In an interview with Muslim Press, pro-Palestinian activist Stuart Littlewood said, “I expect BDS to grow in support and scope as Western governments continue their craven subservience to Israel.”
“BDS is civil society’s response to the civilised world’s failure to deal effectively with the rogue regime and its never-ending crimes in the Holy Land. It is a most effective tool – or will be once a critical mass of active support is achieved, and that point is not far off.”
Below, the full transcript of the interview has been presented.
Muslim Press: Given the increasing restrictions against the BDS movement in recent years, do you think the movement will face further limitations in the coming years?
Stuart Littlewood: I expect BDS to grow in support and scope as Western governments continue their craven subservience to Israel. BDS is civil society’s response to the civilized world’s failure to deal effectively with the rogue regime and its never-ending crimes in the Holy Land. It is a most effective tool – or will be once a critical mass of active support is achieved, and that point is not far off.
Israel is clearly panicking over the growing pressure exerted by BDS, and it has been their strategy to intensify propaganda activities and dirty tricks. We’ve seen evidence of this recently with the current Israeli government’s efforts to lobby Western governments to officially designate BDS as an “antisemitic” organization.
The UK’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had continued the policy of condemning BDS, called it “divisive” and promised to protect Jewish communities from its “harmful impacts.” that stance had only strengthened the resolve of BDS activists and infuriated the wider public. I believe we can anticipate a significant boost in support for civil society action, provided the BDS movement capitalizes on this situation with a shrewd publicity and promotional strategy.
MP: What’s your take on the crackdown on critics under antisemitism charges – especially in Britain and the US under current administrations?
Stuart Littlewood: The weaponization of antisemitism allegations to silence critics of Israel has become more sophisticated. In the UK, we’ve seen the Labour Party continue to struggle with this issue, with numerous suspensions of members who criticize Israeli policies.
The current situation reminds me of when former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was subjected to relentless attacks. Today, the pattern continues – those who dare to speak out against Israeli human rights violations often find themselves accused of antisemitism, regardless of their actual words or intentions.
in the US, we had seen the Biden administration continued to oppose BDS while simultaneously faced pressure from progressive Democrats who support Palestinian rights. The debate around the IHRA definition of antisemitism continues to be weaponized to suppress legitimate criticism of Israel.
MP: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently made statements condemning violence against civilians in various conflicts. What’s your response to such statements given Israel’s current actions in Gaza?
Stuart Littlewood: The hypocrisy is staggering. While Netanyahu expresses outrage about violence elsewhere, under his current government, Israeli forces have killed thousands of Palestinian civilians, including numerous children and women. According to Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem and international organizations, the death toll in Gaza under the current escalation has been devastating.
What’s this leader’s excuse? Always the same – “Israel’s security.” But security cannot justify the disproportionate use of force and the collective punishment we’ve witnessed. The international community must hold Israel accountable to the same standards it demands of others.
Background: Stuart Littlewood worked on jet fighters in the RAF before pursuing an industrial marketing career. He has served as a county councillor and police authority member and authored several books including ‘Radio Free Palestine.’ Now retired, he continues to write extensively about Palestinian rights and the challenges posed by political Zionism.
