21 jan 2019
The Israeli-US war declared on the Palestinian boycott movement is coming to a head, culminating in a well-orchestrated effort aimed at suffocating any form of tangible protest of the ongoing Israeli colonization of Palestine.
But an Israeli ‘victory’, even with blind US government support, is still too elusive if at all guaranteed. Killing unarmed protesters at the fence separating besieged Gaza from Israel is often whitewashed as Israel ‘defending itself’. However, legislating unconstitutional laws against the rights of ordinary people to boycott a state that practices war crimes might not be an easy endeavor.
The fact that 26 US states have already passed legislation or some form of condemnation of the civil act of boycott, as championed in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS) should, in fact, raise more awareness of the iniquitous Israeli influence on the United States, rather than actually thwarting BDS.
The US Senate first bill of 2019 (S.B.1) titled: “Strengthening America’s Security in the Middle East Act of 2019” called on state and local governments to withhold contracts from any individual or business entity that boycotts Israel.
The bill was defeated, which is a promising sign. However, it must be noted as profound, if not altogether outrageous, that a country that is subsisting in a government shutdown and political crisis would find it both compelling and necessary to push for such a law in defense of a foreign country.
The bill will reappear again, of course. Alas, Americans should now get used to the idea that Israel’s priorities, however skewed and irrational in defense of its illegal military occupation of Palestine, will become the main rally cry for the US government for years to come.
While such a notion has proved true in the past, never before did ordinary Americans find themselves the main target in the political agenda of the far-right government of Benjamin Netanyahu.
Even the mere protest of this agenda is being shunned. Iconic US civil rights activist, Angela Davis, 74, deservingly celebrated for her contribution to American society for decades, was denied an award by the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute because of her defense of Palestinians and support of BDS.
This witch-hunt, which has now reached the most admired intellectuals of American society is affecting ordinary citizens everywhere as well, which is an alarming development in Israel’s unchecked power in the United States.
But how did Israel and its supporters acquire such disproportionate influence over the US government and society as a whole?
In short, the Lobby.
Cheered on by American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and other pro-Israel lobbies, the US Congress is now leading the Israeli war on Palestinians and their supporters. In the process, they are attempting to demolish the very core of American democratic values.
The build-up to this particular battle, which will certainly be accentuated in 2019, began when AIPAC declared in its “2017 Lobbying Agenda” (PDF) that criminalizing the boycott of Israel is a top priority.
The US Congress, which has historically proven subservient to the Israeli government and its lobbies, enthusiastically embraced AIPAC’s efforts. This resulted in the Senate Bill S.720, also known as the “Anti-Israel Boycott Act”, which aimed to ban the boycott of Israel and its illegal Jewish settlements in the occupied Palestinian West Bank.
The bill almost immediately gained the support of 48 Senators and 234 House members. Unsurprisingly, it was drafted mostly by AIPAC itself.
Punishment for those who violate the proposed law ranged from $250,000 to $1 million and 10 years imprisonment.
Anti-Palestinian measures in the US are nothing new. In fact, ardent support for Israel and the complete disregard for Palestinians is the only aspect which Democrats and Republicans have in common. It will remain to be seen if the inclusion of progressive and Muslim women in this current House lineup will change or at least challenge that reality.
For now, the sad truth is that the very individuals who were meant to guard the Constitution are the ones openly violating it. The First Amendment to the US Constitution has been the pillar in defense of the people’s right to free speech, freedom of the press, “the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances”.
This right has, however, often been curtailed when it applies to Israel. The Center for Constitutional Rights refers to this fact as “The Palestine Exception“.
Dire as it may seem, there is something positive in this. For many years, it has been wrongly perceived that Israel’s solicitation of American support against Palestinians and Arabs is by no means a foreign country meddling or interfering in the US political system or undermining US democracy.
However, the “Israel Anti-Boycott Act” is the most egregious of such interventions, for it strikes down the First Amendment, the very foundation of American democracy, by using America’s own legislators as its executors.
But none of this will succeed because simply put, noble ideas cannot be defeated.
Moreover, for Israel, this is a new kind of battle, one which it is foolishly attempting to fight using the traditional tactics of threats and intimidation and backed by blind US support.
The more the lobby tries to defeat BDS the more it exposes itself and its stranglehold on the American government and media.
