Understanding the Boycott of Israel & The South Africa Comparison
10 FAQs
1. What was the boycott of Apartheid South Africa actually about?
It was a global movement that used economic, cultural, and sports boycotts to pressure the South African government. The goal was to end the legal system of racial segregation and discrimination known as Apartheid, which denied basic rights and political representation to the Black majority for decades. People around the world stopped buying South African goods, universities divested from companies doing business there, and artists and athletes refused to perform or compete, isolating the regime and making its policies unsustainable.
2. Why do people compare Israel's policies to Apartheid?
The comparison centers on the claim that different groups of people are treated under different legal systems with vastly different rights, based on their ethnicity/religion. Proponents of the comparison point to:
-Legal Inequality: Within Israel, Palestinian citizens of Israel can vote but face discrimination in housing and funding.
-Military Occupation:In the West Bank, Palestinians live under Israeli military law, while Israeli settlers living next to them are under Israeli civil law.
-Movement Restrictions:Palestinians face checkpoints, separation barriers, and require permits that Israelis do not.
-Gaza Blockade : Israel controls the borders, airspace, and sea of Gaza, severely restricting the movement of people and goods.
Critics of the analogy argue the conflict is primarily about national self-determination and security, not state-enforced racial supremacy.
3. But Israel is a democracy, wasn't South Africa explicitly not ?
Israel is a democracy for its Jewish citizens. However, for the millions of Palestinians living in the West Bank under its military control since 1967, it is not. They cannot vote for the government that ultimately controls their lives. This is where the "democracy" argument hits a major complication and why critics describe the situation as one state (Israel) ruling over two populations with unequal rights.
4. Is the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement the same as the South African one?
In its core tactics, it is similar. The modern BDS movement, launched by Palestinian civil society in 2005, was directly inspired by the South African anti-apartheid movement. It calls for:
- Boycott: Withdrawing support from Israeli institutions and goods.
- Divestment: Pressuring institutions (like universities, banks, churches) to sell off stocks and bonds from companies profiting from the occupation.
- Sanctions: Pressuring governments to enact sanctions against Israel until it complies with international law.
5. Isn't BDS antisemitic because it targets Israel?
This is one of the most heated debates. The BDS movement's official position is that it opposes all forms of racism, including antisemitism, and that its target is the State of Israel's policies, not Jewish people or their right to self-determination. However, many Jewish individuals and organizations argue that singling out the world's only Jewish state for a boycott, especially when it faces existential threats, inherently crosses into antisemitism. It's crucial to differentiate between criticizing a government's policies and harboring prejudice against a people. See our FAQ section on the weaponisation of antisemetism.
6. Did the South Africa boycott work? Was it the main reason Apartheid ended?
The boycott was not the sole reason, but it was a crucial one. It delegitimized the Apartheid regime on the world stage, crippled its economy, and empowered the internal Black-led resistance. It showed the South African government and its supporters that there was a massive cost to maintaining Apartheid. Internal resistance and international diplomatic pressure were also key factors. The boycott was a powerful piece of a larger puzzle.
7. What are the arguments against this kind of boycott today?
Opponents argue that:
* It unfairly demonizes Israel and ignores the complexities of the conflict.
* It hardens positions and makes peace talks more difficult.
* It can harm Palestinian workers who are employed by Israeli companies.
* It often spills over into intimidation and antisemitism on campuses and in communities.
* It ignores the role of Palestinian leadership and other regional actors in the conflict's persistence.
8. Who compared Israël to Apartheid South Africa ?
“We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.” Nelson Mandela (Speech, Pretoria, 1997)
"I know first-hand that Israel has created an apartheid reality within its borders and through its occupation. The parallels to my own beloved South Africa are painfully stark indeed." Desmon Tutu (Archbishop, Nobel Peace Prize) (The Guardian, 2002)
Hubert Védrine (former French Foreign Minister)
Co-signed a 2022 open letter with other European ex-ministers: “We see no alternative but to acknowledge that Israel’s policies and practices against the Palestinians amount to the crime of apartheid.” (Letter published in Le Monde, Oct 2022)
Sayeeda Warsi (former UK minister, now in the House of Lords)
Also a signatory of the 2022 European ex-ministers’ letter: “We see no alternative but to acknowledge that Israel’s policies … amount to the crime of apartheid.” (Middle East Monitor, Oct 2022)
Ehud Barak (Prime Minister 1999–2001) : “As long as in this territory west of the Jordan River there is only one political entity called Israel, it is going to be either non-Jewish or non-democratic… If this bloc of millions of Palestinians cannot vote, that will be an apartheid state.”
(Speech, Herzliya Conference, 2010)
Ehud Olmert (Prime Minister 2006–2009): “If the two-state solution collapses… Israel will face a South African-style struggle for equal voting rights, and as soon as that happens, the State of Israel is finished. The State of Israel is finished.” (Haaretz, 2007)
Major international human rights organisations have also made the comparison :
Human Rights Watch (A Threshold Crossed, 2021)
“Israeli authorities are committing the crimes against humanity of apartheid and persecution against Palestinians.”
Amnesty International (Israel’s Apartheid Against Palestinians, 2022)
“Israel’s system of oppression and domination against the Palestinian people amounts to apartheid.”
9 : What can I actually DO?
Change starts with individual and collective action. Your power as a young person lies in your choices and your voice.
1. Educate Yourself & Others: Don't stop here. Read from diverse sources—Israeli, Palestinian, and international human rights organizations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
2. Leverage Consumer Power: Be mindful of what you buy. You can find lists online of companies that operate in Israeli settlements (which are considered illegal under international law by most countries). Choosing not to buy their products is a direct, non-violent form of protest.
3. Use Your Voice on Campus: Your university is a key battleground for this issue.
Join or Start a Group: Find your campus Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) or similar group. If one doesn't exist, you can start one.
Push for Divestment: This is the modern equivalent of the South Africa campaign. Student groups research their university's investments and run campaigns to pressure the administration to divest from companies complicit in the occupation (e.g., weapons manufacturers, tech firms supporting the military, construction companies building settlements). This involves petitions, educating fellow students, holding rallies, and passing student government resolutions.
10 : How can I stay motivated when this issue seems so huge and unsolvable?
It's easy to feel overwhelmed. Remember the South African example: the boycott seemed like a fringe idea at first, but it grew through the persistent, dedicated work of ordinary people, especially students for years.
Focus on the "Why": Connect with the core human rights principles—dignity, freedom, and equality for all people.
Build Community: You don't have to do it alone. Working with a group provides support, shares the workload, and creates friendship.
Celebrate Small Wins: A successful educational event, a passed student resolution, or a local store deciding not to stock a certain product—these are all victories that build momentum.
Think Long-Term: Social change is a marathon, not a sprint. The goal is to shift public opinion and apply steady pressure, just as the previous generation did to help end South African Apartheid. Your actions are part of that historical arc.