation, the huge TIAA-CREF public sector pension fund in the US, Dutch pension giant PGGM and Norwegian bank Nordea.

Major churches divest

US churches including the Presbyterian Church USA, the United Church of Christ and the United Methodist Church (UMC) and several Quaker bodies have voted to divest from Israeli and international companies targeted by the BDS movement.

Academic associations and student unions support BDS

Academic associations in the US, Canada, Ireland, Qatar, South Africa and the UK have voted to support BDS. Supporters include the Teachers Union of Ireland and the American Studies Association in the US.

Thousands of artists support cultural boycott

Thousands of artists and cultural figures including Roger Waters, Marcel Khalife and Alice Walker support the cultural boycott of Israel and stars including Lauryn Hill, Elvis Costello and Vanessa Paradis have canceled shows in Israel following requests from the BDS movement.

Find out more at our cultural boycott page

Chile suspends free trade agreement process action over Gaza massacre

The Chilean government suspended free trade agreement talks with Israel during its 2014 attacks on Gaza following campaigning by MPs and Palestinians in the country. Bolivia and Venezuala have cut diplomatic ties with Israel. Brazil refused the appointment of a settler leader as Israeli ambassador to the country.

G4S announces plans to sell Israeli subsidiary

G4S provides security services and equipment to Israeli checkpoints, illegal settlements and prisons where Palestinian political prisoners are held without trial and subjected to torture.

G4S announced that it plans to completely sell its Israeli subsidiary after the international Stop G4S campaign cost the company lost contracts worth millions of dollars. High profile investors including the Bill Gates Foundation have cut their ties with the company. G4S has a record of breaking promises to end its support for Israeli apartheid so the campaign against G4S is ongoing until the sale is complete.

Visit the Stop G4S campaign page to find out more

Multinational Veolia sells Israel business

French multinational Veolia completely withdrew from Israel after a BDS campaign over its role in Israel’s colonisation of Palestinian land cost it billions of dollars in lost contracts.

Israeli state water company loses contracts

Israeli state water company Mekorot has lost out on contracts in Brazil, Argentina, Portugal and the Netherlands as a result of BDS campaigning over its role in Israel's apartheid water policies.

Experts say BDS having a growing economic impact

BDS was a major factor behind the 46% drop in foreign direct investment in Israel in 2014, according to a UN report. Israeli exporters have repeatedly complained that it is getting harder to export products to Europe. An Israeli business leader has said that European businesses are increasingly unwilling to invest in Israel because of BDS. A World Bank report reveals that Israel’s exports to the Palestinian economy dropped by 24% in the first quarter of 2015.

Israeli ships prevented from docking at ports across the world

Community mobilisations during Israel's 2014 attack on Gaza prevented Israeli ships from docking at a port in Oakland in California, following on from actions by dockworkers at ports in South Africa, Sweden and India in recent years.

EU takes action against illegal Israeli settlements

Responding to public opinion and grassroots campaigning, the EU has introduced rules prohibiting itself from funding Israeli companies and bodies based in illegal Israeli settlements and has warned businesses about the risks of doing business with illegal Israeli settlements.

Local councils across Europe vote to join BDS movement

Motions in support of BDS and BDS initiatives have been passed by more than 50 councils in Spain and by dozens of other councils across the UK, Australia, Sweden, Norway and Ireland.

Stephen Hawking boycotts Israel conference

World renowned scientist Stephen Hawking pulled out of a conference hosted by then president Shimon Peres following appeals from Palestinian academics.

University of Johannesburg cuts links with Israeli university

The University of Johannesburg severed its ties with Israel’s Ben-Gurion University in response to calls from 400 South African academics.

Students vote to join BDS movement

More than 30 US student associations and 11 Canadian student associations have voted to support divestment from Israeli apartheid. BDS is supported by the UK National Union of Students, 30 other UK student unions and student organisations in Belgium, South Africa, Brazil, Chile and beyond.

SodaStream closes illegal colony factory

SodaStream announced the closure of its factory in the illegal Israeli settlement of Mishor Adumim following a high profile boycott campaign against the company that saw retailers and investors across the world cut links with the company. However, SodaStream is still a major target of the BDS movement due to it being a high profile Israeli export and the company's complicity in the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in the Naqab (Negev) in the south of Israel.

Orange leaves Israeli market

French telecoms giant Orange left the Israeli market after campaigning in France and Egypt over the role its Israeli franchise holder played in supporting the Israeli military and its attacks on Gaza and its involvement in illegal Israeli settlements.

BDS seen as a "strategic" challenge to Israel's oppression

Israel regards BDS as a “strategic threat” to its ongoing oppression of Palestinians and spending millions of dollars on sabotaging BDS and persuading supportive governments to repress BDS activism. Some Israelis, including business leaders and politicians, have called for modest changes to Israeli policy in response to the growth of BDS. Israel has responded to the growth of BDS by launching a war of repression against the BDS movement.

Kuwait government boycotts 50 companies linked to occupation

The Kuwaiti government blacklisted 50 companies targeted by the BDS movement as a result of campaigning by activists in Kuwait and the Palestinian BDS National Committee.

BDS campaigns intensify in the Arab World

With G4S losing dozens of contracts with UN agencies and private companies in Jordan and Lebanon and investments in Kuwait, Medjoul Dates boycott adopted by whosale markets in Morocco, and active campaigns in Egypt and Gulf states, the BDS campaign is intesifying in the Arab World.

Divestment by governments and banks

Major churches divest

Academic associations and student unions support BDS

Thousands of artists support cultural boycott

Chile suspends free trade agreement process action over Gaza massacre

G4S announces plans to sell Israeli subsidiary

Multinational Veolia sells Israel business

Israeli state water company loses contracts

Experts say BDS having a growing economic impact

Israeli ships prevented from docking at ports across the world

EU takes action against illegal Israeli settlements

Local councils across Europe vote to join BDS movement

Stephen Hawking boycotts Israel conference

University of Johannesburg cuts links with Israeli university

Students vote to join BDS movement

SodaStream closes illegal colony factory

Orange leaves Israeli market

BDS seen as a "strategic" challenge to Israel's oppression

Kuwait government boycotts 50 companies linked to occupation

BDS campaigns intensify in the Arab World

What is BDS?

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Impact

Divestment by governments and banks

Major churches divest

Academic associations and student unions support BDS

Thousands of artists support cultural boycott

Chile suspends free trade agreement process action over Gaza massacre

G4S announces plans to sell Israeli subsidiary

Multinational Veolia sells Israel business

Israeli state water company loses contracts

Experts say BDS having a growing economic impact

Israeli ships prevented from docking at ports across the world

EU takes action against illegal Israeli settlements

Local councils across Europe vote to join BDS movement

Stephen Hawking boycotts Israel conference

University of Johannesburg cuts links with Israeli university

Students vote to join BDS movement

SodaStream closes illegal colony factory

Orange leaves Israeli market

BDS seen as a "strategic" challenge to Israel's oppression

Kuwait government boycotts 50 companies linked to occupation

BDS campaigns intensify in the Arab World