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BDS Stories from Northern Ireland
I heard about BDS about 7 years ago and I understood this call to mean that in order to get justice, peace and freedom for both Israelis and Palestinians I needed to respond positively to the call and have done so for years. I did not do BDS immediately when I heard about it because, to be honest, I had not heard of it being endorsed by organizations that I respected. Until I received more information from reputable organizations that I trusted, I then acted.
Within the Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) of which I am a member, nothing has happened. PCI leadership is probably finding this subject of BDS and supporting Palestinian Christians difficult. In order to do so, they would have to change their core beliefs that Jews are God’s chosen people and this is their rightful land.
I believe that supporting Palestinian Christians will not happen in the PCI at the expense of supporting Israel. The BDS movement has neither improved or become more difficult—it has never been implemented in an organizational leadership way.
Because of the Protestant Biblical connection to Israel and supporting the Jewish people as “God’s people”, the BDS movement is very different from other human rights initiatives in Northern Ireland. It does not receive the same support, understanding, awareness and clarity that other human rights initiatives receive. Education is the answer. We need to involve the churches particularly in Northern Ireland, and human rights charities, to develop an education and awareness training programme.
In Northern Ireland, until there is an understanding of the issues for faith communities here, we will not move very far. I am not a theologian, but I would suggest a few relevant Biblical quotes from Micah in the Old Testament, etc. and then more about Jesus sending the disciples out in the world.
Because of the Protestant Biblical connection to Israel and supporting the Jewish people as “God’s people”, the BDS movement is very different from other human rights initiatives in Northern Ireland. It does not receive the same support, understanding, awareness and clarity that other human rights initiatives receive. Education is the answer.