US: Fundraising site suspends account of BDS movement

By Umar Farooq

WASHINGTON

A U.S. fundraising website on Friday announced they had blocked the account of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement following complaints by a pro-Israel group that the non-violent movement is linked to militant groups.

Donorbox, an online fundraising portal from Silicon Valley in California, blocked the account following a complaint placed by Shurat HaDin, an Israeli advocacy group, in coordination with Israel’s Ministry of Strategic Affairs.

"This decision does not mean that we consider BDS to be a nefarious organization. We are merely reviewing evidence following this complaint. Their donation forms were closed as a precautionary measure," Donorbox said in a statement, reported by According to The Associated Press.

Omar Barghouti, founder of the BDS movement, criticized Shurat HaDin for using "McCarthyite" tactics while working with the Israeli government.

"They are making categorically false allegations, threatening and bullying our partners and service providers in a desperate attempt to undermine our ability to challenge Israel’s regime of apartheid and oppression," Barghouti said.

The BDS movement was formed in 2005 by 170 Palestinian civil society and rights groups with the goal of pressuring Israel to ending the occupation of the Palestinian territories.

The movement calls for a boycott of Israeli companies involved in violating Palestinian human rights, and for other institutions to divest their interests in those companies.

In recent years, BDS has been met by resistance in America with many states passing anti-BDS laws to criminalize any sort of anti-Israel sentiment.

More than 20 states have enacted anti-BDS legislation across the country, while critics note that the laws violate the right to free speech guaranteed under the First Amendment.

Last week, children's speech pathologist Bahia Amawi was denied work in Texas after refusing to sign a contract which including a cause saying she would not boycott Israel.

Meanwhile, in some parts of the country the BDS movement is growing stronger and putting pressure on local governments to divest from Israel.

Earlier this month, out of the pressure mounted by local groups affiliated with the BDS movement in the New England region, both the Vermont State Police and the Northampton Police Department in Massachusetts canceled their planned trip to Israel for a training program with Israeli police and intelligence.