The movement to Boycott, Divest from and Sanction Israel (BDS) has been revitalized for many who hope to convince the Israeli government to end their occupation of Palestine and free its people as the attacks in Gaza persist.
Since Oct. 7, Hamas’s ambush of Israel and the subsequent genocide of Palestenians by the Israeli government in retaliation has resurrected the long-standing conflict for some and introduced the bloodshed to many who have been unaware of their historic occupation. With increasing media coverage and more information shared throughout social media platforms, some 84% of Americans with almost no knowledge of BDS now have access to endless information at their fingertips, according to a survey by the Pew Research Center.
Online activism inspires junior Amna Shaukat, from reposts to hashtags. She believes these efforts can educate the masses on important topics around the world that may not be well-documented, especially since her eyes have opened to genocides in Congo, Sudan and Armenia as a result of Instagram interactions.
“There’s so much going on that we don’t know about,” Shaukat said. “I want people to start learning about these things and start speaking up. All these people are suffering in silence and we’re just kinda carrying on… (By being vocal), we’re bringing awareness to (these issues).”
However, it is debatable whether or not the information being spread online is trustworthy. Victoria Harrison, English and MUSE teacher and coordinator for the Jewish Studies Program at San Jose State University, disagrees with the sentiment that social media can be considered a valid resource when it comes to researching these topics.
“If young people were listening to (news sources) like The World, they’d be getting information from around the world and they may force themselves to ask more complicated questions, but social media doesn’t tend to lead people to complicated questions, does it? You get sort of a moment’s thought and then you go, ‘Okay, I’ll join that,’” Harrison said.
Harrison also pointed out that much of the media covering the situation is skewed one way or another, with some extremely anti-Jewish sentiment, especially among those refusing to consider Hamas the terrorist organization it is. Press reporting is not necessarily safe for those around the world concerned with informing themselves. Without proper reporting of the political climate in Gaza, those seeking to read up on the complexities of the issue do not have access to valuable resources as a result of the targeting of media workers. Plestia Alaqad, Wael Al Dahdouh, Hind Khoudary and many more journalists within Gaza are at risk of persecution for their exposition of the war, with at least 75 confirmed deaths as of Dec. 4, according to the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate.
With so many eyes on the conflict as a result of this widespread coverage, BDS has been gaining momentum among students at SCHS. According to the BDS website, their tactics intend to use peaceful protests internationally to pressure Israel into complying with humanitarian law, into respecting human rights and into ending its oppression of Palestinians. McDonald’s, Starbucks and Burger King are some of the many businesses targeted by boycotting efforts.
Since some businesses financially support the Israeli government and its military, junior Saleen Aziz intends to make an impact by withdrawing financial support.
“A lot of us go to Starbucks in the morning, so I feel that if our entire school tried to stop buying from these companies, it would have a major effect on their business,” Aziz said.
By avoiding large conglomerates that financially aid in Israel’s apartheid policies, hundreds worldwide hope to make an impact by targeting the wallets of oppressive establishments, as the BDS movement has already effectively dropped the foreign direct investment in Israel by 46% in 2014. This resulted in the strike of countless businesses, including Ben & Jerry’s, Orange, SodaStream, General Mills and CRH, according to their website.
Harrison thinks otherwise, and argues that the impact of these boycotts is felt most heavily by employees of these companies rather than the larger powers at hand. Some 15,000 people are at risk of losing employment as a result of such activism, according to The World, and the display has had little tangible effect on the war as of recent.
“You’ve got your American friends hearing, ‘Oh, I should boycott these companies,’ but are they asking why? Who does it serve? Are Palestinians even aware that there’s this boycott? Why should they be, since they likely don’t have those companies?” Harrison said. “They (boycotters) are only hurting three American companies who probably have a lot of money, so they’re probably not hurting it that much…(boycotting) always hurts the little guy. It never hurts the company.”
Even with its negative effects on the common civilian, BDS has been shown to positively support the small businesses surrounding them. Instead of shopping at major companies, students have been standing in solidarity with Palestine by buying from alternative places.
Senior Li Su advocates for the rejection of harmful enterprises, especially when it comes to simple items.
“It’s not all necessities,” Su said. “Some (products) are necessary, like iPhones and digital devices, but if you’re going to choose McDonalds and Starbucks – things you could get at other places – over the lives of children and innocent civilians… I think it’s very clear where you stand.”
By consistently promoting the movement, activists hope to make it evident to governments and populations everywhere that human rights issues cannot be overlooked. Mejahid believes that by choosing to do nothing rather than stand in solidarity, the movement cannot successfully make its impact.
“Being neutral is just siding with the oppressor,” Mejahid said. “I’m not saying you have to post about it and stuff like that, but you need to at least be aware. You can’t just blindly follow certain things without knowing the situation.”
For supporters of Palestine at SCHS, however, they claim nonviolent activism efforts such as BDS are the most viable way to demonstrate allyship and pressure the Israeli government into ending their controversial hold on the territory.
“Even if we show just a little bit of support for Palestine, it means they won’t feel like they’re alone fighting a war by themselves,” Aziz said. “If we show them that we are boycotting and protesting and promoting activism, that will eventually help for a change and a ceasefire. We must try to give them hope and put a stop to the actions of Israel.”