A Palestinian NGO in Ramallah canceled a planned visit with the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, on Wednesday after he dismissed supporters of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement as "lefty academics."
The London mayor was meant to meet with a group at the Sharek Youth Forum to discuss the challenges faced by young Palestinians as part of a three day visit to the region to boost trade ties.
But the NGO said that it could not in "good conscience" host Johnson following his remarks, which it labeled "inaccurate, misinformed, and disrespectful."
"As Palestinians and supporters of BDS, we cannot in good conscience host Johnson, as a person who denounces the international BDS movement and prioritizes the feelings of wearers of 'corduroy jackets' over an entire nation under occupation."
Sharek Youth Forum added: "In Johnson's own words, the 'only democracy in the region… a pluralist, open society' is one that oppresses citizens, confiscates land, demolishes homes, detains children, and violates international humanitarian and human rights law on a daily basis."
"We, at Sharek Youth Forum, refuse to give a platform to someone who fails to acknowledge our very existence as Palestinians."
Johnson, no stranger to controversy, made the remarks to Channel 4 news during a visit to Tel Aviv on Tuesday.
He said: “I cannot think of anything more foolish than to say that you want to have any kind of divestments or sanctions or boycott against a country that, when all is said and done, is the only democracy in the region, is the only place that has, in my view, pluralist, open society – why boycott Israel?"
Israel has been struggling to tackle a growing Palestinian-led boycott campaign which has had a number of high-profile successes.
