Israel's proposed 'boycott law'

Israel and Economic “Warfare”

Israeli parliament passes first of three readings illegalizing boycott activism or advocacy

See also:
Ishai Menuhin, An Assault on Democracy, 24 July
David Landau, Former editor-in-chief of Haaretz calls for boycott of Knesset, 16 July
Jnews, Israeli NGOs remain under pressure, 16 July
JNews, New bill seeks to outlaw boycott – both of settlements and of Israel, 21 June

On Wednesday, July 14th, the Israeli Parliament approved the first of three readings of a new law. If passed, the law will make it illegal to declare a boycott on Israel or Israeli companies, participate in a boycott, or provide aid in the form of information to anyone who is part of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign. The bill also penalizes the Palestinian Authority for its decision in May to ban the use by Palestinians of settlement products. The law even affects international citizens who will be banned from entry into Israel for 10 years and will be effective retroactively. Lia Tarachansky of The Real News spoke with Dalit Baum of Who Profits and Ronnie Barkan of Boycott from Within about how their work will become illegal if this bill passes.

Bio

Dr. Dalit Baum teaches gender and the global economy at the Haifa University and Beit Berl college in Israel. A feminist anti-occupation activist, she has been a co-founder of Black Laundry, the Community School for Women and the Coalition of Women for Peace. Presently, she is the project coordinator of “Who Profits from the Occupation”, an activists’ research initiative of the Coalition of Women for Peace.

Ronnie Barkan is a long time Israeli activist and conscientious obje