BDS Israel boycott group is anti-Semitic, says US

Published10 minutes ago

The US has declared as anti-Semitic a prominent international movement which calls for a complete boycott of Israel over its treatment of the Palestinians.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) was "a cancer", adding the US would stop funding groups linked to it.

Israel has long claimed BDS opposes the country's very existence and is motivated by anti-Semitism.

BDS rejects the charge, saying Israel is using it as a cover for its actions.

The campaign group Human Rights Watch condemned the US' move as "undermining the common fight against the scourge of antisemitism".

"Americans have a long history of supporting peaceful boycotts to promote social justice and human rights... The Trump administration has no business trying to tar groups because they back boycotts."