04 legislating against bds, israel’s current blitz

8/20/2019 04 Legislating Against BDS, Israel’s Current Blitz

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/04-legislating-against-bds-israels-current-blitz 1/4

Legislating Against BDS: Israel’s Current Blitz

by L. Michael Hager February 26, 2016 1 Comment

Anti-BD la!", bill" an# non-bin#ing re"olution" are "$routing li%e mu"hroom" in

"e&eral countrie", inclu#ing the ', Cana#a, an# the '(.

http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/author/l-michael-hager/

http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/author/l-michael-hager/



he global BD Boycott, Di&e"t, anction5 mo&ement, no! in it" ele&enth year,

ha" "$ar%e# a 7ierce counterattac% by )"rael an# it" lobbie"8le# in the '.. by

A)9AC American )"rael 9ublic A77air" Committee5. he :etanyahu go&ernment

ha" re$orte#ly committe# 100 million "he%el" a$$ro;imately <26 million5 to

7ight BD on numerou" 7ront". he cam$aign target" aca#emic in"titution" an#legi"lati&e bo#ie" at the national, "tate an# local le&el".

)n#ee#, anti-BD la!", bill" an# non-bin#ing re"olution" are "$routing li%e

mu"hroom" in both national an# local legi"lature" acro"" "e&eral countrie",

inclu#ing the 'nite# tate", Cana#a an# the 'nite# (ing#om. he legi"lati&e

attac%" come in the 7orm o7=

1.>e"olution" in the '.. Congre"" an# tate legi"lature" that=

a5 Con#emn BD an# organie# e77ort" to boycott )"raeli $ro#uct". e.g. H.>.

?02, enne""ee, )n#iana, :e! 4or%, :e! /er"ey, 9enn"yl&ania an#Ma""achu"ett"5@

b5 u$$ort e77ort" by tate legi"lature" to enact mea"ure" that o$$o"e

$olitically-moti&ate# act" o7 BD H.>. ?025@

c5 >euire a tate boar# to i#enti7y all $ublically-7un#e# com$anie" that are

boycotting )"rael e.g. Flori#a5@

#5 Call on the '.. a#mini"tration to increa"e it" &oice in international

organiation" to acti&ely o$$o"e $olitically-moti&ate# act" o7 BD again"t )"rael

e.g. H.>. ?02 an# H.>. 6??5@e5 Con#emn the American tu#ie" A""ociation AA5 boycott o7 )"rael e.g.

outh Carolina, 9enn"yl&ania an# Flori#a@

75 Con#emn the a#o$tion by any in"titution o7 higher e#ucation or "cholarly

a""ociation o7 a re"olution or $olicy that re"trict" any in&ol&ement !ith aca#emic

in"titution" or "cholar" on the ba"i" o7 their connection !ith )"rael e.g. H.>e".

1+5.

2. Bill" no! un#er con"i#eration in the '.. Congre"" an# tate legi"lature" that

!oul#=

a5 9rohibit a tate 7rom in&e"ting in or contracting !ith com$anie" that boycott

)"rael@ e.g. Cali7ornia, Flori#a, )o!a an# Ariona5@

b5 >euire the $ublic retirement "y"tem to #i&e"t 7rom bu"ine""e" that engage

in BD action" e.g. )n#iana5@

c5 9rohibit the 7un#ing o7 college" an# uni&er"itie" that boycott or #i"in&e"t

7rom )"rael e.g. :e! 4or%, )llinoi", Marylan# an# 9enn"yl&ania5@

#5 "tabli"h an a#mini"trati&e $roce#ure 7or im$lementing $ractice" relate# to

BD e.g. irginia5@



e5 Create a blac%li"t o7 in#i&i#ual" an# organiation" that "u$$ort BD an#

$rohibit a "tate 7rom in&e"ting in an# contracting !ith any blac%li"te#

organiation e.g. :e! 4or%5@

75 Con#emn action" inten#e# to $enalie or limit relation" !ith )"rael e.g.

ra#e Facilitation an# ra#e n7orcement Act o7 201 H.>. 6??55@g5 Authorie tate an# local go&ernment" to #i&e"t 7rom entitie" that engage in

commerce or in&e"tment-relate# BD acti&itie" targeting )"rael. e.g.

Combatting BD Act o7 2016, H.>.?1? .215.

0. La!" '. Fe#eral an# tate5 that=

a5 Con#emn BD enne""ee, )n#iana, :e! 4or%, 9enn"yl&ania an# Flori#a5@

b5 >euire "tate $en"ion 7un#" to #i&e"t 7rom 7oreign com$anie" engage# in

$olitically-moti&ate# boycott" o7 )"rael e.g. )llinoi"5@

c5 9rohibit $ublic entitie" 7rom #oing bu"ine"" !ith com$anie" engage# in#i"criminatory boycott" outh Carolina5@

#5 )n"truct negotiating re$re"entati&e" to #i"courage BD again"t )"rael e.g.

ran"-9aci7ic 9artner"hi$ Authoriation Act o7 2015.

Accor#ing to the /e!i"h ne!"$a$er 6he Algemeiner , Cana#ian la!ma%er" are

E"et to $a"" a bi$arti"an bill that !ill Econ#emn any an# all attem$t" by

Cana#ian entitie" to "u$$ort the BD mo&ement. he '( go&ernment ha" Gu"t

announce# #etail" o7 it" Eethical $rocurement re"triction" on city council" an#

uni&er"itie".hy all the anti-BD "oun# an# 7uryI Becau"e )"rael i" no! 7eeling the im$act

image-!i"e i7 not economically5 7rom a !orl#!i#e mo&ement that ha" begun to

ta%e hol# in the 'nite# tate".

he :etanyahu go&ernment "ay" BD E#elegitimie" the tate o7 )"rael, i"

Eanti-emitic an# a E!ar again"t )"rael. 4et the mo&ement i" none o7 the"e. )t

i" "im$ly a $eace7ul tactic to $re""ure )"rael to com$ly !ith international la!,

en# the occu$ation an# re"$ect the human right" o7 9ale"tinian". BD "ay"

nothing in #erogation o7 /e!" or )"rael*" right to e;i"t.

)n :AAC9 &. Claiborne Har#!are Co, ?+ '..++6 1+25, the '.. u$reme

Court recognie# the la!7ulne"" o7 $eace7ul boycott" to achie&e a legitimate

$olitical en# the $rimary target o7 anti-BD legi"lation5. Furthermore, the '..

go&ernment, $ri&ate entitie" an# citien" acti&ely $artici$ate# in a global BD

mo&ement that $laye# a maGor role in #i"mantling outh A7rican a$arthei# a7ter

Congre"" $a""e# the Com$rehen"i&e Anti-A$arthei# Act o7 1+6.

Ba"e# on ue"tionable legal groun#" an# $olicy, the current anti-BD la!", bill"

an# re"olution" ha&e one re#eeming &alue. hey re7lect the out"ie# in7luence o7

the )"rael lobby on Congre"", tate legi"lature" an# city council".

04 legislating against bds, israel’s current blitz

Documents