Background
The final declaration of the NGO Forum, World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance in Durban, South Africa in 2001, called for "mandatory and comprehensive sanctions and embargoes, the full cessation of all links (diplomatic, economic, social, aid, military cooperation and training) between all states and Israel". Mary Robinson, UN Human Rights chief said that there was "horrible anti-Semitism present" at the NGO Forum.
In 2004, the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) voted to divest funds from Israel, saying it would "target businesses that it believes bear particular responsibility for the suffering of Palestinians and will give them a chance to change their behavior before selling their shares". (In 2006, a resolution was adopted, which would lead to "repeal and rescind the actions of the 2004 General Assembly" vote.)
In 2004, The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel was launched by a group of Palestinian academics and intellectuals. The campaign built on the Palestinian call for a comprehensive economic, cultural and academic boycott of Israel issued in August 2002 and a statement made by Palestinian academics and intellectuals calling for a boycott of Israeli academic institutions in October 2003.
In 2006 and 2007 the Occupied Palestine and Syrian Golan Heights Advocacy Initiative (OPGAI) presented a call for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel to the World Social Forum.
Read more about this topic: Boycott, Divestment And Sanctions
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