“The Palestinian phoenix of Gaza is emerging from under the rubble to reassert to the world that we shall never bow to oppressors,” said Omar Barghouti, co-founder of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement, in an article published in The Guardian on Monday. He warned that US President Donald Trump’s reported proposal to “take over” and “own” Gaza after forcibly displacing millions of Palestinians amounts to an attempt to normalise “atrocity crimes”.
Trump’s remarks, widely condemned by international figures and governments, including Germany and several Arab states, have been described as “criminal”, “illegal”, and “destabilising”. However, Barghouti argued that merely debating such proposals risks shifting the discourse away from outright rejection towards dangerous normalisation. “Inciting for the forced displacement of Palestinian genocide survivors constitutes a continuation of the genocide,” he said.
The renewed international focus on Gaza follows more than 15 months of Israeli military action, which has left the enclave in ruins. While a fragile ceasefire is in place, Barghouti warned that without accountability, violence could persist in less visible forms. “Unspeakable criminality and shameless complicity must be met with inexorable accountability,” he said. He called on global civil society to increase pressure through boycott measures, comparing the current struggle to the fight against apartheid in South Africa.
The BDS movement, which Barghouti co-founded, has long advocated economic, cultural, and academic boycotts against Israel, aiming to hold it accountable for its policies towards Palestinians. The activist cited a “spiral of collapse” in Israel’s economy, referencing a report from 130 Israeli economists warning of a declining tech sector and an exodus of skilled professionals. “BDS and boycotts have changed Israel’s global trade landscape,” he said, quoting an Israeli trade official.
Beyond economic measures, Barghouti emphasised the need for stronger political alliances. “To defeat Trumpism and the rising wave of fascism worldwide, broad-tent, inclusive, anti-racist alliances are more important than ever,” he said. He urged racial, climate, social, and economic justice movements to unite in resistance against what he described as “Israel’s system of oppression”.
The activist also criticised the Biden administration, arguing that while it has distanced itself from Trump’s rhetoric, it has still entertained Israeli displacement proposals. He claimed Washington had pressured Egypt to facilitate Palestinian displacement in exchange for economic incentives. “While global outrage against Trump’s plan abounds, the Biden administration, the ‘lesser evil’, the main partner in arming, funding, and shielding from accountability Israel’s genocide, has entertained Israel’s proposed ethnic cleansing plans without provoking similar media outrage,” he argued.
As Israel faces growing international scrutiny, the UN special rapporteur on Palestinian rights, Francesca Albanese, has warned that if forced displacement is not stopped, “Israel’s genocide of Palestinians will not be confined to Gaza.” Barghouti echoed this sentiment, warning that Israel’s leaders have hinted at expanding military operations in the occupied West Bank.
With rising calls for accountability, Barghouti insisted that BDS remains the most effective form of solidarity, urging the world to take decisive action. “Principled and strategic solidarity is crucial to dissipate these clouds so we can rise to our inevitable emancipation,” he said.
