Israel Bans the Boycott
Israeli legislators passed a law Monday prohibiting any and all domestic boycotts against the country and its West Bank settlements as part of an attempt to oppose what they see as a global attack on the state's legitimacy. (more)
Israeli legislators passed a law Monday prohibiting any and all domestic boycotts against the country and its West Bank settlements as part of an attempt to oppose what they see as a global attack on the state’s legitimacy.
The bill makes economic, cultural and academic boycotts against the state — such as an instance last year when Israeli theater artists refused to perform at a new cultural center in the West Bank settlement of Ariel — subject to lawsuits or fines. Also, companies supporting boycotts could be excluded from bidding on government work and nonprofit organizations could lose tax benefits. The 38 of the Knesset’s 85 lawmakers who voted against the measure said it is an assault on democracy and freedom of expression. –ARK
Dig, Root, GrowThe New York Times:
The Israeli Parliament on Monday passed contentious legislation that effectively bans any public call for a boycott against the state of Israel or its West Bank settlements, making such action a punishable offense.
Critics and civil rights groups denounced the new law as antidemocratic and a flagrant assault on the freedom of expression and protest. The law’s defenders said it was a necessary tool in Israel’s fight against what they called its global delegitimization.
… Last year, Israeli theater artists refused to perform at a new cultural center in the urban settlement of Ariel and in other West Bank settlements, causing a public uproar. They were followed by scores of leftist Israeli academics, writers and intellectuals who said that they would not lecture at the center or in any of the settlements.
This year, we’re all on shaky ground, and the need for independent journalism has never been greater. A new administration is openly attacking free press — and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Your support is more than a donation. It helps us dig deeper into hidden truths, root out corruption and misinformation, and grow an informed, resilient community.
Independent journalism like Truthdig doesn't just report the news — it helps cultivate a better future.
Your tax-deductible gift powers fearless reporting and uncompromising analysis. Together, we can protect democracy and expose the stories that must be told.
This spring, stand with our journalists.
Dig. Root. Grow. Cultivate a better future.
Donate today.
These are not countries that pose a danger to the US They are countries that face instability and displacement when the U comes knocking.
Well said, your honor: A federal judge in Pennsylvania -- one John E. Jones III of the Federal District Court in Harrisburg, to be precise -- did away with the state's ban on same-sex marriage on Tuesday, declaring it unconstitutional with an eloquent flourish.
Vermont became the first state to ban the controversial gas-drilling technique that pumps huge volumes of toxic fluid deep into the ground and that has been shown to contaminate drinking water supplies.
The European Union announced Saturday that it is banning purchases of Syrian oil, a first for Europe, which had thus far avoided targeting Syrian industry as a method to stem the government violence there. (more)
You need to be a supporter to comment.
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.