Knesset approves bill to ban BDS activists

The Israeli parliament (Knesset) on Monday has passed a bill that will ban entry of the international BDS activists to Israel.

The Israeli Haaretz newspaper said the ban applies to any activist “who knowingly issues a public call for boycotting Israel that, given the content of the call and the circumstances in which it was issued, has a reasonable possibility of leading to the imposition of a boycott – if the issuer was aware of this possibility.”

It also applies to activists who call for boycotts of Israeli institutions in any “area under its control,” meaning settlements, Haaretz said, adding that  the interior ministry can make exceptions in some cases, it said.

The bill was submitted by MK Bezalel Smotrich from the nationalist Jewish Home party.

The bill is aimed at combating an international movement known as BDS that seeks to ostracize Israel by lobbying corporations, artists and academic institutions to boycott Israel.

BDS (Boycott, Divest, Sanction) is a Palestinian-led movement that calls for freedom, justice and equality. Now a vibrant global movement, it is made up of unions, academic associations, churches and grassroots movements across the world.

Source :PNN