Netherland's Green Left Party has passed a motion in favour of boycotting Israel and in support of the boycott, divestments and sanctions (BDS) campaign at its February 16 Congress.
They became the first parliamentary party to do so.
The Green Left Party holds 14 out of 150 seats in the Dutch Parliament.
“BDS is a legitimate means to help Palestinians in their fight for justice,” the motion said, affirming that Green Left “will be alert and resist forcefully attempts in any country to criminalise BDS.”
The Dutch Center for Information and Documentation on Israel (CIDI), a Jewish group committed to fighting anti-Semitism criticised the decision, likening anti-Zionism to anti-Semitism: “Green Left conveniently ignored how, in practice, BDS goes hand in hand with expressions of anti-Semitism and is linked to terrorist groups.”
The Liked Nederland, a pro-Israel group accused the Green Left party of being “a racist movement,” as they have not passed motions boycotting “other occupying powers” such as Morocco, China, Turkey or Russia.
The boycott of Israeli goods is legal in Europe and other countries but in countries such as France and Spain, promoting the boycott violates anti-discrimination laws.
[Abridged from Telesur English.]