Israel is no student of history. It has learned nothing from the experience of the anti-Apartheid struggle in South Africa. It is no surprise that Israel remained the last supporter of the Apartheid regime in that country before it fell.
For true champions of human rights, regardless of their race, religion or citizenship, this is their moment as no meaningful change ever occurs without people being united in struggle and sacrifice.
– Ramzy Baroud is a journalist, author and editor of Palestine Chronicle. Baroud has a Ph.D. in Palestine Studies from the University of Exeter and is a Non-Resident Scholar at Orfalea Center for Global and International Studies, University of California Santa Barbara.
But an Israeli ‘victory’, even with blind US government support, is still too elusive if at all guaranteed. Killing unarmed protesters at the fence separating besieged Gaza from Israel is often whitewashed as Israel ‘defending itself’. However, legislating unconstitutional laws against the rights of ordinary people to boycott a state that practices war crimes might not be an easy endeavor.
The fact that 26 US states have already passed legislation or some form of condemnation of the civil act of boycott, as championed in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS) should, in fact, raise more awareness of the iniquitous Israeli influence on the United States, rather than actually thwarting BDS.
The US Senate first bill of 2019 (S.B.1) titled: “Strengthening America’s Security in the Middle East Act of 2019” called on state and local governments to withhold contracts from any individual or business entity that boycotts Israel.
The bill was defeated, which is a promising sign. However, it must be noted as profound, if not altogether outrageous, that a country that is subsisting in a government shutdown and political crisis would find it both compelling and necessary to push for such a law in defense of a foreign country.
The bill will reappear again, of course. Alas, Americans should now get used to the idea that Israel’s priorities, however skewed and irrational in defense of its illegal military occupation of Palestine, will become the main rally cry for the US government for years to come.
While such a notion has proved true in the past, never before did ordinary Americans find themselves the main target in the political agenda of the far-right government of Benjamin Netanyahu.
Even the mere protest of this agenda is being shunned. Iconic US civil rights activist, Angela Davis, 74, deservingly celebrated for her contribution to American society for decades, was denied an award by the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute because of her defense of Palestinians and support of BDS.
This witch-hunt, which has now reached the most admired intellectuals of American society is affecting ordinary citizens everywhere as well, which is an alarming development in Israel’s unchecked power in the United States.
But how did Israel and its supporters acquire such disproportionate influence over the US government and society as a whole?
In short, the Lobby.
Cheered on by American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and other pro-Israel lobbies, the US Congress is now leading the Israeli war on Palestinians and their supporters. In the process, they are attempting to demolish the very core of American democratic values.
The build-up to this particular battle, which will certainly be accentuated in 2019, began when AIPAC declared in its “2017 Lobbying Agenda” (PDF) that criminalizing the boycott of Israel is a top priority.
The US Congress, which has historically proven subservient to the Israeli government and its lobbies, enthusiastically embraced AIPAC’s efforts. This resulted in the Senate Bill S.720, also known as the “Anti-Israel Boycott Act”, which aimed to ban the boycott of Israel and its illegal Jewish settlements in the occupied Palestinian West Bank.
The bill almost immediately gained the support of 48 Senators and 234 House members. Unsurprisingly, it was drafted mostly by AIPAC itself.
Punishment for those who violate the proposed law ranged from $250,000 to $1 million and 10 years imprisonment.
Anti-Palestinian measures in the US are nothing new. In fact, ardent support for Israel and the complete disregard for Palestinians is the only aspect which Democrats and Republicans have in common. It will remain to be seen if the inclusion of progressive and Muslim women in this current House lineup will change or at least challenge that reality.
For now, the sad truth is that the very individuals who were meant to guard the Constitution are the ones openly violating it. The First Amendment to the US Constitution has been the pillar in defense of the people’s right to free speech, freedom of the press, “the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances”.
This right has, however, often been curtailed when it applies to Israel. The Center for Constitutional Rights refers to this fact as “The Palestine Exception“.
Dire as it may seem, there is something positive in this. For many years, it has been wrongly perceived that Israel’s solicitation of American support against Palestinians and Arabs is by no means a foreign country meddling or interfering in the US political system or undermining US democracy.
However, the “Israel Anti-Boycott Act” is the most egregious of such interventions, for it strikes down the First Amendment, the very foundation of American democracy, by using America’s own legislators as its executors.
