Over 50 Israeli civil society organizations have signed an urgent appeal to the Constitution, Las and Justice Committee of the Knesset, calling the committee to halt the legislative proceedings of the Boycott Phrohibition bill.
To:
Speaker of Knesset, MK Reuven Rivlin
Chair of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee MK David Rotem
Members of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee of the Knesset
We, the undersigned civil society organizations, emphatically protest against the proposed law “Prohibition on imposing a boycott,” which is now being brought for discussion in the Knesset’s Constitution, Law and Justice Committee.
We are not unanimous in our approach to using the boycott tactic; some of us are of the opinion that it is an efficient tool, while others strongly object to its use. Yet we are all united in our stand that it is, indeed, a civilian, non-violent and legitimate tool to express opinion and advance social and political change. As such, it falls within the rules of the game in a democracy.
This proposed law is clearly intended to limit the expression of specific opinions and political groups, simply because their protest challenges the current political consensus in Israel.
Instead of conducting a democratic discussion of the issues on Israel’s public agenda, the proposed law serves to silence political adversaries and to block public discussion.
This is a dangerous piece of legislation, which tramples basic rights, first and foremost among them the rights to freedom of expression, protest, and assembly. We call on the Speaker of the Knesset and on the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee to immediately halt the legislative proceedings regarding this anti-democratic law.
| A.S.F – Refugee Aid Organization |
| Achoti – for Women in Israel |
| Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel |
| Adva – Center for Equality and Social Justice in Israel |
| Alliance of Progressive Women |
| Al-Sidreh |
| Amnesty International – Israeli Branch |
| Anwar - Arab and Jewish Women's Leadership |
| Bimkom – Planners for Planning Rights |
| Bint al-Sahara |
| Breaking the Silence |
| Btselem – The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories |
| Coalition of Women for Peace |
| FOR A – Feminist Organization of Russian Speaking Activists |
| Gisha – Legal Center for Freedom of Movement |
| Gush Shalom |
| Hagada Hasmalit - Cultural Center and Website |
| Hamoked – Center for the Defense of the Individual |
| Hotline for Migrant Workers |
| Ir Amim - For an Equitable and Stable Jerusalem |
| Isha L'Isha – Feminist Center Haifa |
| Itach-Ma'aki – Women Lawyers for Social Justice |
| Kayan – Feminist Organization |
| Ma'an – Coalition of Women Organizations in the Negev |
| Machsom Watch |
| Movement for Democratic Women in Israel (TANDI) |
| New Israel Fund |
| New Profile |
| Physicians for Human Rights |
| Princes of the Dessert |
| Psychoactive |
| Rabbis for Human Rights |
| Shatil |
| Sheikh Jarah Solidarity |
| SHIN – for Equal Representation of Women |
| Sikkuy - The Association for the Advancement of Civic Equality in Israel |
| Six Colors |
| The Alternative Information Center (AIC) |
| The Association for Civil Rights in Israel |
| The Center for Advancement of Women in the Public Arena – Van Leer Institute |
| The Center for Nutritional Security and Against Hunger |
| The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD) |
| The Mizrachi Democratic Rainbow |
| The Negev Institute – Ajik |
| The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel (PCATI) |
| The Social Television |
| Tmura Center – The Israeli Anti-Discrimination Legal Center |
| WILPF – Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Israeli Branch |
| Women Against Violence |
| Women's Parliament |
| Yesh Din – Volunteers for Human Rights |
| Yesh Gvul |