On March 22, 2017, War on Want, a leader of anti-Israel BDS (boycott, divestment, and sanctions) campaigns in the UK, published a press release concerning BDS activist and co-founder of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACTI) Omar Barghouti. Barghouti is a resident of Israel. The statement accuses Israel of interrogating Barghouti for four days and claims that this interrogation is a form of “repressive treatment” part of Israel’s “system of violence and discrimination towards Palestinians.”

There is just one small detail missing from War on Want’s account. The reason for Bargouti’s March 19 arrest – tax evasion.

Barghouti is suspected of hiding $700,000 in unreported income, some from his company “National Computing Resources” and some from honorarium payments for lectures and proceeds from a book. The money was allegedly hidden in a Ramallah-based bank account.

In addition to being co-founder of PACBI, Barghouti supports a one-state solution; uses Nazi rhetoric in describing Israel; supports a “right to resist,” including armed resistance; calls for a “right of return,” which is equivalent to calling for the elimination of Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people; and makes false accusations of ethnic cleansing and apartheid against Israel. Barghouti is very active in speaking on behalf of BDS on campuses around the world.