But none of this will succeed because simply put, noble ideas cannot be defeated.
Moreover, for Israel, this is a new kind of battle, one which it is foolishly attempting to fight using the traditional tactics of threats and intimidation and backed by blind US support.
The more the lobby tries to defeat BDS the more it exposes itself and its stranglehold on the American government and media.
Israel is no student of history. It has learned nothing from the experience of the anti-Apartheid struggle in South Africa. It is no surprise that Israel remained the last supporter of the Apartheid regime in that country before it fell.
For true champions of human rights, regardless of their race, religion or citizenship, this is their moment as no meaningful change ever occurs without people being united in struggle and sacrifice.
– Ramzy Baroud is a journalist, author and editor of Palestine Chronicle. Baroud has a Ph.D. in Palestine Studies from the University of Exeter and is a Non-Resident Scholar at Orfalea Center for Global and International Studies, University of California Santa Barbara.
18 jan 2019
The US Agency for International Development (USAID) will end all its projects in the West Bank and Gaza Strip on January 31 following the US administration’s decision to cut funding to the Palestinians, Dave Harden, former USAID Mission Director and Managing Director of the Georgetown Strategy Group, said on Thursday.
Expressing deep concern over the move, Harden told The Jerusalem Post that the US administration “demonstrates again a lack of nuance, sophistication, and appreciation for the complexity of the situation.”
The cut off of January 31st matches the implementation of the Anti Terrorism Clarification Act, a bill signed into law in October by the Trump Administration. This act creates liability for the PA should it accept any foreign assistance from the US Government - effectively closing down all USAID programming.
Harden later said on Twitter that halting the USAID projects in the West Bank and Gaza Strip was “another example of the end of the two-state solution.”
Robert Satloff, Executive Director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said that if news about ending of the USAID projects in the West Bank and Gaza Strip were accurate, it would be difficult to understand the logic behind it.
The Post has learned that several foreign nationals who were assigned to various USAID projects in the West Bank and Gaza Strip have left the country in recent weeks and months together with their families after being informed of the decision to end the projects they were working on at the end of this month.
In August 2018, US President Donald Trump’s administration notified Congress of its decision to cut more than $200 million in bilateral aid to the Palestinians, following a review of the funding for projects in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Expressing deep concern over the move, Harden told The Jerusalem Post that the US administration “demonstrates again a lack of nuance, sophistication, and appreciation for the complexity of the situation.”
The cut off of January 31st matches the implementation of the Anti Terrorism Clarification Act, a bill signed into law in October by the Trump Administration. This act creates liability for the PA should it accept any foreign assistance from the US Government - effectively closing down all USAID programming.
Harden later said on Twitter that halting the USAID projects in the West Bank and Gaza Strip was “another example of the end of the two-state solution.”
Robert Satloff, Executive Director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said that if news about ending of the USAID projects in the West Bank and Gaza Strip were accurate, it would be difficult to understand the logic behind it.
The Post has learned that several foreign nationals who were assigned to various USAID projects in the West Bank and Gaza Strip have left the country in recent weeks and months together with their families after being informed of the decision to end the projects they were working on at the end of this month.
In August 2018, US President Donald Trump’s administration notified Congress of its decision to cut more than $200 million in bilateral aid to the Palestinians, following a review of the funding for projects in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
14 jan 2019
The World Food Programme (WFP) has suspended or reduced aid for scores of its Palestinian beneficiaries in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip due to funding shortages.
Some 27,000 Palestinians are no longer receiving aid through the United Nations programme since January 1 in the occupied West Bank, said Stephen Kearney, the organization’s director for the Palestinian territories.
Another 165,000, including 110,000 in Gaza, are receiving 80 percent of the usual amount, he said on Sunday.
The cuts were decided upon after a gradual reduction in donations over the past nearly four years, with US cuts having the biggest effect.
In 2018, the WFP assisted 250,000 people in Gaza and 110,000 in the West Bank.
The WFP launched a funding appeal on December 19 and received additional contributions from the European Union and Switzerland, but the amount remains short, Kearney said.
It said at the time that it was in need of $57m. It will now seek contributions from new donors in an effort to fill the gap, he said.
Kearney said there were also concerns that the cuts would affect the local economy since residents used the cards to buy goods in local stores.
