The need to undo anti-BDS laws

Laws are being passed in America to deny American citizens their right to criticize a foreign country, Israel. The laws are targeting BDS, the Boycott, Divestment, Sanction Movement, which has organized peaceful protests against Israel’s illegal settlements and Israel’s anti-human rights policies. This article at the Middle East Monitor explores one aspect of those unconstitutional laws

By Ray Hanania

At least 26 American states have adopted anti-BDS laws that in one form or another are intended to punish Americans who seek to boycott the State of Israel. The laws are being fueled by funding and political lobbying by pro-Israel activists in the United States and contravene the right to free speech by Americans.

In my recent column at Middle East Monitor, I explore the illegality of the anti-BDS laws and why they are spreading across the United States.

You can click this link to read the column. But below are facts and figures that broaden the scope of the discussion that might be useful in understanding the illegality of these anti-BDS laws and why American politicians who put the interest of a foreign country above the rights of their own citizens.

Israeli road signs in Arabic, Hebrew and English. Israel has begun a process of removing Arabic from many of its road signs. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Illinois is one of the 26 states that have adopted anti-BDS laws. It was the 3rd state to introduce a law and the first to adopt it . The law was signed by Gov. Bruce Rauner, a Republican. But Rauner was defeated by Democrats J.B. Pritzker, who has long been a stalwart champion of Israel. Pritzker has many Arab American leaders backing his candidacy. Now that he has won the November 2018 General Election for Illinois Governor, the question is will Pritzker act to repeal the illegal anti-BDS law that Rauner signed, or will he simply ignore his responsibility to champion the freedoms that the anti-BDS laws threaten.

Here is the press release that Rauner put out applauding the attack on BDS supporters.

Rauner applauds Board decision on Airbnb

Illinois Investment Policy Board finds company out of compliance with Illinois anti-BDS law

CHICAGO — The Illinois Investment Policy Board (IIPB) today unanimously found that Airbnb’s decision to delist Jewish-owned properties on the West Bank was not in compliance with Illinois anti-BDS law. Airbnb has until the next IIPB meeting on March 13 to respond before the IIPB takes final action.

Gov. Bruce Rauner issued the following statement applauding the IIPB action:

“In response to our request for an investigation, the Illinois Investment Policy Board has determined that Airbnb is not in compliance with Illinois law prohibiting bans, divestitures and sanctions against the state of Israel. We applaud the Board’s finding and urge Airbnb to reverse its decision. It is imperative that we hold companies accountable when they are engaged in targeted discriminatory activities. Such actions not only violate the law of Illinois, they offend the core values of equality and fairness upon which our nation is built.”

The Board’s Executive Director Monica-Kaye Gamble can be reached at [email protected].

Here is a list of the 26 American states that have approved anti-BDS legislation as of November 2018.

The first State to introduce the unconstitutional law against Americans who criticize or boycott Israel was the State of Tennessee in April 2015 and the first state to approve the anti-BDS legislation is Illinois in July 2015.

Since then, 25 more states have passed similar anti-BDS laws. Here are all of the 26 states that have approved the anti-BDS pro-Apartheid Law:

Tennessee (April 2015)
South Carolina (June 2015)
Illinois (July 2015)
Alabama (February 2016)
Colorado (February 2016)
Indiana (March 2016)
Florida (March 2016)
Virginia (March 2016)
Arizona(March 2016)
Georgia (April 2016)
Iowa (May 2016)
New York (June 2016)
New Jersey (August 2016)
California Sept. 2016)
Pennsylvania (November 2016)
Ohio (December 2016)
Michigan (January 2017)
Texas (May 2017)
Minnesota (May 2017)
Nevada (2017)
Kansas (June 2017)
North Carolina (July 2017)
Maryland (October 2017)
Wisconsin (October 2017)
Louisiana (May 2018)
Kentucky (November 2018)

Federal judges in two states, Arizona and Kansas have declared the laws unconstitutional, yet the 24 other states continue to enforce the law, most requiring contractors to sign a testimonial that they do not support the BDS movement, or face cancellation or disqualification from state contracts.

Click here to read more of Ray Hanania’s columns at Middle East Monitor.

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rayhanania

Op-Ed writer, author, radio host, podcaster at The Arab Daily News

Ray Hanania is an award-winning columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

His award winning columns can be found at www.HANANIA.COM Subscribe FREE today

Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

Email Ray Hanania at [email protected].

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