"can have an enormous impact in the fight against the oppression of Palestinian peoples"
Whilst disorganised boycotts may well have a very limited influence, targeted consumer boycotts, on the other hand, can have an enormous impact in the fight against oppression of Palestinian peoples. Highly specific in nature, targeted boycotts involve putting pressure on a small number of companies deemed most directly involved in supporting Israel’s system of occupation, such as those operating in illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied West Bank. By narrowing down the list of companies for consumers to target to just a handful of prominent names, individuals can effectively identify and put pressure on those who are most complicit in violating Palestinian rights.
The Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC), for example, breaks down the boycotting process to make it clear for consumers to understand and support. The coalition of Palestinian civil society organisations also has a list of products and brands that it is currently encouraging consumers to boycott as an effective means of showing support for Palestinian rights: https://bdsmovement.net/get-involved/what-to-boycott.
But exactly how can boycotting, divesting from, and sanctioning Israel in a targeted way make a difference?
"we can collectively use our purchasing power"
Increased economic pressure
Targeted consumer boycotts can put a huge amount of economic pressure on companies that are complicit in violations of Palestinian rights, leading to considerable financial losses and ultimately pushing for a reconsideration of company policies and actions. We as consumers could feel helpless and unsure of how best to support Palestinian human rights, or we can collectively use our purchasing power to put economic pressure on businesses implicated in the Israeli system of governing Palestinians and compel companies to reassess their role in the conflict.
Non-violent political pressure
Targeted consumer boycotts are not only a collective, non-violent means of expressing dissatisfaction with Israeli government policies but also a way of encouraging political leaders across the globe to address the issue on a diplomatic level. In order to achieve a permanent ceasefire and end human rights violations of Palestinian peoples, we must therefore use boycotting as a way to push governments and international bodies to actively mediate a just, peaceful resolution to the conflict.
"boycotting is by no means the single solution"
So, although boycotts have been frequently dismissed as ineffective and pointless, targeted consumer boycotts can in fact have a massive impact on advocating for Palestinian rights and supporting a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. That said, boycotting is by no means the single solution to ending the conflict: it also needs to be paired with academic and cultural boycotts, calls for local MPs and the UK government to demand an immediate ceasefire, increased campaigning to pressure Israel’s government to abide by international law and much much more. Nevertheless, it is certainly one crucial and effective step towards ending oppressive policies on Palestinian peoples and something that every single one of us can very easily throw our weight behind.
