Byron Shire Council sets BDS policy

In a joint statement, the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies (JBD) and the Northern Rivers Jewish Community Association (NRJCA) have slammed an August 28 Byron Shire Council decision to introduce a boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS)-style policy against Israel, describing it as a move “importing division and hatred into our communities”.

Greens councillors Elia Hauge and Michelle Lowe moved a motion to boycott 162 companies listed in a recent report by the United Nations’ special rapporteur Francesca Albanese.

Labor councillor Asren Pugh then presented a similar motion, but with a shortened list of 79 companies, based on a 2020 UN Human Rights Council list.

The original motion was lost, and Cr Pugh’s motion was carried 5-4.

Councillors Michael Lyon, Jack Dods, David Warth and Janet Swain voted against both motions.

About 40 activists from Northern Rivers Friends of Palestine chanted and cheered at the council meeting and according to a Green Left online report, that group had conducted “an extensive lobbying and petition campaign”.

In their joint statement, JBD and the NRJCA stressed that “BDS is not a peace-based movement – its leaders openly oppose dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians, reject a two-state solution, and advocate for the dismantling of the world’s only Jewish state.

“Byron Shire Council’s decision will risk feeding the antisemitism and bigotry already running rampant on our streets.

“The motion includes an order that council will be ‘ceasing to conduct business’ with any business named on an opaque UN list that includes Airbnb, Booking.com, TripAdvisor.com and Expedia.

“The council must answer questions about whether it will continue to collect rates and levies from businesses and owners which operate with these providers, and if so, how it can justify doing so.”