Melbourne, Australia, Washington DC, USA, June 6, 2016… The B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission and B’nai B’rith International have B’nai B’rith International applauded New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo for his announcement that he will cease state commerce with groups that support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Cuomo addressed a crowd, which included legislators and Jewish leaders, at a meeting of the Harvard Club in New York on June 5. According to reporters, Cuomo labelled the BDS movement an “economic attack” on the Jewish state, and said “If you boycott against Israel, New York will boycott you.” In the next six months, the Office of General Services will generate a list of businesses and other organizations that participate in “boycott, divestment or sanctions activity targeting Israel, either directly or through a parent or subsidiary.”
ADC Chairman Dr Dvir Abramovich, and Dan Mariaschin, Executive Vice President of B’nai B’rith International, issued the following statement:
“We appreciate Governor Cuomo’s strong repudiation of a movement that continuously targets Israel by seeking to boycott and undermine its economy, with the goal of delegitimizing the Jewish state. This decision is a critically important step in the efforts to combat and disrupt the BDS and its malicious objective of marginalising and vilifying Israel and sends the resounding message that any campaign that singles out Israelis and the Jewish state will not be tolerated. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is immensely complex, and embracing economic vandalism and warfare against Israel will not foster genuine dialogue, cooperation and reconciliation between the two parties, but will only fan the flame of division and hatred. We urge other leaders to follow suit and to reject the vicious tactics of the BDS.”
For further information please contact Dr Dvir Abramovich on (03) 9272 5677