The bipartisan legislation includes a second resolution placing sanctions on those who support Palestinian terror groups.
By United With Israel Staff
The U.S. House of Representatives approved a resolution opposing the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement on Tuesday.
House Resolution 246 received bipartisan support, with 398 members voting in favor and 17 against.
The resolution, sponsored by Rep. Bradley Schneider (D-Illinois-10), opposes the BDS movement, which seeks to delegitimize the State of Israel, as well as U.S. companies with commercial ties to Israel.
H. Res. 246 “affirms that the Global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement undermines the possibility for a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by demanding concessions of one party alone and encouraging the Palestinians to reject negotiations in favor of international pressure.”
It “urges Israelis and Palestinians to return to direct negotiations as the only way to achieve an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”
Brian Shankman, AIPAC’s director of Regional Affairs and Development, posted a statement of “great news,” saying that the legislation will help keep Israel safe, strengthen the U.S.-Israel alliance and combat the global BDS campaign.
Passing of the resolution demonstrates recognition that BDS is “anti-Israel, anti-peace, and harmful to American interests,” Shankman said in a video that accompanied the statement.
The majority in both parties supported the bipartisan resolution, which was opposed by 16 Democrats – including, of course, pro-BDS activists Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib – and one Republican, Thomas Massie.
“Tonight’s vote puts the vast majority of Congress on record opposing the BDS campaign as anti-Israel, anti-peace, and damaging to U.S. interests,” Shankman said.
The House also passed H.Res. 1850, the Palestinian International Terrorism Support Prevention Act, which imposes sanctions on those who support Palestinian terror groups, as well as H.Res. 1837, the U.S.-Israel Cooperation Enhancement and Regional Security Act. This bill expands and deepens security and economic cooperation between the U.S. and Israel.
Minister Erdan: Bi-partisan Support for Israel ‘Stronger than Ever’
“The decision to denounce the boycott campaign is an important achievement in the struggle against the delegitimization and anti-Semitism within BDS,” Gilad Erdan, Israel’s Minister of Strategic Affairs. “It proves that despite exceptional extremist voices currently heard in the public discourse in the United States, the support and cooperation with Israel on a bi-partisan level is stronger than ever.”
“The importance of this decision is that it publicly recognizes that key parts of BDS oppose Israel’s existence as a Jewish state, no matter the borders, and that BDS only harms the chances of achieving peace and coexistence in our region,” Erdan added. “We will work to implement this decision and turn it into practical policy against the efforts of the boycott campaign.”