The Wave of Crackdowns on Palestinian Protest Started Years Before Oct. 7

There has been a swift crackdown on expressions of support for Palestinians or criticism of Israeli actions.

Frida Ghitis: The right to engage in peaceful protest against Israel ’s occupation of Palestinian territories has been under attack for years .

She says the crackdowns we’re seeing now weren’t born out of the horrors of Oct. 7 . Ghitis says the backlash to pro-Palestinian activism is dangerously charged with bad faith interpretations of protesters’ aims.

The BDS movement calls for pressure to be levied against Israeli entities, including companies and settlements in the West Bank , to achieve the end of the occupation of Palestinian territories.

The response from local governments in the U.S. has been draconian and dramatic. 36 states have passed anti-BDS legislation.