T. Belman. This policy is in line with what the EU is doing. Just to be clear, the boycott that is being legalized by both is of companies and individuals who do business in Judea and Samaria and even Jerusalem. The Israel Banks are one example of who is being boycotted.
[..]
A special statement issued by the State Department Press Office on Tuesday afternoon made clear that while the administration “strongly opposes” any boycott, divestment or sanctions against the State of Israel, it does not extend the same protection to “Israel-controlled territories.” Rather than weakening efforts to boycott Jewish settlements in the occupied territories, as Israel supporters had planned, the State Department was actually granting them unprecedented legitimacy.
The statement came in the wake of President Obama’s signing of the Trade Promotion Authority bill, which grants him the authority he had sought to conclude the Trans-Pacific Partnership accord. But as the bill deals with free trade agreements in general, a clause was inserted in the Senate by Democratic Senator Ben Cardin and Republican Senator Rob Portman and by Representative Peter Roskam in the House of Representative that instructs American diplomats to include opposition to any boycott of Israel – or of persons from “territories controlled by Israel” – in their free trade negotiations with the European Union.
The State Department statement, however, makes clear that the bill will not change U.S. policy towards the settlements. “The U.S. government has never defended or supported Israeli settlements or activity associated with them, and, by extension, does not pursue policies or activities that would legitimize them,” it said. It went on to note: “Administrations of both parties have long recognized that settlement activity and efforts to change facts on the ground undermine the goal of a two-state solution.”
The defiant rebuff of the Congressional bill comes in the wake of the recent Supreme Court decision regarding Menachem Zivotofsky that rebuffed Congressional attempts to force the administration to record “Israel” next to his city of birth “Jerusalem.” The State Department statement says, in effect, that a bill on trade authority cannot force the administration to change its longstanding policy towards Israeli settlements in the occupied territories. And just as the Zivotofsky decision weakened Israel’s hold on Jerusalem, the boycott decision only delegitimizes the settlements more than ever before.
Thus, the effort to strengthen the settlements, supported by AIPAC and other mainstream and right-wing groups and opposed by J-Street and organizations on the left, actually ends up weakening them. The attempt to blot out the differences between a boycott of Israel and of the territories actually highlights them. The boycott of settlements, in effect, has now been officially stamped “kosher” by the State Department.
I agree with Bert totally!!! Israel and most other Jews have never done anything to keep our pride and to fight fiercely for our rights in Israel. Bad enough that Israel has been made to shrink because of all those senseless concessions!!! :o(
@ bernard ross: Since 1948 Jewish leaders in Israel and the U.S. have failed to claim that ALL of the territory belongs to Israel.This failure has opened the door for our enemies to claim that Israel is occupying Palestinian land. We gave our enemies a weapon and they are using it against us. After all these years it would be extremely difficult for our leaders to say they were lying against themselves and from now on they will tell the truth. Our leaders are caught in a deadly trap of their own making and we are paying the price.
Whose plan do you think it is? Whom do you believe is orchestrating the anti-Israel concert?
Israel is under concerted attack and BB does nothing, has no plan… I wonder why, considering all the years pointing to these results and threats. His excuse ia always Iran, but he failed there too.
Looks like the trade bill was passed with the baloney cover of this BDS clause. You can be sure that that everyone knew this when they touted it. In one swoop the gop coalition with obama attacked YS and began to export whatever jobs, capital and production remained in the US to the communist, centrally planned, non free market economy of china. Looks like they killed 2 birds with one stone. Obama is laughing all the way to the bank
the first question as all these developments move forward is does BB have a plan of action to counter these moves or does he welcome these moves so that he can give them what they want while still appearing to be the right wing? I keep waiting for any BB advance on behalf of Jewish settlements in YS. Also, I note that those who concentrate on saving Jerusalem will end up giving away both, as they always include Jerusalem in their attacks on YS. The great defender of Israel allows the frog to boil in the pot.
What will BB do? will he as usual give tokens but do nothing, like the EU illegal building in C,, that we here about no more but it keeps on going? does BB ever intend to exact a price from enemies of the Jews? do the pals ever pay with the game of returned taxes? Are the euros ever banned from YS and east jerusalem when they conduct their filthy games? are the foreign NGO’s who sabotage Israel ever banned from pal areas? I never see BB do anything.
A solid Israeli government must do as follows.
Hereafter no US Embassy or any other representative part of the present administration may be allowed to travel to Jerusalem or Y & S. Other foreigners will be strictly screened for possible connection to said US government
ONLY previously vetted persons with US government links may enter our capital or Y & S; and that with close supervision.
The US office in Jerusalem must be closed.
As well as by Haaretz, which is delighted by Obama’s opposition to a Jewish presence in Judea/Samaria/Jerusalem.