The U.S. House voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to approve a resolution that condemns the “global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement targeting Israel.”
The measure passed in a vote of 398-17 and comes a week after Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN-05) introduced a resolution in support of the BDS movement.
“It recognizes the proud history of boycott movements in this country dating back to the Boston Tea Party,” Omar said of her resolution, as The Minnesota Sun reported. “We should honor these movements and that history.”
Omar was joined by Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY-14) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI-13) in voting against the anti-BDS resolution. Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-07) broke from the squad and voted in support of the measure.
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY-04) was the only Republican to vote “no,” though Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI-03) voted “present.”
Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN-04) joined Omar in voting against the resolution.
“Peaceful dissent and the protesting of injustice are the right of all Americans guaranteed by the Constitution. It is called freedom of speech,” McCollum said in a statement. “H. Res. 246 renounces the peaceful promotion of human rights, self-determination, and justice on behalf of Palestinian people living under Israeli military occupation. At the same time, this resolution completely ignores the Netanyahu government’s brutality, dehumanization, and subjugation of Palestinian people at the root of this peaceful movement.”
The resolution was sponsored by Rep. Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), who said Tuesday’s “strong bipartisan vote sends a clear message that Congress continues to be united in the support of the Jewish, democratic state of Israel and a two-state solution as the path to peace for both Israelis and Palestinians.”
“At the same time, we condemn the Global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement that seeks to delegitimize Israel and block that path to peace,” he added. “The Global BDS Movement denies the Jewish people’s connection to the land of Israel, refuses to accept the basic idea of a Jewish state and seeks to delegitimize Israel in international forums, on college campuses, and in global commerce.”
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Anthony Gockowski is managing editor of Battleground State News, The Ohio Star, and The Minnesota Sun. Follow Anthony on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Ilhan Omar” by Ilhan Omar. Photo “Rashida Tlaib” by Rashida Tlaib.
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