In response to attacks on pro-Palestinian activism from the Arizona State Legislature and Board of Regents, Students for Justice in Palestine chapters across the state have formed a united front to challenge our universities’ complicity in genocide.
During a televised debate Arizona treasurer Kimberly Yee touted her opposition to BDS and accused her opponent of antisemitism for tweeting “Free Palestine.”
“If Unilever is so interested in virtue-signaling, why not announce a boycott of countries like China, Russia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, or especially Iran,” asked Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt.
Covid-19 is becoming a very dire problem in Iran. The situation in Iran is compounded by the fact that the Trump administration imposed a new round of sanctions on Iran pushed by the Israel lobby. Read The Shift, a weekly politics newsletter from Michael Arria taking you to the front lines in the battle over Palestine in the United States.
Arizona legislation would revise statutes relating to crime reporting to include the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of anti-Semitism as an “aggravating factor” in sentencing decisions. That definition infamously includes some criticisms of Israel.
In 2016, the Arizona Legislature passed HB 2617. The legislation (which was signed into law by Governor Doug Ducey) prohibited the state from investing or contracting with groups that boycott Israel. The law also established a blacklist of businesses that support the BDS movement. The legislation prompted a challenge from Mikkel Jordahl, the owner of a law firm that contracts with Coconino County Jail District to provide legal services for prisoners. He’s a supporter of BDS and the law required him to certify that his firm would not engage in the boycott.