Survey of Campus BDS Finds Few Serious Cases

Excerpt:

But there is little clarity from pro-Israel advocates on the precise scale of the threat, particularly as it exists on North American college campuses, a central battleground in the Israel debate. And while BDS leaders claim to be inspiring a sea change in the American discourse on Israel, they can enumerate few specific gains.

An extensive national survey by the Forward indicates that, despite a sharp increase in the past year, significant BDS activity on North American campuses is limited to a handful of instances since 2005, the year of the official launch of the BDS campaign. The Forward counted 17 instances at 14 campuses over the past six years of a boycott or divestment effort that was significant and well-organized enough to draw an active official response from a student government or campus administrative body.

In no instance has BDS action led to a university in the U.S. or Canada divesting from any company or permanently ceasing the sale of any product.

Both BDS activists and Jewish Israel advocates argue that the small number of significant campus BDS campaigns fails to capture the importance of the movement. But the Forward’s count calls into question the dire rhetoric and far-reaching claims employed by both the proponents and critics of BDS.

Read more: http://forward.com/articles/137518/#ixzz1LZBLWmj7

that the British academics' union (UCU) is *not* and never *was* boycotting Israel. Every now and then some activists have put forward a motion that this should be considered, but it's never come close to happening.

I mean, that it's never come close to happening.

Haven't such resolutions passed by very sizable majorities?

Sometimes by a majority of the very small group of activists who hold a meeting. But they have no real power. They cannot vote to have a boycott; only to 'consult the membership about a boycott'.

Yes, I'm sure about it: I'm a member of that union. (Which through most of its history couldn't have run or even boycotted a whelk stall anyway; though it's become a bit more active and effective in the last couple of years.)

ETA:

From a few past threads:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=124&topic_id=276784&mesg_id=276820

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=124&topic_id=181098#181109