The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement has launched a broad international campaign to collect signatures on a petition demanding the suspension of Israel's seat at the United Nations, coinciding with the proceedings of the 81st session of the General Assembly.
The movement addressed the petition to the current president of the General Assembly, Khalil al-Rahman, calling for urgent intervention. The petition invoked historical precedents, calling for the application of the same deterrent mechanism previously used against South Africa during the apartheid regime.
The petition's rationale centres on accusing Israel of committing grave violations of international law, stressing that it continues to disregard and fail to comply with decisions and positions issued by various UN bodies, as well as its non-compliance with opinions and rulings issued by the International Court of Justice.
In a related context, the petition documented hostile practices against the international organisation itself, stating that Israel targeted UN facilities and employees, and obstructed the work of international officials, committees and experts.
The campaign explained that Israel continues to evade compliance with international decisions concerning the Palestinian cause, adding that its remaining in the organisation without accountability constitutes a clear violation of the principles of the United Nations.
