Palestinian solidarity network has announced a day of action against sport’s brand Puma to end its deal with Israel's football association.
Protesters argue that Puma's decision to become the main sponsor of the Israel Football Association (IFA) makes the brand complicit in Israel's violations of international law and human rights abuses, due to the membership of teams from illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
“Puma is the main sponsor of the Israel Football Association (IFA), which proudly includes and advocates on behalf of teams in Israeli settlements pushing Palestinian families off their land. Israeli settlements are illegal and constitute a war crime under international law”, Palestinian Campaign for Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel said in a statement”
They added the second day of action to pressure Puma will take place on 26 October.
“Last June, groups in more than 20 countries joined the first Global #BoycottPuma Day of Action. On social media, #BoycottPuma was the most tweeted Puma-related hashtag that day”, the group added.
The nonviolent BDS movement says it is inspired by the campaign that targeted South Africa's apartheid regime and is seeking to put an end to Israel's brutal occupation of the West Bank.
Israel sees the movement as a strategic threat and accuses it of anti-Semitism – a claim activists firmly deny, calling it an attempt to discredit them.
But BDS, which adheres to peaceful resistance, aims to pressure Israel to adhere to international law and human rights by lobbying various states, institutions and personas to understand its oppression of Palestinians and take action as a result.
The peaceful movement operates by pressuring corporations, artists and academic institutions to sever ties with Israel with supporters saying activities are aimed at promoting a Palestinian statehood.
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