WAFA / February 9, 2023
RAMALLAH – The Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS0 movement welcomed the decision by the Spanish city of Barcelona to suspend ties with the Israeli city of Tel Aviv to protest the Israeli violations against the Palestinian people.
Barcelona Mayor Ada Colau suspended institutional relations with Israel, including the twinning agreement with Tel Aviv, “until the Israeli authorities put an end to the system of violations of Palestinian human rights and fully comply with the obligations imposed on them by international law and the various United Nations resolutions”.
The Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC), the largest Palestinian coalition, said in a tweet that it “salutes the Mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, and the grassroots groups who helped end institutional links with apartheid Israel.”
It said, “Barcelona has become the first city council to suspend ties with apartheid Tel Aviv in solidarity with the Palestinian people, a move that is reminiscent of the historic and courageous city councils that pioneered cutting links with apartheid South Africa,” calling on “institutions worldwide to follow in Barcelona’s footsteps and end their own involvement in sustaining Israeli crimes against humanity.”
“With the current Israeli government, the most far-right, racist, sexist and homophobic ever, accountability is more needed than ever to end its impunity and dismantle apartheid,” BNC said.