In the Gaza Strip, around 80 percent of the two million residents rely on international aid.
The strip has been under an Israeli blockade for more than a decade. Israel has launched three military offensives on the territory since 2008.
US President Donald Trump has cut some $500m in Palestinian aid.
Some 27,000 Palestinians are no longer receiving aid through the United Nations programme since January 1 in the occupied West Bank, said Stephen Kearney, the organization’s director for the Palestinian territories.
Another 165,000, including 110,000 in Gaza, are receiving 80 percent of the usual amount, he said on Sunday.
The cuts were decided upon after a gradual reduction in donations over the past nearly four years, with US cuts having the biggest effect.
In 2018, the WFP assisted 250,000 people in Gaza and 110,000 in the West Bank.
The WFP launched a funding appeal on December 19 and received additional contributions from the European Union and Switzerland, but the amount remains short, Kearney said.
It said at the time that it was in need of $57m. It will now seek contributions from new donors in an effort to fill the gap, he said.
Kearney said there were also concerns that the cuts would affect the local economy since residents used the cards to buy goods in local stores.
In the Gaza Strip, around 80 percent of the two million residents rely on international aid.
The strip has been under an Israeli blockade for more than a decade. Israel has launched three military offensives on the territory since 2008.
US President Donald Trump has cut some $500m in Palestinian aid.
13 jan 2019
Tayseer Khaled, a member of the Executive Committee of the PLO, has raised concerns about the early Israeli elections, which are being utilized by Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu as a launching pad for a massive settlement plan in the West Bank, including Jerusalem'.
The Israeli government is also implementing a large-scale construction plan to expand the Efrat settlement toward Bethlehem, which will siege the city. The establishment of this new settlement requires the construction of new roads and infrastructures.
14 ministries will be involved with the plan and allocate funds from their budgets to support it.
According to the PNN, this plan is an extension of a large-scale settlement project that the Israeli government has been preparing for years. The Israeli army seized 1,700 dunams of private land in 2009, from the citizens in the region, in order to expand the Gush Etzion settlement. By confiscating land and treating it as ‘state land’, Israeli authorities aim to build 2,500 housing units.
This project comes as part of Netanyahu’s efforts to win the votes from the Israeli right-wing. The expansion of Efrat is called E2 plan, similar to the E1 plan in East Jerusalem, which aims to connect Jerusalem with the settlement of Maale Adumim, and to completely isolate Jerusalem from its Palestinian surroundings.
Tayseer Khaled stressed that it is clear the Israeli government is working at a high speed, especially in the sight of the early Knesset election. It is accelerating the process of constructing settlements and approving additional settlement schemes, in order to tighten control over the Palestinian land in the West Bank, including Jerusalem. The Israelis plan to build 2,500 more settlement units near the Efrat settlement, south of Bethlehem. In addition to the Har Homa settlement on the north of the city, Bethlehem will not be able to expand to either its north or south.
Once the 2,500 additional settlement units are built, Efrat will be qualified as a city. There are already four other settlements classified as Israeli cities: Elit (south of Jerusalem), Betar Illit (south of Jerusalem and west of Bethlehem) (East Jerusalem) and Ariel (south of Nablus and north of Jerusalem).
In response to a question about Israel’s settlement activity after the election of Donald Trump as the president of the United States, Tayseer Khaled stated that the settlement activity has increased by several times with the Trump administration, according to the data from Israeli organizations. “The settlement construction activity increased by 2.5 times to 6,712 units in the first 9 months of 2018 comparing to 2016, which is the highest level since 2002.”
According to the National bureau for Land Defense and Settlement Resistance, 87% of the new housing units will be built in “isolated” areas – outside the existing settlement blocs. Thousands of units are being planned to the east of the Apartheid Wall and a few hundred to the west of it. 121 housing units are planned in the settlement of Yitzhar, to the south of Nablus, which is considered a stronghold of the ultra-right settlers.
In addition, there will be two industrial zones near the settlements of Avni Hefts and Betar Illit. There is another plan calling for the establishment of a new settlement near the “Mishneh Danny” outpost, in the form of an internal educational institution.
In his response to the question on the national strategy to confront the threat of Israeli settlement, Tayseer Khaled said, “Unfortunately, there is no national strategy against the threat of settlements, an imminent threat to the unity of the national territory and to the Palestinian national presence. What we have are policies that deal with settlements that succeed here and fail there.
