Stop anti-BDS legislation in Senate and in Illinois legislature
The American Muslims for Palestine needs you to take action today to stop anti-BDS legislation in both the US Senate as well as in the Illinois House. Both measures, if successful, could have a hugely negative impact on the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.
If you are an Illinois resident, please take action by sending a Witness Slip to the Illinois House Executive Committee voicing your opposition, and then go to the instructions for the Senate. If you do not live in Illinois, then please follow the Senate action alert.
ILLINOIS
We must act now to stop this bill being pushed forward to punish companies that protest Israel’s human rights and international law violations. This bill is an attack on the growing strength of the movement for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions.
Apologists for Israel's abuses are so desperate, they're even willing to politicize our pension system to stop the boycott. If the bill gets out of committee and passes, Illinois retirement systems will have to spend valuable resources to blacklist and withdraw investments from companies that choose not to do business with Israeli companies - including those based in the Occupied Palestinian territories - because of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians.
US SENATE
As early as tomorrow, the US Senate may debate and vote on fast-track trade legislation, which includes an anti-BDS provision. This legislation would make it a “principal trade negotiating objective of the United States” to “discourage politically motivated actions” that “limit commercial relations” with Israel and Israeli businesses, including those operating in illegal Israeli colonies in Occupied Palestinian Territory. One target of this anti-BDS legislation is the European Union, which traditionally has taken strong measures against Israeli settlements. This new provision would pressure the EU into stepping back from its anti-settlement policies.
Please take action by calling your senators to oppose the anti-BDS measures.