AIPAC waters down anti-BDS push on Capitol Hill amid Democratic row
With Democrats controlling the House, AIPAC is diluting its congressional push for anti-boycott legislation.
When pro-Israel activists descend on Capitol Hill on Tuesday for their annual lobbying day, they will be significantly scaling back their efforts to tackle the pro-Palestinian boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement.
Unlike last year, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s agenda for the day of cordial meet-and-greets with lawmakers and their staffs does not include the Israel Anti-Boycott Act, legislation to prohibit companies and their employees from providing information to the United Nations that could be used to publicly list businesses operating in the West Bank. Nor does the agenda cover the Combating BDS Act, another top legislative target according to AIPAC’s latest available lobbying disclosures.
Instead, AIPAC is directing its activists to ask Congress for a nonbinding resolution condemning the BDS movement. Reps. Bradley Schneider, D-Ill., and Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., introduced the bipartisan resolution in the House alongside Sens. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and Ben Cardin, D-Md., in the upper chamber.
“Congress and successive administrations have sought to deepen bilateral economic ties and protect Israel against pernicious boycott efforts,” AIPAC’s 2019 lobbying agenda states. “Congress must continue to stand by US allies against discriminatory practices that are contrary to US interests.”
