Defeated

HR 3515 attempts to link antisemitic hate crimes with protests against Israel’s violence against Palestinians. The bill, which has only Republican sponsors, calls for the Attorney General to issue guidance for law enforcement agencies to raise awareness of antisemitic hate crimes pursuant to the act. In the press release for a nearly identical Senate bill S 1939, Republican Senator Mitch McConnell smeared BDS as antisemitic and implied that boycotts for justice are on par with violent antisemitic hate crimes that the bill seeks to address. Related bill: S 1939.

S 1939 attempts to link antisemitic hate crimes with protests against Israel’s violence against Palestinians. The bill, which has only Republican sponsors, references IHRA’s distorted definition of antisemitism, and calls for the Attorney General to issue guidance for law enforcement agencies to raise awareness of antisemitic hate crimes pursuant to the act. In a press release, Republican Senator Mitch McConnell smeared BDS as antisemitic and implied that boycotts for justice are on par with the violent antisemitic hate crimes that the bill seeks to address. Related bill: HR 3515. 

S 2829 is an anti-boycott bill that enables corporate shareholders to sue companies for taking actions on a basis “facially unrelated to the pecuniary interest” of the company, which includes business decisions that aim to address racial, gender, or other forms of injustice. At the same time, the bill prohibits shareholders from suing companies that seek to punish other companies for boycotting Israel. The bill also calls for stock exchanges to delist companies that fail to follow the bill’s requirements. The bill explicitly targets “‘woke’ social policy actions” on the part of corporations at the same time that it encourages companies to punish boycotts for justice. 

Amendment 380 to the National Defense Authorization Act of 2022 withholds research and development funding from universities that sponsor or endorse campus events involving “convicted terrorists.” Palestinian rights advocacy is clearly the target of this amendment, which was introduced by Rep. Gottheimer following the censorship by Zoom of campus events featuring Palestinian activist Leila Khaled. This amendment was later withdrawn.

This bill, titled the Combating International Islamophobia Act, was introduced by Rep. Ilhan Omar and calls on the State Department to establish an Office to Monitor and Combat Islamophobia. The debate surrounding the bill, as well as the 15 amendments that were introduced, were rife with Islamophobia. Opponents of the bill attempted to shift the debate to antisemitism and criticism of Israel. The version passed by the House included an amendment stating, “No funds made available pursuant to this Act or an amendment made by this Act may be used to promote or endorse a Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement ideology.” 

HR 4521 is a large bill called the “America COMPETES Act,” and the bulk of the bill is unrelated to advocacy for Palestinian rights. The version passed in the House includes a non-germane amendment directing the Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations to work to end the UN Commission of Inquiry investigating violations of international law surrounding 2021’s Unity intifada, including Israel’s forced displacement of Palestinians in East Jerusalem and its attacks on Gaza. The Senate version includes an amendment that bars participation of any country “that takes actions to boycott, divest from, or sanction Israel” or its illegal settlements from National Science Foundation Technology and Innovations programs.

This bill would prohibit Amnesty International, an international human rights organization, from receiving any federal funds, and would make Amnesty International’s employees ineligible to receive any financial benefit from the United States government. Although Israel is not mentioned in the bill, a statement by the bill’s sponsors makes clear this bill is aimed at Amnesty’s work holding Israel accountable for human rights violations. Earlier in 2022, Amnesty International released a comprehensive report documenting Israel’s system of apartheid against Palestinians.

S 2489 requires an act of Congress in order to reverse Trump-era guidelines that require goods produced in Areas C and H2 in the West Bank to be labeled as “Made in Israel.” Republican Senator Marco Rubio, one of the bill’s sponsors, smears boycotts for justice while defending Israel’s illegal settlements to explain his support for the bill: “The bill would prohibit the Biden Administration from issuing new labelling guidelines that would help the anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement target specific goods made in the territory controlled by Israel.

S 3467 withholds U.S. funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) unless the Secretary of State certifies in writing that no UNRWA employee, contractor, or partner organization has criticized Israel, expressed support for boycotts for justice, or propagated antisemitic rhetoric. Examples of prohibited rhetoric include “describing Israelis as ‘occupiers’ or ‘settlers,’” expressing support for BDS, and advocating for the right of return. In defining antisemitism, the bill relies on the distorted IHRA definition, including its contemporary examples related to Israel. The IHRA definition has been widely criticized for encompassing nearly all criticism of Israel and circumscribing protected political speech activities. Related bills: S 2479, HR 4721. 

HR 4721 withholds U.S. funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) unless the Secretary of State certifies in writing that no UNRWA employee, contractor, or partner organization has criticized Israel, expressed support for boycotts for justice, or propagated antisemitic rhetoric. Examples of prohibited rhetoric include “describing Israelis as ‘occupiers’ or ‘settlers,’” expressing support for BDS, and advocating for the right of return. In defining antisemitism, the bill relies on the distorted IHRA definition, including its contemporary examples related to Israel. The IHRA definition has been widely criticized for encompassing nearly all criticism of Israel and circumscribing protected political speech activities. Related bills: S 2479, S 3467.