There are sporadic field battles in which citizens offer sacrifices in defense of the Palestinian land. This is an incorrect situation and needs to be changed, so that a national strategy can be developed.
“I do not underestimate the importance of the peaceful popular resistance against the settlements taking place in more than one place in the West Bank, including Jerusalem.
There are excellent examples of steadfastness against occupation in Bil’in, Ni’lin, Ma’asara, Azzun, Atzmeh Atmeh, Kafr Qaddum, Burin, Auref, Asira, Qaryut, Jalud, Qasrah, Jureish, Eastern Lebban and many others where the citizens fight their battles and make sacrifices worthy of appreciation and respect. It is a constitution of the First Intifada, in 1987, in terms of wide participation, and is inspired by the Al Aqsa Uprising in July 2017, which forced the occupation to step back on its decision.
“In terms of Israel, we need freedom from the restrictions of the agreements signed between two sides, beginning with the Oslo Accords and ending with the Paris Protocol.”
The Israeli government is also implementing a large-scale construction plan to expand the Efrat settlement toward Bethlehem, which will siege the city. The establishment of this new settlement requires the construction of new roads and infrastructures.
14 ministries will be involved with the plan and allocate funds from their budgets to support it.
According to the PNN, this plan is an extension of a large-scale settlement project that the Israeli government has been preparing for years. The Israeli army seized 1,700 dunams of private land in 2009, from the citizens in the region, in order to expand the Gush Etzion settlement. By confiscating land and treating it as ‘state land’, Israeli authorities aim to build 2,500 housing units.
This project comes as part of Netanyahu’s efforts to win the votes from the Israeli right-wing. The expansion of Efrat is called E2 plan, similar to the E1 plan in East Jerusalem, which aims to connect Jerusalem with the settlement of Maale Adumim, and to completely isolate Jerusalem from its Palestinian surroundings.
Tayseer Khaled stressed that it is clear the Israeli government is working at a high speed, especially in the sight of the early Knesset election. It is accelerating the process of constructing settlements and approving additional settlement schemes, in order to tighten control over the Palestinian land in the West Bank, including Jerusalem. The Israelis plan to build 2,500 more settlement units near the Efrat settlement, south of Bethlehem. In addition to the Har Homa settlement on the north of the city, Bethlehem will not be able to expand to either its north or south.
Once the 2,500 additional settlement units are built, Efrat will be qualified as a city. There are already four other settlements classified as Israeli cities: Elit (south of Jerusalem), Betar Illit (south of Jerusalem and west of Bethlehem) (East Jerusalem) and Ariel (south of Nablus and north of Jerusalem).
In response to a question about Israel’s settlement activity after the election of Donald Trump as the president of the United States, Tayseer Khaled stated that the settlement activity has increased by several times with the Trump administration, according to the data from Israeli organizations. “The settlement construction activity increased by 2.5 times to 6,712 units in the first 9 months of 2018 comparing to 2016, which is the highest level since 2002.”
According to the National bureau for Land Defense and Settlement Resistance, 87% of the new housing units will be built in “isolated” areas – outside the existing settlement blocs. Thousands of units are being planned to the east of the Apartheid Wall and a few hundred to the west of it. 121 housing units are planned in the settlement of Yitzhar, to the south of Nablus, which is considered a stronghold of the ultra-right settlers.
In addition, there will be two industrial zones near the settlements of Avni Hefts and Betar Illit. There is another plan calling for the establishment of a new settlement near the “Mishneh Danny” outpost, in the form of an internal educational institution.
In his response to the question on the national strategy to confront the threat of Israeli settlement, Tayseer Khaled said, “Unfortunately, there is no national strategy against the threat of settlements, an imminent threat to the unity of the national territory and to the Palestinian national presence. What we have are policies that deal with settlements that succeed here and fail there.
There are sporadic field battles in which citizens offer sacrifices in defense of the Palestinian land. This is an incorrect situation and needs to be changed, so that a national strategy can be developed.
“I do not underestimate the importance of the peaceful popular resistance against the settlements taking place in more than one place in the West Bank, including Jerusalem.
