It has been nearly a decade since 170 Palestinian political parties, trade unions and other organisations called for an international campaign of boycotts, divestment and sanctions (BDS) directed at Israel and aimed at achieving an end to the apartheid state’s occupation of Palestine.

In recent years, the campaign has gained considerable momentum internationally. Hundreds of academics, writers, musicians and artists have heeded the boycott call, refusing invitations to visit Israeli universities, publish in Israel or play concerts in Tel Aviv.

Israel-sponsored film festivals have been the subject of boycotts and protests. Yet curiously, the annual general meeting of the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN), held in Sydney on 29 November (the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People), resolved, for the second year in a row, “not to actively engage in BDS”.

APAN, formed in May 2011, describes itself as a national coalition committed to advocating for peace and justice in Palestine, including “an end to Israeli military control and occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territory” and “the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people in a viable and democratic Palestinian state”. It claims 33 member groups, including churches, unions, Palestinian advocacy groups, Jewish groups, aid organisations and Palestinian diaspora groups.

Last October, APAN circulated among its membership a “Discussion Paper regarding APAN’s Position on BDS”, authored by APAN executive member Peter Slezak. While noting that Australian parliamentarians generally view BDS as “politically toxic”, and that APAN support for BDS would likely “close some doors” to parliamentary offices, Slezak provided strong motivation for BDS.

“[APAN has] a responsibility to take the lead as the premier advocacy group precisely because we can make the most difference in generating a groundswell of public and political support for BDS”, Slezak argued. “Our position places a responsibility on us. By accepting the ‘toxicity’ argument we are permitting vilification and deceit to succeed.”

Yet despite numerous Australian unions passing resolutions in support of BDS, and the National Council of Churches endorsing “a boycott of goods produced by Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories”, it appears APAN’s member organisations were in the main unwilling to countenance support for BDS in any form.

APAN’s relationship with activist Palestine solidarity groups has been at times fractious. In August 2011, former APAN president Jim Barr condemned a peaceful boycott protest outside the Max Brenner chocolate shop, owned by Israeli conglomerate the Strauss Group. The Strauss Group provides “care rations” for the Israeli military, including the Golani and the Givati brigades used in recent ground assaults on Gaza.

Barr was quoted in the Australian as stating that participants had “their own political reasons for stepping over the mark and provoking [violent police] responses”. The following year, spurious charges of besetting and trespass in a public place, brought against 19 protesters by the Victorian police, were dismissed.

As Vacy Vlazna, editor of the Intifada-Palestine blog, noted on 13 January, “Solidarity with Palestine is not a popularity quest or a high-tea party, it is an ethical responsibility … to end the literal life and death struggle of Palestine’s oppressed.”

Bringing an end to Australian government support for Israel will not be hastened by capitulation to the paralysis of Greens and Labor parliamentarians who regard BDS as “toxic”. Rather it will require the same sumud (steadfastness) that Palestinians have demonstrated in their 67-year struggle against Israeli colonialism. That means heeding the Palestinian call for a determined campaign of boycotts, divestment and sanctions to isolate apartheid Israel.

[Nick Everett is the convenor of Friends of Palestine WA.]