Resolution for NC Triangle DSA to support BDS and commit to materially support Palestinian liberation through a BDS pledge card drive, as well as establish a clear protocol for BDS regarding electoral endorsements and discipline for our chapter
Whereas, Israel is a settler-colonial apartheid state, founded and predicated upon the genocide of Palestinians; and
Whereas, the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement was called for in 2005 by a broad coalition of Palestinian unions and other organizations asking for international solidarity with their struggle; and
Whereas, United States support enables Israel to commit war crimes without consequences; and
Whereas, the the Palestinian leadership of the BDS movement has declared that “Visits by politicians and parliamentarians to Israel that are organized by Israel lobby groups, including AIPAC and J Street in the U.S., cross our nonviolent Palestinian BDS picket line and harm our struggle for freedom, justice and equality”; and
Whereas, the struggle for Palestinian liberation is intertwined with the struggle for Black liberation; and
Whereas, Triangle area police departments have participated in exchanges with the Israeli military, where they share some of the worst tactics used in the oppression of Palestinians and Black and Brown communities in the US, as well as in the suppression of popular movements like the George Floyd protests of 2020; and
Whereas, DSA members voted in 2017 to fully support BDS, and called on elected officials -- especially those endorsed by DSA -- to defund ethnic cleansing and boycott apartheid; and
Whereas, our Durham branch has already formally committed to partner with local Palestinian-solidarity organizations, such as Demilitarize! Durham2Palestine (see priority resolution from May 2021 and recommitment to “Campaign II ‘’ in Dec 2021); and
Whereas, recent controversies have erupted when DSA-endorsed politicians such as Jamaal Bowman and Greg Casar have publicly opposed BDS, voted to fund Israeli military infrastructure, crossed the BDS picket line, or misled DSA chapters as to their true position on BDS prior to endorsement; and
Whereas, these controversies jeopardize DSA rank-and-file membership confidence in the integrity of DSA’s politics; and
Whereas, these controversies jeopardize working relationships with Palestinian-solidarity organizations; and
Whereas, these controversies are avoidable, and demonstrate a need for corrective action so that DSA ensures that candidates for DSA endorsements represent our organization’s stances, especially regarding Palestinian liberation and BDS specifically; and
Whereas, the NPC, the highest governing body of the DSA between conventions, has stated, “We recognize that many of our standout electoral wins have come before our organization developed a foundation from which to hold electeds accountable. Now more than ever, DSA needs to develop a robust and concerted strategy for electoral accountability… if we are serious about enacting our values in material politics,”
Therefore Be It Resolved, that NC Triangle DSA supports the Palestinian-led call for BDS;
Be It Further Resolved, that NC Triangle DSA commits to partner with local Palestinian-solidarity organizations and work to materially support the BDS movement by taking actions including, but not limited to, a BDS pledge card drive in our communities to build local support for BDS and ensure that we establish a base of political support for Palestinian solidarity in the Triangle; and
Be It Further Resolved, that NC Triangle DSA will adhere to BDS policies and will avoid spending chapter funds on products, companies and institutions that are complicit in Israel’s violations of Palestinian rights, specifically those subject to targeted boycotts by the BDS Movement; and
Be It Further Resolved, that we hereby require all candidates seeking political endorsement at the branch or chapter level to agree to abide by the demands of the BDS Movement in their capacity as an elected official, in particular complying with the BDS travel ban and opposing military aid to Israel, prior to receiving our endorsement; and
Be It Further Resolved, that a Triangle DSA-endorsed candidate traveling to Israel under conditions not satisfying the BDS definition of ethical tourism or voting to fund military aid to Israel in contradiction with the BDS movement’s strategy will result in censure to be carried out by the steering committee of Triangle DSA in the form of:
- The retraction of any endorsements
- Temporary suspension of membership from Triangle DSA for 90 days
- Publication of these consequences on any and all internal and external chapter-wide channels of communication.
Consequences for any other violations of BDS will be determined by general membership and may be raised by any chapter member in good standing as a call for censure, and shall be decided by a majority vote of chapter membership within 30 days of submitting a complaint to the chapter steering committee.
Be It Further Resolved, that any candidate seeking our endorsement will be informed of the contents of this resolution, particularly the requirements and consequences for elected officials, prior to their final endorsement meeting and Q&A with the chapter.
Attribution: This resolution was adapted in part from language used in resolutions passed by Memphis-Midsouth DSA and Pittsburgh DSA.