There are excellent examples of steadfastness against occupation in Bil’in, Ni’lin, Ma’asara, Azzun, Atzmeh Atmeh, Kafr Qaddum, Burin, Auref, Asira, Qaryut, Jalud, Qasrah, Jureish, Eastern Lebban and many others where the citizens fight their battles and make sacrifices worthy of appreciation and respect. It is a constitution of the First Intifada, in 1987, in terms of wide participation, and is inspired by the Al Aqsa Uprising in July 2017, which forced the occupation to step back on its decision.
“In terms of Israel, we need freedom from the restrictions of the agreements signed between two sides, beginning with the Oslo Accords and ending with the Paris Protocol.”
9 jan 2019
Legislation reaffirming U.S. support for allies in the Middle East, including a measure to punish Americans who boycott Israel, did not pass on Tuesday, amid a domestic political dispute that has resulted in a partial federal government shutdown.
The U.S. Senate voted 56 to 44, falling short of the 60 votes needed to advance the "Strengthening America's Security in the Middle East Act."
Most Senate Democrats have vowed to block all legislation in the Senate until it votes on a measure to end the shutdown, criticizing President Donald Trump's fellow Republicans for backing his demand for $5.7 billion to build a barrier on the border with Mexico before reopening the government.
Republicans increased their Senate majority to 53 to 47 in November's elections, but they still needed at least seven Democratic "yes" votes for the act to move ahead.
Trump was to give a speech making his case for the wall, a central promise during his 2016 campaign, in a nationally televised speech later on Tuesday.
The Middle East legislation included provisions to impose new sanctions on Syria and guarantee security assistance to Israel and Jordan. Those are seen as efforts to reassure U.S. allies worried about shifts in U.S. policy since Trump abruptly announced plans last month for a quick withdrawal of the roughly 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria.
The act also includes a provision that would let state and local governments punish Americans for boycotting Israel, which opponents, including many Democrats, see as an impingement of free speech.
Some Republicans accused Democrats of supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement targeting Israel over its treatment of the Palestinians, which they see as anti-Semitic. Democrats in turn accused Republicans of trying to use the BDS measure to divide moderate and liberal Democrats.
Even if it had passed the Senate, the act would have faced a doubtful future in the House of Representatives, where Democrats now hold a 235- to 199-seat majority, with one seat vacant, after sweeping victories in November.
The U.S. Senate voted 56 to 44, falling short of the 60 votes needed to advance the "Strengthening America's Security in the Middle East Act."
Most Senate Democrats have vowed to block all legislation in the Senate until it votes on a measure to end the shutdown, criticizing President Donald Trump's fellow Republicans for backing his demand for $5.7 billion to build a barrier on the border with Mexico before reopening the government.
Republicans increased their Senate majority to 53 to 47 in November's elections, but they still needed at least seven Democratic "yes" votes for the act to move ahead.
Trump was to give a speech making his case for the wall, a central promise during his 2016 campaign, in a nationally televised speech later on Tuesday.
The Middle East legislation included provisions to impose new sanctions on Syria and guarantee security assistance to Israel and Jordan. Those are seen as efforts to reassure U.S. allies worried about shifts in U.S. policy since Trump abruptly announced plans last month for a quick withdrawal of the roughly 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria.
The act also includes a provision that would let state and local governments punish Americans for boycotting Israel, which opponents, including many Democrats, see as an impingement of free speech.
Some Republicans accused Democrats of supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement targeting Israel over its treatment of the Palestinians, which they see as anti-Semitic. Democrats in turn accused Republicans of trying to use the BDS measure to divide moderate and liberal Democrats.
Even if it had passed the Senate, the act would have faced a doubtful future in the House of Representatives, where Democrats now hold a 235- to 199-seat majority, with one seat vacant, after sweeping victories in November.
WASHINGTON, Tuesday, January 8, 2019 (WAFA) – The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) and American civil liberties organizations are leading a campaign to block a bill in the US Congress aimed at fighting boycott of Israel led by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement.
Republican Senators Marco Rubio, James Risch, Cory Gardner, and Mitch McConnell proposed the Senate’s first 2019 bill, S.B.1, “Strengthening America’s Security in the Middle East Act of 2019.”
According to ADC, S.B.1 shields Israel for its ongoing human rights violations against the Palestinian people and calls to punish those that engage in boycotting Israel for violating international law and human rights.
