Why You Should Boycott Disney/Disney+, and How the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) Movement Works
Disney—more specifically Disney+—was officially upgraded to the Priority Boycott Target list by the BDS Movement months ago.
The BDS movement’s current boycott targets are split into three main categories:
1. Consumer boycott priority targets —The BDS movement calls for a complete boycott of these brands carefully selected due to each company's proven record of complicity in Israeli apartheid.
2. Organic boycott targets — The BDS movement did not initiate these grassroots boycott campaigns but actively supports them due to these brands’ egregious complicity in Israel’s genocide and apartheid against Palestinians.
"The BDS movement targets complicity, not identity. When it comes to Israeli companies, being non-complicit entails a) not being implicated in Israel’s military occupation, apartheid or settler-colonialism; and b) publicly recognizing Palestinian rights under international law, primarily the right of refugees to return in accordance with UN resolution 194.
As far as we know, no Israeli company meets these two conditions. Accordingly, the BDS movement has called for boycotting and divesting from all Israeli companies unless they meet the above two conditions." — BDS Movement
3. Pressure targets — The BDS movement actively calls for pressure campaigns against these targets. This includes boycotts when reasonable alternatives exist, lobbying, peaceful disruptions, social media pressure, strategic litigation, etc.
Now for more detail on the first category (Which Disney+ falls under):
1. Consumer boycott priority targets:
"All the corporations whose business with Israel aids in its ongoing genocide, apartheid, or illegal occupation may be complicit in serious breaches of international law and, therefore, face liability for the company, its executives, and its board members. According to a legal expert opinion commissioned by Al Haq and SOMO, “A corporation or individual businessperson who knowingly assists a State in violating customary international law, including the prohibition of committing genocide, may be complicit in such a violation.” This is particularly true in light of the International Court of Justice’s determination that Israel is plausibly perpetrating genocide in Gaza, as well as its July 19 legally binding Advisory Opinion affirming Israel’s illegal occupation and apartheid system. " — BDS Movement
"Cancel or don’t sign up for Disney+ subscriptions! Disney and its subsidiary Marvel are complicit in glorifying Israel’s regime of genocide and apartheid against Indigenous Palestinians. Marvel’s Captain America: Brave New World and Disney’s Snow White star actors Shira Haas and Gal Gadot, respectively, that have consciously and irrefutably taken up roles as cultural ambassadors for Israel, directly representing genocidal Israel’s propaganda efforts. For Captain America, Marvel and Disney are reviving the racist character of Ruth Bat-Seraph, whose decades-old backstory includes working for Mossad. Disney+ is therefore clearly implicated in enabling Israel’s genocide by dehumanizing Palestinians." — BDS Movement
How Else Is Disney Complicit?
In October 2023, Disney publicly donated $2 million to support humanitarian relief efforts in Israel. $1 million going to Magen David Adom (the Israeli Red Cross affiliate) and the other $1 million to other non-profit organizations. On paper, donating to humanitarian relief efforts may sound great, but here lies the problem:
Magen David Adom is Israel's official national emergency medical, disaster, ambulance and blood bank service.
This means that MDA can become an "auxiliary arm of the Israel Defense Forces" (IDF) during "times of war". MDA can also cooperate with Israeli police, Israeli soldiers, and Israeli firefighters.
The IDF are directly complicit in the genocide of Gaza (officially recognized as a genocide by the UN Genocide Convention as of Sep 16, 2025), and are the ones directly enforcing said genocide, and committing extreme human rights violations.
"Israel perpetrated the crime of genocide in Gaza by killing Palestinian civilians, causing serious bodily or mental harm, and deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about Palestinians’ physical destruction by causing mass forced displacement, obstructing or denying life-saving aid, and by damaging or destroying life-sustaining infrastructure" — Amnesty International (To read more about Israel's direct crimes, visit the link)
“The Commission finds that Israel is responsible for the commission of genocide in Gaza,” said Navi Pillay, Chair of the Commission. “It is clear that there is an intent to destroy the Palestinians in Gaza through acts that meet the criteria set forth in the Genocide Convention.” — Genocide Convention September 16, 2025 (To read more, visit the link)
This means the MDA provides direct aid to the same culprits directly committing war crimes in Gaza, The West Bank, Lebanon, etc..., which helps Israel continue their onslaught.
Disney's donation therefore, indirectly made room for the violations in Gaza to continue.
2. Magen David Adom is also directly mandated by the Israeli government.
While not technically a government agency, the Israeli government has a role in the structure of MDA.
-> Nine members of its Provisional Council are appointed by the government.
-> The president of MDA is "appointed by the President of the State for a period of three years" (aka the Israeli prime minister).
Source: X
The current Global President of Magen David Adom is Gilad Erdan. He:
"Is one of Israel’s staunchest defenders on the international stage"
"Previously served as Israel's ambassador to the UN for four years"
"Is known for vigorously defending Israel"
"was Israel's home front defense minister and a member of the Security Cabinet, where he led significant reforms."
"Became a leading voice (..) for Israel's right to defend itself"
Has stated that: “Magen David Adom is the backbone of Israel’s resilience.” And “The IDF is charged with protecting the borders. Magen David Adom protects the people inside those borders, including wounded soldiers.”
3. Disney has made no efforts to support humanitarian aid relief to Palestine, or Palestinians affected by the current genocide, and Disney's CEO, Robert A. Iger, has made no statements condemning Israel's crimes.
“In the wake of the horrific terrorist attacks targeting Jews in Israel this past weekend, we must all do what we can to support the innocent people experiencing so much pain, violence, and uncertainty – particularly children,” said Robert A. Iger, Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company. “We condemn these attacks, the hate that motivated them, and all acts of terrorism, and we will continue working to find more ways to provide support in the region, and to honor the victims, their families, and all those affected by this war.” — Statement by Walt Disney Company's CEO, Robert A. Iger, on October 12, 2023.
Those who condemn October 7th, yet remained silent on everything Israel had done before, and remain silent on everything Israel has done since, have made their stance very clear. They are supporters of Israel.
Disney chose to support Israel, both through financial means, and through media.
"We must do what we can to support the innocent people experiencing so much pain, violence, and uncertainty – particularly children"
Yet this seems to only apply to Israel? Are Palestinian civilians not innocent people? Are Palestinian children undeserving of support?
"We condemn these attacks (..) and acts of terrorism"
but not when Israel is the one committing them?
"We will continue working to find more ways to provide support in the region"
If this was true, why did Disney not donate to charities providing relief to Palestinians, Lebanese, and Syrians affected by Israel's attacks?
"All those affected by this war."
Correction: All Israelis affected.
When advocating for the boycott of powerful and large corporations, one defeatist argument always made is how "it's impossible to boycott something as big as this" and how "it'll never work."
This rhetoric has been used throughout the years as calls to boycott Marvel and Disney have increased.
Yet, just recently, people came together to boycott and cancel their Disney + subscriptions in support of free speech after Jimmy Kimmel's show was canceled for comments related to Donald Trump and Charlie Kirk.
This decision even faced Hollywood backlash, with 400 Celebrities coming together to sign an open letter backing Jimmy Kimmel while criticizing Disney and Abc's decision, and with at least five Hollywood unions, comprising of more than 400,000 broadcast and film workers, speaking out against the company.
Disney reportedly lost nearly USD 5 billion in market value within only 6 days, with Jimmy Kimmel's show now being brought back and able to air, starting Tuesday September 23rd.
This is proof that boycotts CAN be effective. The question is, will you continue to boycott Disney+, or is the genocide in Gaza, and the lives of millions of Palestinians, not worthy of your outrage?
