BDS Movement
News about economic and academic attacks against the Jewish state
“A municipality is using taxpayer money to show a widely rejected ‘documentary’ narrated by a notorious anti-Semite that peddles anti-Semitic canards,” said JCRC executive director Ronald Halber. “They should be bringing people together, not dividing them.”
A pro-BDS bill by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) was widely seen as a move to push back against U.S. laws banning the boycott of Israel. Co-sponsorship by U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) adds credibility to the resolution, which will likely face stiff opposition in the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives.
The group has approached several leading Democrats to voice support against a term that has often been used by anti-Israel groups in the attempt to delegitimize Israel.
U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) can enter the country, despite their pro-BDS views, “out of respect for the U.S. Congress, and the great alliance between Israel and America, we would not deny entry to any member of Congress into Israel.”
“Millions of Holocaust survivors and their descendants, as well refugees from Soviet oppression living in Israel, will find such comparisons unfathomable,” said Democratic Majority for Israel president and CEO Mark Mellman. “I find them odious. In an effort led by parties of the left, the German Parliament officially labeled BDS as ‘anti-Semitism’—and they were right.”
“I am going in a couple of weeks and so I’ll learn more,” said Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) “But truly, everything that I hear points to both sides feeling like there is still an occupation.”
“Support for Israel has long been a bipartisan pillar of American politics,” said Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Va.). “Following the committee’s strong endorsement, I hope House leadership will bring this bipartisan resolution to a vote so Congress can reaffirm its close bond with Israel, America’s friend and ally.”
Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan: “It is sad and shameful that those who were appointed to represent Israel” are supporting the “anti-Semitic” BDS movement.
“The stakes for what we do now as a nation are enormous,” said American Jewish Committee chief policy officer Jason Isaacson.
The anti-BDS resolution, which also reaffirms support for the Jewish state, currently has 340 co-sponsors.
Since entering Congress in January, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) has made multiple anti-Semitic and anti-Israel remarks.
The Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington was outraged by the rescheduling instead of it being canceled altogether.
