Israel Gets Tough on Their "Haters": Publishes List of BDS Groups Now Banned from Entering the Country

News Staff : Jan 9, 2018
JNS.org

The U.S.-based groups on the list include, among others, the American Friends Service Committee, American Muslims for Palestine, and Code Pink.

(Israel)—[JNS.org] Israel's Strategic Affairs Ministry on Sunday published a list of 20 groups affiliated with the BDS movement that will be barred from entering the country. (Photo: A BDS movement protest against Israel in Melbourne, Australia/ Credit: Mohamed Ouda via Wikimedia Commons/via JNS.org)

Israel's Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan referred to the list's publication as "another step in our work to thwart anti-Israel boycott organizations."

"The state of Israel will actively prevent such groups from spreading their falsehoods and odious methods from within the country," he said.

The list's publication comes after the Israeli Knesset last year passed legislation that denies entry visas to known BDS activists. The list, which includes BDS groups from the U.S., Europe, South America and South Africa, will be enforced in March.

The U.S.-based groups on the list are the American Friends Service Committee, American Muslims for Palestine, Code Pink, Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), Students for Justice in Palestine and the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights.

"Israel's decision to specifically ban JVP is disconcerting but not surprising," tweeted JVP.

The publication of the Israeli government's blacklist comes a week after the government approved some $75 million to combat BDS. Some of the funding will be used to create a not-for-profit organization comprised of Israeli government officials and foreign donors.

[Reprinted with permission of JNS.org]