US Congress bill could protect Israel from boycotts

[n2doc]

Proposed legislation seeks to impose counter-measures on countries, organizations, companies or individuals who boycott Israel.
Yitzhak Benhorin, Michal Margalit

The US Congress is preparing a counter offensive to the tsunami of boycotts against Israel, with legislators pushing a bill giving Israel a unique economic status and protection from sanctions.


The proposed legislation constitutes a threat of an American counter-boycott against countries, UN organizations and private companies who boycott Israeli products, political or cultural institutions, or scholars.

The bill proposal is led by Republican House representative Peter Roskam from Illinois and has garnered wide support from both Republicans and Democrats in the House.

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http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4648715,00.html

[geek tragedy]

1. Which government do these people represent?

[DetlefK]

2. Punish foreign companies who don't do business with another foreign country???

How is that supposed to work?

[closeupready]

3. Shameful!

[malaise]

4. Because they are in charge of the world

Stupid fucks

[LeftishBrit]

7. Who, the American Congress or Israel? Actually it's neither!

But perhaps it's true that stupid fucks are in charge of the world!

[malaise]

12. I should have added that sarcasm thingy

They actually think so - both Congress and Israel

[L0oniX]

5. Tell me again cause apparently grade school has it wrong ...Who is congress working for?

[LeftishBrit]

6. I'm against boycotts AND counter-boycotts

Against boycotting Israel, and against boycotting people for boycotting Israel, and against boycotting people for boycotting people for boycotting Israel....

If Americans don't like boycotts of Israel, they can respond by buying more Israeli products!

Where will this end? A boycotts B; C boycotts A for boycotting B; D boycotts C for boycotting A; E boycotts D for boycotting C; and so ad infinitum!

In any case, I thought Republicans favoured the Free Market, and opposed government restrictions on business deals?

[Jefferson23]

8. Just think about what that means when a country requires that level of cover to enable

their occupation of the Palestinians which has gone on for decades to continue. It is obvious the US lawmakers have
no interest in even appearing to be an honest broker in this conflict.

Let the Palestinians be aware and fight back as they will need to with massive civil disobedience.
The US lawmakers are not interested in their right to a viable state.

snip* Reuter added that based on the measures the Americans are willing to take - as stated in the proposed legislation - "any company that wants to issue stocks in the US will have to declare it was not and is not boycotting Israel."


In addition, any company that appears before the US court, or is involved in the American banking system, could be sued based on the proposed legislation.

"I believe most of the European companies will hesitate to join a boycott against Israel in light of the American threats," he said.

[Takket]

9. why don't we just make israel the 51st state already?

if our congress is going to be spending its time fastening legislation to protect their interests, funneling billions into their military, letting their leaders speak to the congress.... isn't it about time we at least started collecting taxes from these people if we are going to spending all this time and money looking out for their interests???????

[IDemo]

10. If money = speech,

Doesn't a boycott count?

[PoliticAverse]

11. Note that it is already illegal for US companies to boycott Israel...

See: http://www.bis.doc.gov/index.php/enforcement/oac

The Bureau is charged with administering and enforcing the Antiboycott Laws under the Export Administration Act. Those laws discourage, and in some circumstances, prohibit U.S. companies from furthering or supporting the boycott of Israel sponsored by the Arab League, and certain other countries, including complying with certain requests for information designed to verify compliance with the boycott. Compliance with such requests may be prohibited by the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and may be reportable to the Bureau.