MARIÂNGELA BERQUÓ enfoca a Geopolítica: Peace Prize for the BDS Movement?

Norwegian parliamentarian Bjørnar Moxnes officially nominated the BDS movement for Palestinian rights for a Nobel Peace Prize. He did so with the support of his party, the progressive Rødt (Red) Party, explaining why BDS “should be supported without reservation by all democratically-minded people and states.”

His full statement:

As a member of the Norwegian parliament, I proudly use my authority as an elected official to nominate the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement for Palestinian rights for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Nominating the BDS movement for this recognition is perfectly in line with the principles I and my party hold very dear. Like the BDS movement, we are fully committed to stopping an ascendent, racist and right-wing politics sweeping too much of our world, and securing freedom, justice and equality for all people.

Inspired by the South African anti-apartheid movement and the American Civil Rights movement, the grassroots, Palestinian-led BDS movement is a peaceful, global human rights movement that urges the use of economic and cultural boycotts to end Israeli violations of Palestinian human rights and international law.

The BDS movement seeks to end Israel’s half-century of military rule over 4.5 million Palestinians, including the devastating ten-year illegal siege collectively punishing and suffocating nearly 2 million Palestinians in Gaza, the ongoing forcible eviction of Palestinians from their homes, and the theft of Palestinian land through the construction of illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank. It seeks equal rights for Palestinian citizens of Israel, currently discriminated against by dozens of racist laws, and to secure the internationally-recognized legal right of Palestinian refugees to return to homes and lands from which they were expelled. Palestinian refugees constitute nearly 50 percent of all Palestinians, and they are being denied their right to return, guaranteed by law to all refugees, simply because of their ethnicity.

The BDS movement’s aims and aspirations for basic human rights are irreproachable. They should be supported without reservation by all democratically-minded people and states.

The international community has a longstanding history of supporting peaceful measures such as boycotts and disinvestment against companies that profit from human rights violations. International support for such measures was critical in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa and the racist colonial regime in former Rhodesia.

If the international community commits to supporting BDS to end the occupation of Palestinian territory and the oppression of the Palestinian people, new hope will be lit for a just peace for Palestinians, Israelis and all people across the Middle East.

The BDS movement has been endorsed by prominent figures, including the former Nobel Peace Prize winners Desmond Tutu and Mairead Maguire. It is gaining support from unions, academic associations, churches, and grassroots movements for the rights of refugees, immigrants, workers, women, indigenous peoples and the LGBTQI community. It is increasingly embraced by progressive Jewish groups and anti-racist movements across the world.

Eleven years since BDS’ launch, it’s high time for us to commit to doing no harm, and for all states to withdraw their complicity in Israel’s military occupation, racist apartheid rule, ongoing theft of Palestinian land, and other egregious human rights violations.

Awarding a Nobel Peace Prize to the BDS movement would be a powerful sign demonstrating that the international community is committed to supporting a just peace in the Middle East and using peaceful means to end military rule and broader violations of international law.

My hope is that this nomination can be one humble but necessary step towards bringing forth a more dignified and beautiful future for all peoples of the region."

Following the USA's recognition of Jérusalem as the capital of Israel on 6 December 2017, the occupied Palestinian territory experienced heightened tensions and Israeli violence. As of 30 January 2018, 20 Palestinians had been killed and over 5.000 Palestinians injured, due to excessive use of force by the IDF. Against the backdrop of the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, the limited escalation observed in recent weeks across the Gaza concentration camp and Israel raises particular concern because of its potential to trigger a new round of hostilities, as the population is lacking energy, food and water.

And Israeli military continues to target minors, mainly and daily.

IDF soldiers killed 14 children in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) during 2017, according to Defense for Children International - Palestine documentation. In addition, nine-year-old Mohammad Abu Hdaf died on December 6 due to injuries sustained during an Israeli drone strike in the Gaza Strip in 2014.

Five children were killed by live ammunition in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. Five more children also sustained fatal gunshot wounds.

Why is Israel jailing so many Palestinian minors?

Each year approximately 500-700 Palestinian Under 17, some as young as 12 years, are detained and prosecuted in the Israeli military court system. The most common charge is stone throwing.

The numbers below shows the number of Palestinian children currently in Israeli detention at the end of each year. The table is updated annualy. The figures are compiled by DCI-Palestine from sources including the Israeli Prison Service (IPS) and Israeli army temporary detention facilities.

2008, 319; 2009, 355; 2010, 289; 2011, 192; 2012, 198; 2013, 199; 2014, 197; 2015, 220; 2016, 375; 2017, 321.

The following statistics show the number of children killed as a result of Israeli military and settler presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory since the beginning of the second Palestinian uprising against occupation, or Intifada, according to DCI-Palestine's documentation. These numbers do not include children killed while involved in clashes.

2000, 94; 2001, 98; 2002, 192; 2003, 130; 2004, 162; 2005, 52; 2006, 124; 2007, 50; 2008, 112; 2009, 315; 2010, 08; 2011, 15; 2012, 43; 2013, 5; 2014, 546; 2015, 31; 2016, 35; 2017, 14.

Ahed Tamini continua presa / is still in jail

Israeli occupation forces have already killed

four minors unarmed Palestinians minors in 2018:

Musab Tamimi

Ameer Abu Musaed,

Ali Qino
Laith Abu Naim

Their deaths came in a month marked by high injuries from Israeli forces. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that Israeli forces injured 150 children between January 2 and 29 with live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets, tear gas inhalation, or tear gas canisters. Since December 2017, there has been a spike in injuries to children. Heightened levels of violations were carried out when Israeli forces used widespread force to quash demonstrations launched across the OPT in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.