In recent months, the ongoing conflict in Gaza has sparked a significant shift in public and political sentiment regarding Israel and its policies. A letter signed by 380 writers and organizations, including renowned authors Zadie Smith and Ian McEwan, brought attention to the situation in May, labeling the war as genocidal and demanding an immediate ceasefire. While this declaration has been significant as a bold starting point, it has acted as a catalyst, breaking decades-old taboos and encouraging dissent against Israeli apartheid on multiple fronts.
Increasingly, activists and ordinary citizens are calling for a boycott of Israeli goods. They seek to exclude the country from cultural and sporting events and cut ties with its academic entities. The escalating death toll in Gaza, which has surpassed 67,000 according to Gaza’s health ministry, coupled with distressing images of starving children, has fueled mounting revulsion at Israel’s wartime conduct. This increasing outrage has shaped the narrative and affected public opinion. Independent international experts are again coming under the spotlight and reaching the same assessment that Israel’s actions constitute genocide.
Peter Beinart, perhaps the most influential U.S. commentator on Middle Eastern affairs, observed the larger consequences of Israel’s policies. He stated that Israel’s ability to maintain its authoritarian control over Palestinians aligns with the rise of ethno-nationalist authoritarianism globally. This line of thinking resonates with the American public. They view the moment as a cresting wave of change, comparable to the worldwide movement against apartheid in South Africa.
Palestinian civil society organizations started the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement more than two decades ago. They sought to create a unique and effective form of nonviolent civil resistance to Israeli occupation policies. Even as the current conflict is still playing out, advocates have likened their struggle to the fight against white minority rule in South Africa. They view this history not only in terms of inspiration but as a strategic playbook for today’s activism.
As many as 36 states in the U.S. have enacted laws to impose punishment for boycotting Israel. Something else is happening here — observers can’t help but sense a dramatic change in momentum. 4,575 people signed. That’s why I believe the BDS movement is already starting to bring about major, precedent-shattering policy changes — much more so than in prior years. Jeremy Ben-Ami, president of J Street, noted the sea change in attitudes. He has viewed this evolution take place both inside the American Jewish community and in the larger public.
The cultural landscape has equally experienced a cultural renaissance. Hundreds of artists from Björk to Massive Attack are leading the charge. They are demanding that their music be precluded from streaming in Israel. Omar Barghouti, one of the movement’s key architects, described this notable change as a major shift. He noted that it’s no longer only progressive artists becoming involved in cultural boycotts; today it’s some of the most recognized figures making moves that can significantly alter their professional futures.
“It’s no longer just the progressive artists joining the cultural boycotts; we’ve always had the Lauryn Hills and the Lordes and the more progressive artists.” – Omar Barghouti
Beyond cultural boycotts, businesses with connections to Israel have been targeted. These major corporations like McDonald’s, Starbucks and Coca Cola have faced boycotts and protests because of their support for Israel. Shouk, an Israeli-inspired restaurant with three Washington D.C. locations, had to close during the pandemic. We mourn losing our long-term staff, which was the painful consequence of the boycott.
Moreover, political actions reflect this growing momentum. A large billboard on New York’s Times Square very unambiguously stated, “Israel is committing genocide.” It captured the imagination of anyone walking by and created critical dialogue around the even still simmering conflict. Student movements across various schools are advocating for divestment from Israel but face an increasingly challenging political climate marked by aggressive responses from Washington.
Ashish Prashar, an activist central to these efforts, captured what animates these actions in moral terms. He added that establishing new relations with Israel while it perpetrates what he called “prolonged genocide” is an involvement in those acts.
“Normalisation in an abnormal time of prolonged genocide is complicity.” – Ashish Prashar
As Prashar noted regarding sporting events:
“As long as they step on our football pitches or appear at Eurovision, we are saying we are OK with occupation, we are OK with apartheid and we are OK with genocide.” – Ashish Prashar
This adaptive design reflects today’s landscape of events. It sounds the alarm on persistent complaints, dating back to the Second Intifada, of Israel’s aggressive slaughter of Palestinians. No one is advocating for such a policy—most Americans, in fact, oppose what the Israeli government is doing. They argue that their position is a repudiation of certain government policies, rather than antisemitism.
In an email conversation, Ben-Ami expanded on this important distinction. He reminded listeners that opposition to Israeli government’s set of policies over the last several decades does not automatically make you anti-Jewish or anti-Israel.
“I don’t think that this is somehow in any way antisemitic or anti-Israel. It’s a rejection of this government and the policies of the Israeli government.” – Jeremy Ben-Ami
Futurist Dahlia Scheindlin highlighted an important underlying cause of this cultural trend. She elaborated that for a lot of Israelis, an important piece of their national pride comes from their participation in international events. The boycott’s potential repercussions would be historic for Israel.
“It is a cultural phenomenon in Israel. They love it.” – Dahlia Scheindlin
The intersection of advocacy, public sentiment, and international backlash creates a remarkable moment. This unique combination might shift the way future global communities interact with Israel. Calls for academic boycott are sweeping academia, with powerful new support coming from the band Rage Against the Machine. Many human rights advocates see this as a potential watershed moment in the global debate on human rights and governance.