Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) is a Palestinian-led movement for freedom, justice and equality. BDS upholds the simple principle that Palestinians are entitled to the same rights as the rest of humanity.
A wave of major cities across the Spanish state have expressed strong support for Palestinian rights. They have all denounced President Donald Trump's decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem and slammed Israel's latest massacre of Palestinians in Gaza. Many have called for an arms embargo on Israel and urged governments to ensure its implementation.
Barcelona becomes largest city to heed the Palestinian civil society call for an end to arms trade and military and security cooperation with Israel’s regime of apartheid, settler colonialism and occupation.
On April 19, 2017, Palestine solidarity groups in the Spanish state issued the following statement on the Barcelona City Council's historic vote to end its complicity with Israel's violations of Palestinian human rights. This statement is translated from the original Spanish statement.
Palestinian civil society unequivocally rejects FC Barcelona’s attempt to “balance” its invite of Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier responsible for enforcing Israel’s illegal siege of Gaza and party to war crimes, by offering tickets to Palestinians so they can also attend next weekend’s El Clásico against Real Madrid.
