This demands a thread of its own. To a large degree, Sen. Chris Coons has always been bought and paid for by AIPAC, the so-called pro-Israeli lobby. ‘So-called’ b/c they promote the most egregious excesses of Benyamin Netanyahu, the Chris Christie of Israel. Not the Israel that others, including many Jews, envision.
However, it never dawned on me that Coons, much less 42 other senators, would seek to make it a crime to boycott Israel. To put it mildly, this is unamerican (Do I run the risk of being charged for not capitalizing the A in America, Chris?). A blatant violation of both free speech and individual liberties. That’s what they’re trying to do, though.
This article (h/t to Sussex Anon) defies belief:
But now, a group of 43 senators — 29 Republicans and 14 Democrats — wants to implement a law that would make it a felony for Americans to support the international boycott against Israel, which was launched in protest of that country’s decades-old occupation of Palestine.
Israel’s occupation of Palestine, including the building of settlements on the West Bank, is, to put it mildly, not a ‘no-brainer’. People of conscience who boycott Israel would be treated as criminals if Chris Coons has his way.
The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reports that the bill “was drafted with the assistance of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.” Indeed, AIPAC, in its 2017 lobbying agenda, identified passage of this bill as one of its top lobbying priorities for the year.
AIPAC represents Israel’s hardliners. The Netanyahu Yahoos. They sure as shit don’t represent many progressives in the Jewish community. But they have Chris Coons eating (Kosher campaign contributions) out of their hand.
So far, neither Sen. Carper nor Rep. Rochester have signed on. Let’s hope they withhold both their sponsorship and, should the need arise, their votes.
You oughtta see what this bill would do. In fact, you can, by reading this letter in opposition from the ACLU. Among other provisions, the bill would:
… also broaden the law to include penalties for simply requesting information about such boycotts. Violations would be subject to a minimum civil penalty of $250,000 and a maximum criminal penalty of $1 million and 20 years in prison.
Really, Chris? Does that punishment fit the non-crime you’re seeking to criminalize?
As the ACLU letter points out, if a company or individual does not do business with Israel as a matter of course, they’re not at risk. Only those boycotting as a matter of conscience face criminal sanction:
This bill would impose civil and criminal punishment on individuals solely because of their political beliefs about Israel and its policies. There are millions of businesses and individuals who do no business with Israel, or withcompanies doing business there, for a number of reasons. Some, like those who would face serious financial penalties and jail time under the bill, actively avoid purchasing goods or services from companies that do business in Israel and the Palestinian Occupied Territories because of a political viewpoint opposed to Israeli policy. Others may refrain from Israeli-related business based on political beliefs, but choose not to publicly announce their reasoning. Still others do no business with companies in Israel for purely pragmatic reasons. Under the bill, however, only a person whose lack of business ties to Israel is politically motivated would be subject to fines and imprisonment–even though there are many others who engage in the very same behavior.