Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) has reintroduced legislation targeting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS). The effort already has 46 Republican cosponsors. Zeldin introduced the same bill in 2020, ultimately gaining 63 GOP cosponsors and one Democrat.
“Too many, even in the halls of Congress, have emboldened antisemitic and anti-Israel rhetoric by accepting the BDS movement whose founder, in referring to Zionism, said ‘I, for one, support euthanasia’,” said Zeldin a press release. “This legislation not only reinforces congressional opposition to the BDS movement, but protects American companies from being forced to provide information to international organizations that peddle this hate-filled movement, and holds those who attempt to violate that protection accountable.”
The new bill was praised by Zionist Organization of America President Morton A. Klein in a statement. “I am personally pleased to see my dear friend Rep. Lee Zeldin, one of Israel’s greatest friends, continuing his outstanding leadership by introducing the Israel Anti-Boycott Act,” it reads. “The Arab/Islamic war against Israel suffered a major setback by Israeli peace treaties with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates and closer relations with Morocco and the Sudan. Nevertheless, organized boycotts of the Jewish State continue to be a reality that seek to threaten Israel’s economic well-being and its deserved reputation as a human rights loving State.”
“The BDS movement is an antisemitic ploy rooted in hate and violence,” declared Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ), one of the cosponsors on Twitter. “This bill will help ensure continued U.S. support towards Israel and prohibit discriminatory economic warfare towards our ally. It is up to Congress to fully condemn both the BDS movement and the scourge of anti-semitism.”
In addition to prohibiting participation in Israel boycotts, the bill amends the Export Administration Act of 1979 to block United States citizens and companies from assisting foreign governments and international organizations that engage in such boycotts. The text makes it clear that this includes the United Nations’ list of companies doing business on illegally occupied Palestinian land.
The liberal Zionist group Americans for Peace Now (APN) has put out a statement criticizing the bill. “Boycotting, divestment, and sanctions are legitimate nonviolent political tactics,” said the organization’s President and CEO Hadar Susskind. “The fact is that Representative Zeldin and friends want to turn them into some sort of boogeyman and use the so-called ‘threat of BDS’ to erase the Green Line and further their greater Israel agenda. But those of us who support a two-state solution know that there is no peace, and there is no better future for Israelis and Palestinians, down this path.”
On Twitter some contrasted Zeldin’s effort with the recent calls to boycott Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. “Not from the Onion: as world embraces/celebrates BDS against Russia to protest its assault on Ukraine and its people, GOP House members are re-intro-ing bill to CRIMINALIZE boycotting Israel/settlements in protest of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians,” tweeted Foundation for Middle East Peace president Lara Friedman.
“The double standard of outrage at the invasion occupation, killing and destruction by #Russia in #Ukraine on one hand and the shameless support for #Israel invading, occupying for over 50 years, killing and destroying in #WestBank and #Gaza couldn’t be clearer,” tweeted author and ReThinking Foreign Policy president Mitchell Plitnick.
Of course they are! The boycotts, divestment, and sanctions have hit Russia like a freight train and Israel is absolutely terrified that the success of these sanctions will embolden more and more Americans and American businesses to use them to affect much needed change in Israel/Palestine.
That’s why they are, this week of all weeks, twisting arms in Congress to reintroduce this unbelievably unconstitutional legislation and fighting tooth and nail to get Ben and Jerry’s to revoke its boycott of trading in the illegal Settlements, while Israel sits on its hands and lets Russia literally shell and bomb the shit out of Ukrainian Jews and Jewish landmarks across Ukraine.
It turns out that when the chips are down, “Never Again” apparently means “Never Again for Jews in Israel and Jews in Israeli Occupied Territory”. Belligerent militant Jews in the West Bank and Golan Heights get the finest military protection, equipment and Iron Dome technology American taxpayer money can buy, Europe’s Jews get 1939 v2.0
I hope the rest of my brothers and sisters in the Jewish Diaspora are watching closely, because they need to know EXACTLY what Israel REALLY thinks of them.
Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) is proposing to sabotage the 1st Amendment to the Constitution. Thus, it is a direct violation of the oath he took to protect the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.
Tulsi Gabbard lucidly explains why sabotaging dissent is sabotaging the bedrock of democracy itself.
“Tulsi Gabbard Warns Of Threat To Freedom And Civil Liberties At CPAC 2022 | Full Speech”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqaN7MrhyvU
This is exactly how they should have imposed crippling sanctions, and boycotted, the nation that has been committing the same crimes, for decades, and getting away with it. People around the world have pointed to the hypocrisy of the US, UK, and the EU nations, who instead of treating Israel the same way, sends it more aid and weapons, to continue the brutal crimes against the Palestinians.
There is little question the momentum for boycotting, divesting and sanctioning Russia has gotten widespread attention. The BDS call can become much more successful once it is framed to advance the likely solution, civil rights, and once it becomes clearer the basis on which it will end.