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House passes bill opposing BDS, exposing divide among Democrats thehill.com/homenews/house…
The resolution to put lawmakers on the record opposing the BDS movement to press Israel on human rights issues in its conflict with Palestinians passed easily on a 398-17 vote, with 5 members voting present. 16 Democrats, mostly ‘progressives’, voted against it.
As expected, the resolution’s opponents included progressive freshmen Reps. @IlhanMN and @RashidaTlaib, who support the BDS movement.
Tlaib, citing her family’s Palestinian roots, said she “can't stand by and watch this attack on our freedom of speech and the right to boycott the racist policies of the government in the state of Israel.”
“Our right to free speech is being threatened with this resolution. It sets a dangerous precedent because it attempts to delegitimize... political speech and to send a message that our government can and will take action against speech it doesn't like,” Tlaib bellowed.
“Here's the thing about the global BDS movement: I don't believe it promotes racial justice or social change at all. It promotes a one-sided view of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict...
that seeks to marginalize Israel, that would deny the Jewish people the right of national self-determination,” House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) said during floor debate.
“You want to criticize a government, that's your right. You want to stop buying products from a certain country, that's also your right.”
“But participating in an international commercial effort that undermines Israel's legitimacy and scuttles the chances of a two-state solution isn't the same as an individual exercising First Amendment rights,” Engel added.
