A watershed moment for the global majority as the UN deadline for Israel to end its occupation of Palestine passes

BDS co-founder Omar Barghouti calls for lawful sanctions against Israel as “a rogue state”. Ramallah, Occupied Palestine, 18 September 2025: Today marks the passing of the deadline set by the overwhelming majority of states in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution ES-10/24 for Israel to end its illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. “This is a watershed moment, made more painful for millions of Palestinians by the inaction of most UN member states in the light of Israel’s genocide, ethnic cleansing, induced starvation and deepening policies of apartheid,” said Barghouti.

“In line with resolution 10/24, Palestinians call on all UN member states to end complicity and impose targeted sanctions as demanded by international law. It’s now official. Apartheid Israel is a rogue state that must be thrown out of the UN, just as apartheid South Africa was.”

On 18 September 2024, the global majority affirmed that the International Court of Justice’s historic July 2024 ruling had triggered the legal obligation of all states to end complicity in Israel’s illegal occupation and apartheid regime against the people of Palestine. The resolution called on states to uphold their legal obligations not to recognize, aid, or assist Israel's violations of international law including illegal occupation, genocide, and apartheid. The UNGA called for a military embargo, trade sanctions, and holding Israeli war criminals accountable.

“Over the last year, Israel has completely disregarded the UNGA decision, instead accelerating its atrocity crimes against the Indigenous Palestinian people. Its livestreamed genocide against 2.3 million Palestinians has reached unspeakable levels of depravity and criminality, with induced famine and ethnic cleansing being openly pursued,” said Barghouti.

“The global majority today supports forms of accountability, including BDS, to end Israel’s crimes.

“Bar a handful of states, most have failed to comply with their legal and ethical obligations, thus enabling the descent into a might-makes-right era that threatens humanity at large, not just Palestinians and other Arabs. Palestinian civil society is calling for escalating existing BDS campaigns and pressure on states to cut their shameful complicity in Israel’s genocide and apartheid as the most important fulfillment of their obligations under international law. The BDS movement, with its tens of millions of supporters in over 120 countries worldwide, will not stop until we end Israel’s genocide and until Palestinians everywhere can exercise self-determination and enjoy freedom, justice and equality.”

In the past three months, the call for sanctions has been growing globally, and a number of states and nations have taken accountability measures including targeted sanctions against Israel, including Colombia, Slovenia, Turkey, and Scotland. Members of the Hague Group have committed to ending complicity with Israel and enforcing accountability in the political, legal, diplomatic, military, and commercial spheres.

The nearly 60 states present at the Arab-Islamic Emergency Summit, held on 15 September, reiterated the call for the suspension of Israel’s membership in the UN. On Wednesday 17 September, the UN Commission of Inquiry officially concluded Israel, incited by its leaders, is committing genocide against Palestinians. It echoes BDS calls for sanctions on Israel, including a comprehensive military embargo as well as diplomatic and corporate accountability.

This UN report adds to the overwhelming global consensus that Israel is committing genocide, is acting as a rogue state, and must be treated as such.

Background

Palestinian civil society has called for a Global Weekend of Action 18 - 21 September. As called for by dozens of UN human rights experts the BDS movement calls for pressure on UN General Assembly member states to uphold their legal obligations under international law and Impose sanctions on Israel in the form of: Imposing “a full arms embargo on Israel, halting all arms agreements, imports, exports and transfers, including of dual-use items.” Cancelling or suspending “economic relationships, trade agreements and academic relations with Israel that may contribute to its unlawful presence and apartheid regime in the occupied Palestinian territory.” Joining The Hague Group, the most promising inter-state initiative so far aimed at promoting concrete sanctions and meaningful, consequential accountability measures, and endorsing and implementing their Bogotá Declaration. Expelling apartheid Israel from the UN by withdrawing its accreditation to the UN General Assembly and push for lawful sanctions against it similar to those imposed on apartheid South Africa.

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