Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon will host a summit on fighting the BDS movement. Photo: World Likud.

JNS.org – Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon on May 31 will host a summit on fighting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, drawing an expected crowd of more than 1,500 students, diplomats, academics, legal professionals, and activists to the UN.

“BDS is the modern incarnation of antisemitism,” Danon said. “Holding this anti-BDS summit in the UN General Assembly will bring together an international coalition against the boycott movement, and will send a clear message to all of our adversaries — Israel will not relent and will continue to reveal the lies propagated by the BDS movement.”

Participants will learn about various aspects of the campaign against BDS from panelists such as Ronald Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress; Justice Elyakim Rubinstein, vice president of the Israeli Supreme Court; and Jay Sekulow, chief legal counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice. Attendees will also receive an “ambassadors against BDS” toolkit that will provide suggestions and contact information to help them fight BDS on the practical level.

“They will return to their campuses fully equipped and ready to take on the lies of the BDS movement,” Danon said.

The Israeli envoy’s “Building Bridges, Not Boycotts” conference will include a performance in the UN General Assembly by Jewish reggae star Matisyahu, who experienced BDS firsthand in 2015 when a Spanish music festival initially decided to disinvite him in response to BDS pressure. The festival ultimately reinstated his performance.

The UN conference is a partnership between Israel’s Mission to the UN and organizations including the World Jewish Congress, Keren HaYesod, the American Center for Law and Justice, the Anti-Defamation League, the Zionist Organization of America, Israel Bonds, StandWithUs, B’nai B’rith International, Hillel, CAMERA and others.