Speaking in Jerusalem on Thursday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced the U.S. will now consider the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement as “anti-Semitic” and will seek to defund organizations that support it.
“Today, I want to make one announcement with respect to a decision by the State Department that we will regard the global anti-Israel BDS campaign as anti-Semitic,” declared Pompeo, speaking alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “I know this sounds simple to you, Mr. Prime Minister, it seems. It seems like a statement of fact, but I want you to know that we will immediately take steps to identify organizations that engage in hateful BDS conduct and withdraw U.S. government support for such groups.”
"It doesn’t sound simple – it sounds simply wonderful to me," Netanyahu commented.
According to the group’s website, its goal is to “end international support for Israel's oppression of Palestinians and pressure Israel to comply with international law.”
Pompeo likened the BDS movement to a “cancer” and said the administration is “committed to combatting it.”
“Our record speaks for itself,” he continued. “During the Trump administration, America stands with Israel like never before. Indeed, the commitment we’ve made, the iron clad commitment we’ve made to the Jewish state will continue, I’m confident of that after our conversation this morning.”
The U.S. is committed to countering the Global BDS Campaign as a manifestation of anti-Semitism. I am directing U.S. Special Envoy @USEAntiSemitism to identify organizations engaged in politically motivated actions intended to penalize or limit commercial relations with Israel.
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) November 19, 2020
Today in Jerusalem, @SecPompeo delivered joint statements with Israeli Prime Minister @netanyahu. Read the full text here: https://t.co/mXwba94E4G.
— Department of State (@StateDept) November 19, 2020