Washington – Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand Withdraws Support For Anti-BDS Bill

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    FILE - U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) speaks at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. July 25, 2016. REUTERS/Scott Audette Washington – In a rare move and after facing criticism at town hall meetings, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a New York Democrat, withdrew her sponsorship of an anti-BDS bill.

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    A search of the congressional website on Wednesday showed that Gillibrand withdrew her sponsorship. Asked for comment, her spokesman, Glen Caplin, said Gillibrand remains opposed to the movement to boycott, divest from and sanction Israel, and supported the bill’s intentions, but is concerned that its critics are concluding that the bill would impinge on civil liberties.

    She wants the bill to remove those ambiguities, Caplin said.

    “She wants to see the bill rewritten to see those concerns addressed,” he told JTA in an interview.

    He referred to her comments earlier this week at a town hall meeting in Queens in which she said she was withdrawing support for the measure and seeking a modification of the bill to address civil liberties concerns.

    “I’m going to urge them to rewrite it to make sure it says specifically this does not apply to individuals,” Gillibrand said at the time, describing her reactions after a meeting with the American Civil Liberties Union, which had objected to the bill.

    She did not agree with the ACLU’s reading of the bill, but believed the group had come by it honestly, and was concerned that others would draw the same conclusion.

    Gillibrand said her principal concern was that the bill could be read as targeting individuals who participate in the BDS movement.

    “This is only applying to companies,” she said. “This applies to those working to undermine foreign policy. It has to be very specific that someone who is in favor of BDS can speak their mind and somebody who is against BDS can speak their mind, but you are always allowed to speak your mind. So I’m going to try and get the bill revised so there’s no ambiguity, that it’s just an extension of this foreign policy, which I think does make sense.”

    Activists at multiple town halls had confronted Gillibrand over her support for the bill. Some of the questions were organized by Jewish Voice for Peace, which backs BDS, and the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights, among other groups.

    Critics, including the ACLU, say the bill, which expands 1970s era laws targeting the Arab League boycott to include boycotts initiated by international organizations, would inhibit free speech. Another objection from the left is that the bill encompasses boycotts of settlement goods.

    Defenders of the bill say its ambit is narrow, and that it only addresses active cooperation with boycotts initiated by foreign governments and international organizations, and would not extend to general declarations of intent to boycott Israel or its settlements.

    Most recently, Amnesty International has come out against the bill.

    The bill, introduced by Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., is co-sponsored by nearly half the Senate. A similar bill is under consideration in the U.S. House of Representatives.


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    14 Comments
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    6 years ago

    Why am I not surprised that a democratic liberal will stab us in the back?

    6 years ago

    I want to see protections for small businesses so they don’t get extorted by Israelis falsely claiming BDS when the truth is the business deal made no economic sense. I also want protection if I just get a feeling in my gut not to trust the Israeli who wants to do business with me. I also want protection to be able to boycott agricultural products that are assur because of shemita / tevel.

    6 years ago

    She must be voted out! Sheldon Adelson- help with funds! For this machshayfa — a NY senator representing one of the largest Jewish constituencies in the world — to have the chutzpah to withdraw shows how low the Democratic party has sunk. Even worse was her support of the Iraq nuclear program — a potential death sentence to the Jewish state, if not for the protection of our Avinu Shebashamayim. This foul mouthed trash does not speak for nor represent her NY constituency except for the far left. She must be booted out!

    HolyMoe
    HolyMoe
    6 years ago

    Why are you surprised? She just observed Jerry Nadler voting with Obama for the Iran treaty that puts millions of Jews in life threatening danger. Jerry is a Jew and his district is very Jewish. He probably did it because his career was more important to him than saving his people’s lives. And guess what? Our own chassidic PR person Friedlander actually defended his position (I know. He did it for parnoso).
    So what can you expect from her?

    triumphinwhitehouse
    triumphinwhitehouse
    6 years ago

    I guess nowaguda will love to meet her to claim they speak.for us ask.for money and seek “clarification”

    Shimon
    Shimon
    6 years ago

    Together with her recent vulgar speeches laden with “F” bombs, she is calculating that this will endear her with the left wing of her party. Very hard to beat a Dem in NYS.

    Meloah
    Meloah
    6 years ago

    BDS targets the Jewish state, which includes millions of individuals. The people promoting BDS should be targeted as well. No, there should be no free speech when it represent the demonization of the state of Israel and its people and promotion of evil anti-semitics.

    elyeh
    Noble Member
    elyeh
    6 years ago

    The BDS supporters are primarily haters of Yidden, even those BDS supporters that call themselves “Jewish Voice for Peace” who are only Jewish when it serves their political purposes and political hate. Senator Gillibrand does not serve your interests – so remember not to vote for her or those she supports.

    grandpajoe
    grandpajoe
    6 years ago

    The Dam-ocrats are really showing their true nature