Yesterday, State Department spokesperson John Kirby clarified the President's position regarding a provision in the newly-signed TPA.
The provision in question is designed to protect both Israel and Israeli settlements from boycotts by calling for US trade negotiators to discourage boycotts of Israel and "Israel-controlled territory" as a principle trade objective in any negotiation. Kirby explained in his statement:
However, by conflating Israel and ‘Israeli-controlled territories,’ a provision of the Trade Promotion Authority legislation runs counter to longstanding U.S. policy towards the occupied territories, including with regard to settlement activity...
...Every U.S. administration since 1967 – Democrat and Republican alike – has opposed Israeli settlement activity beyond the 1967 lines. This administration is no different. The U.S. government has never defended or supported Israeli settlements and activity associated with them and, by extension, does not pursue policies or activities that would legitimize them.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/...
The provision is yet another attempt by the Israel lobby and congress to dictate foreign policy with respect to Israel, which is the purview of the Executive branch.
In fact, the idea comes straight from Israel's own 2010 anti-boycott law, which prohibits Israelis from calling for or participating in a boycott of Israel, or of areas under Israel's control (illegal settlements, which are not in Israel):
1. In this bill, “a boycott against the State of Israel” – deliberately avoiding economic, cultural or academic ties with another person or another actor only because of his ties with the State of Israel, one of its institutions or an area under its control, in such a way that may cause economic, cultural or academic damage.
http://972mag.com/...
Additionally, it's part of an effort by the Israeli government to stem the momentum of BDS (Boycott, Divest, Sanction), the non-violent movement with the goal of restoring the rights of Palestinian refugees, Palestinians under Israeli occupation, and Palestinian citizens of Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has "declared war" on the movements and--of course--compared the movement to Nazi Germany.
The amendment to the TPA was introduced in the senate by Senator Cardin (D-MD, $217,793 AIPAC), and Rep. Peter Roskam (R-IL, "Keen Supporter"). It passed unanimously in the senate.
An aide to Cardin said in an email: "The provision was never intended to make a judgment on settlements."
Well I'm glad we got that settled. Kudos to the President and the State Department for not letting this one sneak by. After all, the presence of Israeli settlers in occupied territory is a war crime (Geneva Convention IV) that's been going on for nearly 50 years. There's no reason the whole world shouldn't boycott them and companies that do businesses with them.
BDS
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