The 9-1 ruling by the full Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit reversed a February 2021 panel decision that the Arkansas anti-BDS law was unconstitutional.
The announcement follows the British Parliament’s passing in February of a legislative amendment that forbade local governments from divesting public pension fund holdings in Israeli companies.
Arizona, Florida and New Jersey have already divested or are in the process of divesting from Unilever. New York joined the club, and other states are considering it.
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett told the CEO of Ben & Jerry's parent company that boycotting Israel will 'take strong action against any boycott directed against its citizens.'
'The Missouri legislature has taken bold action to combat the insidious and hateful BDS movement that singles out Israel and encourages punitive actions against its economy and citizens,' said a regional director of the American Jewish Committee.
'My colleagues and I condemn the BDS movement, and we have sent a letter to the Office of Foreign Asset Control requesting an update on . . . organizations engaged in anti-Semitic hate against our allies in Israel and the Jewish people worldwide,' said Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.) at the signing ceremony.
The Lawfare Project 'calls upon Airbnb's leadership to carefully consider the bigoted nature of its decision—as well as its own business interests—and to immediately cancel its discriminatory policy.'
While BDS and its supporters have won some local legal battles in the US, the overall picture is that of staunch support for Israel and opposition to boycotts on the Jewish state.
Following a lawsuit on behalf of a teacher who claims that the state’s anti-BDS law infringes on her right to free speech, a federal judge has temporarily blocked it.
North Carolina Representatives Stephen M. Ross, John Szoka and Jon Hardister sponsored a bipartisan resolution to fight BDS-promoted boycotts of Israel. Thank them for their efforts!
Nevada is on its way to becoming the 21st state to pass an anti-BDS law, marking the latest victory in the fight against boycotting Israel on the US state level.