House Dems unveil measure to reject anti-Israel boycotts
Two House Democrats introduced a resolution on Thursday to condemn a global boycott campaign against Israel amid recent internal divisions in the Democratic Party over relations with the top U.S. ally.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), who are both Jewish, unveiled a measure that opposes the boycott, divest and sanctions (BDS) movement targeting Israel and reaffirms support for a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict.
The resolution’s introduction comes days before the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference in Washington that starts this weekend, where multiple top Democratic leaders are expected to speak.{mosads}
Supporters of the BDS movement argue it’s an effort to pressure Israel on its treatment of Palestinians. But in a letter to colleagues on Thursday, Nadler and Schneider wrote that “this resolution makes it abundantly clear that support for the Global BDS Movement and support for a two-state solution are incompatible.”
“The Global BDS Movement’s overly-simplistic and one-sided approach do a disservice to the cause of peace and stability by unfairly placing blame entirely on one side and by seeking to delegitimize one party on the world stage. This does nothing to encourage either party to resume negotiations or enhance a better understanding of each other or the complexity of the conflict,” the lawmakers wrote.
The Senate previously passed legislation in February that would allow states to penalize businesses that take part in boycotts or divestments of Israel. But some Democrats, including freshman Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), opposed the measure due to concerns about free speech.
Other Democrats who do not support the BDS movement also raised concerns, like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who said “it is clear to me that this bill would violate Americans’ First Amendment rights.”
Introduction of Nadler and Schneider’s resolution also comes after the House passed a resolution earlier this month condemning hatred, including anti-Semitism, in response to comments from freshman Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) criticizing the influence of the pro-Israel lobby.
Several Jewish Democrats said that her comments invoked anti-Semitic tropes of dual loyalty. Those lawmakers and others had pushed for a resolution that focused only on condemning anti-Semitism.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) are all slated to speak at this year’s annual AIPAC conference, which begins Sunday.
Progressive group MoveOn called on Democratic presidential candidates to skip the AIPAC gathering, citing the group’s opposition to the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal and its lack of condemnation of anti-Semitic statements from Republicans.
Several 2020 Democratic contenders have said they will not attend the conference this year, including Sanders, Sens. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas).
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also expected to speak at the AIPAC conference and meet with President Trump at the White House early next week. Netanyahu’s visit will come ahead of the Israeli elections in early April.
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