North Carolina is on its way to becoming the 22nd state to pass an anti-BDS law, marking the latest victory in the fight against boycotting Israel on the US state level.
North Carolina became the latest US state whose legislature has passed a measure opposing the anti-Israel BDS movement.
A bill titled “Divestment from Companies that Boycott Israel” requires North Carolina state institutions to cease all contracts with companies that boycott Israeli companies or products made in Israel.
The bill passed the North Carolina House of Representatives 96-19 following a 45-3 vote in the state’s senate.
Governor Roy Cooper is expected to sign the legislation soon.
“The state of North Carolina has long been a trading partner with Israel and thanks to this legislation, that connection will not be hindered. North Carolina businesses conduct $140 million per year in exports and commerce with Israel,” North Carolina’s Jewish Federations said in a joint statement.
Josh Block, president and CEO of The Israel Project, praised North Carolina lawmakers “for standing up against anti-Semitism.”
“And make no mistake, though BDS poses as a human rights movement, in truth, it is nothing more than an attempt to sow anti-Israel hate,” he said. “Hiding behind laudable rhetoric on human rights, boycott advocates single out the Jewish state for special punishment. In fact, Israel is the only nation in the Middle East that universally protects these values.”
The governors of all 50 US states have recently signed a declaration condemning the BDS movement as antithetical to American values.
Montana, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Rhode Island Michigan, Texas, Nevada and Kansas have all passed bills fighting BDS.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently signed an executive order banning state agencies from investing in companies that support boycotts on Israel.
The BDS movement promotes financial, academic and cultural boycotts against Israel, ostensibly as a nonviolent struggle against the so-called “Israeli occupation.” Critics say its activities are a modern form of anti-Semitism and that its true objective is to destroy the State of Israel.
By: JNS.org and United with Israel Staff
