The United States (US) Republican party senators have introduced a bill, prohibiting the federal government from contracting with entities engaged in boycotts of Israel which have risen rapidly since October 7, 2023.
According to the reports, twelve Republican US senators have introduced the “Countering Hate Against Israel by Federal Contractors (CHAI) Act”. The legation is being led by Senator Jim Risch (R-ID) and co-sponsored by 11 other Republican senators.
In a statement, Jim Risch said that “businesses who boycott Israel only seek to normalise antisemitism”.
Previously, in an opinion article, Risch argued that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine (UNRWA) should be disbanded.
In February 2023, the House also passed the IGO Anti-Boycott Act, which prohibits US citizens from participating in boycotts organised by “international governmental organisations” against US allies.
On the other side, organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) have voiced strong opposition, asserting that boycotts are a form of protected expression under the First Amendment.
In ongoing Israeli aggression in Gaza, the global boycott calls for Israel called the Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement surfaced, due to which several Israeli-linked products and business sales stepped down rapidly.
The Palestinian-led Boycott, BDS movement, modelled after the boycott movement against South African Apartheid, has existed for 15 years and aims to pressure Israel to comply with international law.
Earlier, in the United Kingdom (UK), an anti-BDS bill was scheduled to go through parliament. However, it was decided not to continue with the plan after former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called the general election.
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