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Austria’s parliament passes anti-BDS resolution in unanimous vote

It condemns the BDS movement as anti-Semitic and calls on the Austrian federal government to withhold federal funds from and avoid cooperation with organizations tied to the BDS movement.

The Austrian Parliament building in Vienna. Credit: Jean Fonseca via Wikimedia Commons.
The Austrian Parliament building in Vienna. Credit: Jean Fonseca via Wikimedia Commons.

The Austrian parliament unanimously passed a resolution on Thursday rejecting the BDS movement and all forms of anti-Semitism, including Israel-related anti-Semitism.

The resolution, which was initiated by Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz’s center-right People’s Party, was first introduced last December. The resolution condemns the BDS movement as anti-Semitic and calls on the Austrian federal government to withhold federal funds from and avoid cooperation with organizations tied to the BDS movement.

“Just now sharply condemned BDS movement (boycott against Israel) in the Austrian Parliament UNANIMOUSLY and stated that BDS in Austria should not be supported in any way. A strong and symbolic statement by the Austrian Parliament against anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism,” Martin Endelberg, a lawmaker with the Austrian People’s Party, tweeted after the resolution’s passage.

Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz called the passage a “decisive statement” that could serve as an example for other European countries, reported i24 News.

“In this political environment, he may be as reliable a supporter as possible that the Democratic caucus would sign off on for the position,” political science scholar Dan Schnur told JNS.
“Anyone who attempts to pose a threat or attack Israel will face devastating consequences,” said Danny Danon, Israeli ambassador to the global body.
The reversal “sends an unfortunate signal at a time of rising antisemitism and sustained efforts to isolate Israel economically,” Evan R. Bernstein, CEO of B’nai B’rith International, told JNS.
“I think they’re much more susceptible to being targeted if a public official wants to target them, if a community wants to target them,” Rep. Josh Gottheimer told JNS.