Spanish Courts Suspend Anti-Israel Boycotts in 3 Cities

Three more victories were scored against BDS in Spain, with courts ruling that boycott resolutions are discriminatory and illegal. 

By: United with Israel Staff

This week, a district court in Oviedo, Spain dealt another significant blow to the Spanish BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement by issuing a writ of interim injunction against the City Council of Castrillón for its discriminatory boycott of Israeli products.

The decision came shortly after another court in Barcelona struck down a boycott provision passed by the City Council of El Prat de Llobregat, in the metropolitan area of Barcelona, stating that the boycott is in breach of laws protecting free speech and academic freedom.

The Lawfare Project’s Spanish Counsel, Ignacio Wenley Palacios, has secured a total of 46 writs of injunction and decisions against the Spanish boycott campaign across the country.

In the last eight months alone, the Lawfare Project has secured 19 writs of injunction and favorable court decisions, establishing a Spanish legal doctrine against boycotts by transnational corporations purportedly instituted to comply with international law and human rights mandates.

“The Spanish Courts have supported our legal reasoning that boycotts of Israel infringe on human rights, violate free speech, and are tantamount to discrimination on account of national origin and personal opinions,” said Palacios. “The City Council of Castrillón passed this boycott with the notion that it would be impervious to legal challenges. We have proven them wrong.”

“The Lawfare Project stands on the front lines fighting against discrimination targeting Jews and Israelis. We will not rest as long as any organization attempts to legalize anti-Semitic policies, whether it is a local government or an international airline company,” said Brooke Goldstein, Executive Director of the Lawfare Project. “We will continue to stand up in defense of the freedoms and liberties of every individual and to advance justice for the pro-Israel community.”

Anti-BDS and Israel advocacy organizations have seen success after success in their legal battle against the anti-Israel elements.

This report comes just days after a court in the Canary Islands ruled that an anti-Israel boycott motion approved in November 2015 by the Council of Gran Canaria is illegal.

Gran Canaria, an African archipelago which is part of Spain, is the second most populous island of the Canary Islands. The area has a combined population of 850,000 inhabitants, hosting more than 4.2 million tourists annually.