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Facing pressure from around the world, Comerica Bank closed an account owned by an anti-Israel organization promoting boycotts of the Jewish state.
Dallas-based Comerica Bank, which hosted an account owned by the anti-Israel International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL), has closed it after facing pressure from around the world, including responses to a call to action from United with Israel.
IADL states on its website that it “supports the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement to boycott Israeli products as well as businesses which support the Occupation, and to sanction Israel for its crimes.”
Renowned Harvard University jurist Alan Dershowitz told The Jerusalem Post in a recent interview that the IADL is “anti-democratic to its core and supportive of terrorism and repression. No decent person or institution should be associated with or supportive of its anti-democratic agenda and actions.”
Prof. Gerald Steinberg, head of the Jerusalem-based NGO Monitor, told the Post that the IADL belongs to an NGO network that leads demonization campaigns targeting Israel. “They use pseudo-legal claims to deny Israel the right to defend its population from terror,” he said.
World Jewish Congress (WJC) President Ronald S. Lauder on Friday praised the financial institution for its decision to close the account, calling it a “bold and commendable” move and an encouraging demonstration of the State of Texas’ commitment to enforcing its anti-terror and anti-BDS laws.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Tuesday signed into law House Bill 89 (HB 89), known as the Anti-BDS (Boycott, Divestments, and Sanctions) bill, which prohibits all state agencies from contracting with, and certain public funds from investing in, companies that boycott Israel, becoming the 18th US state to support such a law.
“On behalf of the World Jewish Congress, I applaud Comerica for this bold and commendable decision to shut down the bank account of the virulent anti-Israel organization, the International Association of Democratic Lawyers,” Lauder stated.
“The IADL consistently demonizes Israel and defends those who incite against it. In penalizing the IADL, Comerica has demonstrated that it is committed to helping the State of Texas enforce its strict anti-BDS laws, and that it will have zero tolerance for any person or organization that seeks to undermine democracy or promote terror,” he added.
This is believed to be the first time a US-based bank has closed an account over the anti-Israel stance of an organization. European banks have already engaged in this practice.
By: Max Gelber, United with Israel
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