US/World News

GOP senators introduce bill to ban antisemitic country-of-origin labels

(JTA) – Seven Republican senators are backing a bill that would enshrine as law one of former President Donald Trump’s final orders – requiring products from the portion of the West Bank controlled entirely by Israel to be labeled as originating in Israel. The Anti-BDS Labeling Act introduced this week by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., refers to the movement to boycott, divest from and sanction Israel. It comes on the heels of the controversy surrounding ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s recent decision to pull its products out of the West Bank. Republican lawmakers, however, have been talking about enacting the Trump order since Dec. 23, when the lame-duck president issued the measure less than a month before leaving office.

Biden has not rescinded the order, which applies to goods manufactured in Area C,which is where Jewish settlements are concentrated and which is under Israeli control. The bill has no chance of passage in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

Also in the West Bank are the much smaller Area A, which is under total Palestinian Authority control, and Area B under joint Israel-P.A. control. Under Trump’s order, products from those areas are labeled as coming from the West Bank.

In addition to Cotton, the bill is being backed by Marco Rubio and Rick Scott of Florida; Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty of Tennessee; Ted Cruz of Texas; and John Boozman of Arkansas.

Main Photo: Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement, also known as BDS. (photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)

SHARE
RELATED POSTS
U of Illinois pledges to fight antisemitism after gov’t launches investigation
FBI raids NY haredi yeshivas
Alan Gross lawsuit against U.S. dismissed

Leave Your Reply