BDS drive only way to end ‘silent genocide’ of Palestinians

The Palestinian narrative is a story of a prolonged occupation by Israel based on policies of Apartheid and racism, ongoing building on Palestinian land of Israeli settlements, house demolitions, and the continued denial by Israel of the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people. Gaza, the largest open air prison in the world, of which Israel is its jailer as it holds the keys and totally controls all aspects of life of the people of Gaza.
The Israel policies of divide and rule, keeping Gaza and West Bank cut off from each other, ensures that neither human contact or real peace negotiations can take place, as is evidenced by the fact that at the current peace talks presided over by US Secretary of State John Kerry Gaza’s 40 percent of Palestinians is not represented at the negotiating table.
South African visitors to Palestine have described the situation of blockade, occupation — and ethnic cleansing in East Jerusalem — as far worse than anything they experienced under the South African Apartheid era.
Why has this desperate injustice perpetrated upon the Palestinians by Israeli policies been allowed to go on for over 60 years, in spite of United Nations over 60 resolutions, calling on Israel to uphold international law, but continuing to be ignored by Israel?
When anyone in the international community is brave enough to articulate the facts of Israel’s repression of the Palestinian people, they are bullied, threatened and accused of anti-Semitism. We all know the Jewish narrative but our sadness for one of humanity’s greatest acts of inhumanity should not stop us from speaking out on Israel’s current policy of a “silent genocide” of the Palestinian people, and currently today of the people in Gaza.
Their denial by Israel of their basic freedoms is not a natural humanitarian tragedy, it is an Israeli policy, in which governments, media, corporations, are all complicit if not by supporting Israeli government, through funding, trading, or silence about one of humanities great inhumanities being done to the Palestinian people.
But, there is much we can all do. The greatest hope we can give Palestinian people is telling the truth about their imposed suffering by Israel. To tell the Palestinian narrative, even at the risk of being called anti-Semitic, will give legitimacy to the Palestinian people and in time will force Israel to choose peace not land, as it has done for so long. The Palestinian people have asked the international community to support their non-violent BDS campaign (boycott, divestment and sanctions) and I applaud the recent actions of the Irish academics in responding to this Appeal, and calling for a Boycott of Israel universities, as indeed they are part of the system which upholds Apartheid and occupation by Israel.
Prof. Falk, the UN Special Rapporteur for Palestine, who in his 6 years has often been refused entry into Palestinian territory, by Israel authorities, has recommended that UN member states should impose a ban on imports of products from Israeli settlements. I hope many will follow his advice.
As a well supported international BDS campaign helped end Apartheid in South Africa, the Palestinian people believe so too will this nonviolent action help end Israel’s denial of their right to self-determination, freedom and peace to which Palestinians have a right.

• TRANSCEND Media Service