Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel...it's a movement that polarizes people, especially as it gathers steam. The campaign, which has enlisted the support of many high-profile people, began as a call from Palestinian civil society to help Palestinians resist Israel's illegal occupation non-violently. Their idea is to exert pressure on Israel to respect international law so that Palestinians can lead decent lives free of the torments of occupation and war. And whether you agree or disagree with the campaign, some are working to make the BDS option easier for you to adopt...
There's no more need to download long lists of products or research products before buying them. Activists behind " Campaign to Boycott Supporters of Israel in Lebanon " have launched an app that does that for you.
Under the name of Qati'ou - "قاطعوا" meaning boycott in Arabic - the app allows you to enter the name of any product or company, and then reveals whether or not its revenues support Israel. It is available for Android and iPhone users.
The Lebanese boycott campaign also has a web version of the app. The service doesn't just tell you whether or not a certain company supports Israel, but let's you know how that support happens.
Al-Jazeera reports that the activists behind Qati'ou hope to make their research on pro-Israel companies more accessible, promoting a culture of boycott in Lebanon.
Founded in 2002, the campaign is the longest-standing non-violent initiative battling Israel economically and culturally. The campaign "works to end international support for Israel's oppression of Palestinians and pressure Israel to comply with international law."
"We felt that demonstrations were no longer sufficient, that ... shouting with bombastic slogans served nothing except to relieve oneself of pressure and anger," Samah Idriss, one of the founders of the campaign, told Al-Jazeera.
"We were supporting Israel - even while we were demonstrating against it - by consuming products of companies that support Israeli economy. So we decided to conduct research regarding companies whose products we use every day and that support the Israeli economy in a direct way."