TO: University of Washington The South African struggle for justice depended upon strategies including non-violent Boycott,

Divestment and Sanctions to rid our country of apartheid. That campaign was endorsed by Martin Luther King, Jr. during the 1960s, and by the 1980s it had motivated hundreds of thousands of people - including University of Washington students - to learn about the problems here, and play their role in ending minority rule. We strongly support today's BDS campaign by Students United for Palestinian Equal Rights at the University of Washington. The nature of Israeli apartheid and its parallels to pre-1994 South Africa have been made evident in many ways: violation of international law, Bantustan-type displacement and control, racially segregated facilities including even West Bank roads, torture and detention without trial, job reservation and other forms of discrimination within Israel, and a growing reputation as a rogue regime. During this week in which we celebrate the 20th anniversary of democracy in South Africa, all of us are committed to using BDS to ensure Palestinians are also free. Please work with us, and millions across the world, who believe that weakening Israeli apartheid through BDS is one of the most critical projects of our time. Sincerely, Patrick Bond (Senior Professor of Development Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban)
Salim Vally (Associate Professor, Faculty of Education Director, Centre for Education Rights and Transformation (CERT), University of Johannesburg)