Israel on Sunday published a list of 20 global organizations whose members will be barred from entering the country due to their support for the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.
The so-called “BDS Blacklist” was published in full on Sunday by the Ministry of Strategic Affairs, which together with the Ministry of Interior decided that entry to Israel would not be permitted to individuals associated with the listed organizations.
"We have moved from defense to attack. The boycott organizations need to know that the State of Israel will act against them and will not allow them to enter its territory in order to harm its citizens," Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan said in a statement issued with the list on Sunday.
"Forming the list is another step in our struggle against the incitement and lies of the boycott organizations, and no state would allow visitors who come to harm the state to enter it, and certainly with the goal of destroying Israel as a Jewish state," he said.
American organizations appearing on the blacklist include: American Friends Service Committee, American Muslims for Palestine, US Campaign for Palestinian Rights, National Students for Justice in Palestine, Code Pink, and Jewish Voice for Peace.
Banned groups from Europe include: The France Association Palestine Solidarity, BDS France, BDS Italy, The European Coordination of Committees and Associations for Palestine, Friends of Al-Aqsa, Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, The Palestine Committee of Norway, Palestine Solidarity Association of Sweden, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, War on Want, and BDS Kampagne.
BDS Chile, BDS South Africa, and the BDS National Committee were also blacklisted.
"These people are trying to exploit our law and our hospitality to act against Israel and to defame the country. I will work against it in every way," said Interior Minister Aryeh Deri, who spearheaded the 'Entry into Israel Law' passed in March 2017 authorizing his ministry to deny visas to non-Israeli citizens who are believed to have been involved in BDS activities.
The ban will impact those who hold senior or important positions within the blacklisted groups, as well as activists associated with the organizations even if they do not hold official positions.
Mayors and other establishment figures who promote boycotts of Israel will also be barred from entering the country, as will activists who arrive to the country as part of a delegation initiated by any of the blacklisted groups.
Israel had previously refused to divulge the full list of blacklisted groups.
BDS is a global movement that advocates boycotts against Israel as a state.
On Sunday, Israel's Ministry of Strategic Affairs published a list of 20 specific non-government organizations (NGOs) now forbidden to enter the country.  These organizations were associated with the  (BDS), which supports  of Israel as a state and other actions as a means of protesting Israel's treatment of Palestine.

"Forming the list is another step in our struggle against the incitement and lies of the boycott organizations, and no state would allow visitors who come to harm the state to enter it, and certainly with the goal of destroying Israel as a Jewish state," Minister of Strategic Affairs Gilad Erdan told the press.

The proscribed organizations include the BDS organizations from France, Italy, Chile, and South Africa, BDS national committee, and BDS Kampagne; the , the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, the European Coordination of Committees and Associations for Palestine, Friends of Al-Aqsa, the Palestine Committee of Norway, , , and the Palestine Solidarity Association of Sweden from Europe; and , U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights, National Students for Justice in Palestine, , , and the  from the United States. "Friends" is another name for the Quakers, a Christian sect with egalitarianism as a central tenet.   Officials from these organizations and any activist known to be associated may be barred from entering Israel.  Other public figures who advocate boycotts of Israel, such as the mayors of towns, may also be denied entry.  
The American Friends Service Committee was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1947 for its work helping refugees displaced by World War II; principally, noted Israeli newspaper '''', families of Jewish refugees married to non-Jews.

"For me as a Palestinian, it means a lot that they are going to ban me from going to see my family and people. It is absolutely horrible," said Fatin al-Tamimi, head of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

Israeli Minister of the Interior Arye Derry issued a statement: "These people are trying to exploit the law and our hospitality to act against Israel and to defame the country. I will act against this by every means."

Rebecca Vilkomerson, executive director of one of the listed groups, Jewish Voice for Peace, responded on Facebook, "As someone with considerable family in Israel, this policy will be a personal hardship. But I am also heartened by this indicator of the BDS movement's growing strength, and hope that it will bring the day closer when just as I go to visit my friends and family in Israel, so will Palestinian friends and colleagues be able to return home."

Human rights groups sharply criticized the prohibition as opposing free speech.



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