Thursday, August 03, 2017

Should it be a felony to boycott Israeli products?

That's what a bill before the Senate will do. For quite a while, there has been an active international movement (the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement) to boycott Israeli products until it ends its occupation of Palestinian lands. The boycott is explicitly nonviolent and is supported by activists, celebrities, faith-based groups, and political and social justice organizations around the world.

If the bill passes, it would be a felony for Americans to support BDS, with a penalty of up to $1 million and 20 years in prison.

The Supreme Court has ruled that Americans’ right to peaceful boycott with the aim to “bring about political, social, and economic change” is protected by the First Amendment. Thus, this bill is unconstitutional.

No comments: