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Resolution Opposing Israel Boycott Passes with Huge Bipartisan Support as Omar, Tlaib and AOC Oppose It

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The House on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a resolution opposing an effort to boycott Israel and its supporters.

Three of the progressive House Democrats who have dubbed themselves “the squad” voted against the resolution — Democratic Reps. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. The fourth, Democratic Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, supported the measure.

The vote was 398-17. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky was the only Republican to oppose it. Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan, a former Republican who now considers himself an independent, was among five members voting “present,” Fox News reported.

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The resolution opposes the pro-Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which seeks to target American companies that do business with Israel.

Tlaib attacked the resolution, The New York Times reported.

“I stand before you as the daughter of Palestinian immigrants, parents who experienced being stripped of their human rights, the right to freedom of travel, equal treatment. So, I can’t stand by and watch this attack on our freedom of speech and the right to boycott the racist policies of the government and the state of Israel,” she said.

Omar attacked the resolution last week.

“We should condemn in the strongest terms violence that perpetuates the occupation, whether it is perpetuated by Israel, Hamas or individuals. But if we are going to condemn violent means of resisting the occupation, we cannot also condemn nonviolent means,” she said.

Other lawmakers supported the resolution. “Boycotts have been previously used as tools for social justice in this very country,” said Democratic Rep. Ted Deutch of Florida. “But B.D.S. doesn’t seek social justice. It seeks a world in which the state of Israel doesn’t exist.”

Illinois Democratic Rep. Brad Schneider, a co-sponsor of the resolution, told CNN that Tlaib was off-base with her claims about the bill.

Are the members of "the squad" who opposed this bill truly anti-Semitic?
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“It does not stop any speech about Israel or anything else. It recognizes the legitimate purpose and just ends of boycotts through our history. But not every boycott is legitimate or just,” he said. “There are a lot of people who support the BDS movement, but they may not necessarily understand the intent or the expression of … the BDS movement. The movement itself — its intent, its goals — are anti-Semitic.”

Rep. Lee Zeldin, a New York Republican, made that point clear.

“We must reject the blatant anti-Semitics injected throughout BDS,” he said.

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Jack Davis is a freelance writer who joined The Western Journal in July 2015 and chronicled the campaign that saw President Donald Trump elected. Since then, he has written extensively for The Western Journal on the Trump administration as well as foreign policy and military issues.
Jack Davis is a freelance writer who joined The Western Journal in July 2015 and chronicled the campaign that saw President Donald Trump elected. Since then, he has written extensively for The Western Journal on the Trump administration as well as foreign policy and military issues.
Jack can be reached at jackwritings1@gmail.com.
Location
New York City
Languages Spoken
English
Topics of Expertise
Politics, Foreign Policy, Military & Defense Issues




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