StandWithUs strongly condemns the Park Slope Food Coop (PSFC) vote to boycott Israeli products on May 26, 2026, following years of pressure from the hateful Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign.
“This does nothing to help Israelis and Palestinians make peace,” said Avi Posnick, Executive Director of StandWithUs Northeast. “Instead, it actively promotes the agenda of violent extremists, while fueling hostility and division among members of the co-op. We stand with Coop 4 Unity, who worked tirelessly to stop their coop from being co-opted by a global hate movement.”
In the weeks leading up to the vote, Jewish members of the co-op who opposed BDS reported experiencing hostility, intimidation, and antisemitic rhetoric. This included BDS supporters making accusations of “Jewish supremacism” during a co-op meeting.
The process surrounding the vote also raises serious concerns about fairness and transparency. Opponents of BDS were reportedly denied a meaningful opportunity to present their case before the vote was called, after members voted to skip anti-boycott discussion entirely. Silencing dissent while advancing a deeply divisive political agenda is antithetical to the values of cooperation and teamwork that PSFC claims to uphold.
PSFC 4 Palestine (Park Slope Food Coop 4 Palestine) has explicitly stated that its boycott efforts within the co-op are connected to the “global” Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel. The body that coordinates BDS activities worldwide is called the BDS National Committee (BNC). According to the New York Times, “terrorist organizations, including Hamas” are part of the BNC.
“Some PSFC members may have supported the boycott because they think it will help Palestinians. However, that is not the goal of BDS. BDS seeks to shut down Israeli-Palestinian cooperation and end Israel’s existence. Its leaders have made clear that their goal is to eliminate Israel entirely, not change its policies,” Posnick continued.
The PSFC 4 Palestine was officially endorsed by multiple organizations with records of promoting hatred and violence, including:
- PAL-Awda NY/NJ, which was behind protests where extremists chanted “we support Hamas here” and “long live October 7” outside New York City synagogues.
The Palestinian Youth Movement NYC (PYM), which celebrated October 7, 2023, the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust.
Within Our Lifetime (WOL) – regularly promotes violent extremism at rallies and praised the genocidal former leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah – two U.S.-designated terrorist groups.
StandWithUs stands with Coop 4 Unity and all members of the PSFC community who endured discrimination, harassment, and exclusion as a result of BDS. We encourage all people of good will to reject campaigns of hate, and instead support genuine efforts toward justice and peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
