Marrickville Council joins Israel boycott

Marrickville Council is the first in Australia to sign up to the international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign against Israel.

The Global BDS campaign was started in 2005 by Palestinian civil society groups following the International Court of Justice ruling that Israel’s separation wall built on occupied Palestinian land is illegal.

The BDS campaign compares Israel’s occupation of Palestine with apartheid-era South Africa and calls for an international boycott of Israel until it complies with international law and recognises the rights of Palestinian people.

Greens Councillor Cathy Peters put forward the motion at last month’s Marrickville Council meeting to support the principles of the BDS global campaign. This means divestment from any links the council has with organisations or companies that support or profit from the Israeli military occupation of Palestine. Marrickville Council has a sister city relationship with the Palestinian city of Bethlehem.

Greens, Labor and an Independent councillor voted in favour of supporting the boycott of Israel, with strong support of many pro-Palestine activists in the community.

More than 20 trade union branches across Australia have made resolutions on Palestine since Israel attacked the Gaza bound Freedom Flotilla on May 31, killing nine Turkish activists, who were hoping to break the siege on Gaza.

BY LIZ CUSH