Middle East Activism Network

Key issues for activists in the MENA category

Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS)

MENA activism includes the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel. Participants in this movement call for:

• Boycotting entities in Israel and entities allegedly tied to Israel;
• Divesting from Israeli companies and companies that do business in Israel;
• Sanctions by governments on the state of Israel and entities tied to Israel.

Proponents of BDS argue that they are non-violently pressuring Israel into accepting Palestinian rights and statehood. These groups see Israel as the primary antagonist in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian and Israeli-Arab conflicts.

There are also individuals and organizations that may not necessarily endorse BDS, but have opposed anti-BDS legislation on First Amendment grounds.

Opponents of BDS argue that the movement is inherently anti-Semitic and tied to terrorist and extremist organizations that seek the elimination of Israel. These groups view anti-Western terrorism and anti-Semitism as primarily responsible for the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian and Israeli-Arab conflicts.

Islamist Extremism

The hub also includes individuals and organizations credibly alleged to be linked to Islamist terrorists and/or extremists, or who have a record of promoting Islamist extremist beliefs such as theocratic governance, justifying acts of terrorism, anti-Semitism, anti-Americanism and advocating for human rights abuses such as mistreatment of women.

There are organizations that oppose Islamist extremism by documenting their activities and trying to influence policy towards Islamism and Islamism-associated groups in the West. There are also Muslim organizations who speak out against Islamism and advocate for modern interpretations of Islam that are compatible with Western values.