The Israeli government has established a specific “public relations commando unit” to tackle pro-Palestinian projects such as the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign, according to Ynet News.
Minister of Strategic Affairs and Information Gilad Erdan pushed the cabinet to authorize the decision yesterday, in a bid to “step up” and provide a fast and coordinated response to criticism of Israel on the world stage.
Air Canada dumps its contract with Israel Aerospace after it's named on UN blacklist #BDS https://t.co/9uFehikTOw pic.twitter.com/ywpG2Zkanv
— #FreePalestine ?? (@Taghreeba) November 6, 2017
The decision authorized the creation of a “civil infrastructure to assist and be used by the State of Israel and the pro-Israeli community in combating the de-legitimization campaign against the country.”
The project will reportedly be mostly used following Israeli military operations, in the aftermath of Palestinian resistance attacks or after denunciations of the Israeli occupation at the UN.
#TerroristState & #HumanRightsViolator #Israel races 2 head off #UN #WestBank settlement company 'blacklist'! #FreePalestine #BDS #DeFundIsrael https://t.co/BMhOnQ9QHo
— Karl #Accountability (@SmartStik) November 26, 2017
The decision comes just days after singer Lorde announced that she was cancelling her show in Israel in support of the BDS campaign.
“Imagine that right after Lorde announced she was cancelling her Israeli show, she was hit that same day with a viral campaign in websites all over the world and full-page ads in all major world newspapers,” a source with knowledge of the new initiative said. “That’s something the official State of Israel could not have achieved.”
Pink Floyd Founder Roger Waters: BDS is One of "Most Admirable" Displays… https://t.co/OTlXp8TfVh via @YouTube
— Irene Vautour (@irenevautour) December 28, 2017
The project is estimated to cost over $75 million and will the see the government look to foreign donors for at least half of the funds, as well as management of the program.
Israel has increased its campaign to combat the BDS movement over the past year, attempting to pass legislation that could see campaigners fined or jailed and has continued to frame BDS supporters as anti-Semites.
UN blacklist of companies operating in WestBank, EastJerusalem, & GolanHeights includes some of biggest Israeli & intl firms. Oct 2017 #BDS
Ahava
Re/MAX
HewlettPackard
Caterpillar
Cellcom
Motorola
Teva
Bezeq
Egged
CocaCola
TripAdvisor
AirBnB
Hapoalim,Leumi Banks
Nesher Beer— Roxann_Minerals (@Roxann_Minerals) November 27, 2017
In October it was revealed that Israel has secretly been using a US law firm in order to fight BDS activists in Europe and North America. Israeli ministers have also been fighting against the publication of a UN list of firms operating in the illegally occupied West Bank.
(MEMO, PC, Social Media)
BDS is one of the most important non-violet tool that Palestinians have right now. The world is co-operating very well and it is going in the right direction.