S.B.1 adopts the unconstitutional language from Senator Rubio’s Combating BDS Act, said ADC. Specifically, it calls for the denial of government contracts to those that boycott Israel to protect Palestinian human rights.
ADC called on members to send an email to their Senators to tell them to vote no on S.B.1 and to defend fundamental freedoms that are guaranteed in the US Constitution.
“Boycotts are a long-held tool used in the US to achieve civil rights and justice. It is the duty of all members of congress to uphold the rule of law and protect the First Amendment,” it said, stressing immediate action since S.B.1 is being expedited through Senate procedures and may bypass the committee process.
The Institute for Middle East Understanding (IMEU), a Washington based group, said the bill would also codify into law $38 billion in defense assistance for Israel over 10 years and protect states and local governments that pass laws punishing individuals and companies who endorse the boycott, divestment and sanctions of Israel.
Both US Senator Bernie Sanders and newly elected Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, the first Palestinian-American to become member of Congress, have taken to twitter, condemning the decision to introduce the bill and reminding lawmakers that boycotts are constitutionally protected.
“They forgot what country they represent. This is the U.S. where boycotting is a right & part of our historical fight for freedom & equality. Maybe a refresher on our U.S. Constitution is in order,” wrote Tlaib.
“It’s absurd that the first bill during the (US government) shutdown is legislation which punishes Americans who exercise their constitutional right to engage in political activity,” wrote Sanders.
The bill is a top legislative priority for AIPAC, the Israeli lobby in Washington, and part of a larger legislative crackdown across the country, with 26 states passing similar laws, said IMEU. Following legal challenges by the ACLU, the American Civil Liberties Union, anti-boycott state laws in Arizona and Kansas have successfully been blocked by Federal Courts in the past year.
In December, the Senate also attempted to slip a federal Israel Anti-Boycott Act into an end-of-year Congressional spending bill. A coalition of more than 100 grassroots organizations also sent a memo to Congress urging members to oppose it. The bill was condemned by Sens. Bernie Sand
Republican Senators Marco Rubio, James Risch, Cory Gardner, and Mitch McConnell proposed the Senate’s first 2019 bill, S.B.1, “Strengthening America’s Security in the Middle East Act of 2019.”
According to ADC, S.B.1 shields Israel for its ongoing human rights violations against the Palestinian people and calls to punish those that engage in boycotting Israel for violating international law and human rights.
S.B.1 adopts the unconstitutional language from Senator Rubio’s Combating BDS Act, said ADC. Specifically, it calls for the denial of government contracts to those that boycott Israel to protect Palestinian human rights.
ADC called on members to send an email to their Senators to tell them to vote no on S.B.1 and to defend fundamental freedoms that are guaranteed in the US Constitution.
“Boycotts are a long-held tool used in the US to achieve civil rights and justice. It is the duty of all members of congress to uphold the rule of law and protect the First Amendment,” it said, stressing immediate action since S.B.1 is being expedited through Senate procedures and may bypass the committee process.
The Institute for Middle East Understanding (IMEU), a Washington based group, said the bill would also codify into law $38 billion in defense assistance for Israel over 10 years and protect states and local governments that pass laws punishing individuals and companies who endorse the boycott, divestment and sanctions of Israel.
Both US Senator Bernie Sanders and newly elected Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, the first Palestinian-American to become member of Congress, have taken to twitter, condemning the decision to introduce the bill and reminding lawmakers that boycotts are constitutionally protected.
“They forgot what country they represent. This is the U.S. where boycotting is a right & part of our historical fight for freedom & equality. Maybe a refresher on our U.S. Constitution is in order,” wrote Tlaib.
“It’s absurd that the first bill during the (US government) shutdown is legislation which punishes Americans who exercise their constitutional right to engage in political activity,” wrote Sanders.
The bill is a top legislative priority for AIPAC, the Israeli lobby in Washington, and part of a larger legislative crackdown across the country, with 26 states passing similar laws, said IMEU. Following legal challenges by the ACLU, the American Civil Liberties Union, anti-boycott state laws in Arizona and Kansas have successfully been blocked by Federal Courts in the past year.
In December, the Senate also attempted to slip a federal Israel Anti-Boycott Act into an end-of-year Congressional spending bill. A coalition of more than 100 grassroots organizations also sent a memo to Congress urging members to oppose it. The bill was condemned by Sens. Bernie Sand