The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign is part of the global actions being carried out to expose Israeli companies that benefit from the occupation of the Palestinian Occupied Territories, such as security company G4S or water company Mekorot.

BDS is a non-violent campaign promoted by Palestinian civil society groups since 2005 in order to pressure Israel to respect human rights and international law. The campaign also includes people from the academic world, such as physicist Stephen Hawking and four US academic associations which have joined the call from Palestinian civil society. The European Union has set up a de facto boycott against collaboration with universities and research centers in the Occupied Territories.

Two hundred people marched in the rain in Montevideo to the Israeli embassy, a week after the attacks against the civilian Palestinian population began. The march was called by various groups showing solidarity with Palestine.

Several members of the Uruguayan Jewish community spoke against the attacks and to express solidarity with the Palestinian people, while another demonstration was called for July 22nd outside the University of the Republic of Uruguay.

The University staff union, as well as the students union (FEUU), human rights organizations, members of the Palestinian community and environmental groups participated in the demonstration, where they called to join the boycott to force Israel to recognize the Palestinian state and respect its sovereignty.

Uruguay has recognized the Palestinian state, as well as the Sahrawi Republic. It has been subject to pressure by Israeli institutions as a result. The Uruguayan government repudiated the attacks against Gaza that are part of Israel’s “Solid Rock” operation.

Watch the video of the demonstration in Uruguay produced by Real World Radio and a photo presentation by RebelArte.

movilizacion contra genocidio palestina - MVD from Radio Mundo Real on Vimeo.