Twin Cities DSA

On March 16, 2022, the members of Twin Cities DSA voted to pass the following resolution.

RESOLUTION: Twin Cities DSA Stands With Palestine 

WHEREAS, Socialists have always understood anti-imperialism and supporting national liberation movements to be a core part of their struggle;

WHEREAS, Israel’s Apartheid regime is funded by billions of dollars in aid from the United States every year and serves as “the largest American aircraft carrier in the world,” in the words of Alexander Haig, acting as the linchpin in our government’s control of the Middle East;

WHEREAS, Palestinian civil society launched the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement in 2005 calling for freedom, justice, and equality, which DSA adopted through resolution at the 2017 national convention, and officially established a national working group dedicated to organizing around BDS & Palestine Solidarity at the 2019 convention;

WHEREAS, the BDS movement is based in an international law framework and calls for nonviolent pressure on Israel until it meets three demands:

1. Ending the occupation and dismantling the apartheid wall
2. Recognizing the fundamental and equal rights of Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel
3. Respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes as stipulated by UN Resolution 194;

WHEREAS, DSA-endorsed Representative Jamaal Bowman’s recent vote for H. R. 4373 to send $3.3 billion to Israel, and H. R. 5323 to invest an additional $1 billion in the already fully-funded ‘Iron Dome’ military interceptor system in Israel, and his recent participation in a J Street delegation to Israel that met with Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and far-right war criminal Naftali Bennet, all break with these foundational principles of our movement;

WHEREAS, the DSA BDS and Palestine Solidarity Working Group drafted a letter supporting Congressman Bowman’s expulsion from DSA unless he upholds Palestinian civil society’s call for BDS, provides protection and support for Palestinians through legislation, and follows the BDS Movement’s ethical travel guidelines, with numerous signatories including Palestinian-led organizations such as the Palestinian Youth Movement, Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, Labor for Palestine, National Students for Justice in Palestine, among others;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, Twin Cities DSA stands unequivocally with the Palestinian liberation movement and its call for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanction of Israel;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, Twin Cities DSA conveys our expectation that all our endorsed candidates hold true to the following commitments:

1. Fully support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement
2. Refrain from accepting any invitation from the Israeli government or participating in any event sponsored by it, until it fully complies with its obligations under international law
3. Pledge to oppose any official adoption of a redefinition of antisemitism to include opposition to Israel’s policies or legal system, or support for the BDS movement;
4. Oppose relevant state legislative and executive efforts to penalize individuals, universities and entities that boycott Israel.