Bill Text: NJ AJR122 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Condemns Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement and increasing incidents of anti-Semitism.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-12-17 - Substituted by SJR81 (1R) [AJR122 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2014-AJR122-Amended.html

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[First Reprint]

ASSEMBLY JOINT RESOLUTION

No. 122

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

216th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED JUNE 22, 2015

 

 

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman  VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE

District 37 (Bergen)

Assemblyman  GARY S. SCHAER

District 36 (Bergen and Passaic)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblymen Diegnan, S.Kean, Assemblywomen Simon, Handlin, N.Munoz, Angelini and Assemblyman C.A.Brown

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Condemns Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement and increasing incidents of anti-Semitism.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As reported by the Assembly State and Local Government Committee on November 16, 2015, with amendments.

  

A Joint Resolution condemning the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement ¹[and the increasing incidents of anti-Semitism] against Israel¹.

 

¹[Whereas, There has been a disturbing increase in anti-Semitism worldwide, where Jewish populations are facing increased levels of hatred; and

Whereas, Prejudice against Jews as a national, ethnic, religious, or racial group has no place in New Jersey or in the United States of America; and]¹

Whereas, The ¹[United States] State of New Jersey¹ and Israel have a long ¹[relationship and] history of friendship based upon economic, cultural, intellectual, and political cooperation and maintain a¹ close alliance ¹[,] through the New Jersey-Israel Commission,¹ each attempting to support the interests of the other; and

Whereas, The State of Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East, is the greatest friend and ally of the United States in that region ¹, sharing a common bond rooted in the values of freedom, democracy and equal rights¹; and

Whereas, The elected representatives of New Jersey recognize the importance of demonstrating unwavering support for the Jewish people and for the rights of the State of Israel to exist ¹[and] ,¹ defend itself ¹, and enjoy full recognition among its sister nations; and further recognize Israel's meaningful contributions to the world in science, technology, and scholarship¹; and

Whereas, The international Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement ¹against Israel¹ has become a vehicle for ¹[spreading anti-Semitism and]¹ advocating the elimination and delegitimation of the Jewish State, and represents a strategic threat to the State of Israel; and

¹Whereas, The Antiboycott Laws under the federal Export Administration Act discourage and, in some circumstances, prohibit United States companies from furthering or supporting the boycott of Israel and, nevertheless, domestic and foreign companies continue to report receiving requests to engage in activities that further or support the boycott of Israel; and¹

Whereas, Efforts to pressure Israel via this movement are gaining momentum on university campuses nationwide, ¹[wherein a divide is created] thereby creating a divide¹ between Jewish and ¹[minority] non-Jewish¹ students ¹[by] and, as a result,¹ developing resentment ¹[on the part of disenfranchised minorities toward Jews and generating anti-Semitic sentiment] , bias, and an atmosphere on campus antithetical to academic freedom¹; and

Whereas, Leaders of the BDS movement have indicated that one of its goals is to remove Israel as the home of the Jewish people, with participants at rallies repeating the slogan, "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," signifying the absence of the State of Israel between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea; and

¹Whereas, Rather than focusing on forgoing productive relationships and engaging in reconciliation efforts, boycotts are counterproductive and divisive to building an economy and infrastructure in the region that will allow both Israel and the Palestinians to live side by side and build trust in preparation for negotiated settlement leading to a two-state solution and peace between two neighboring states; and

Whereas, There is no justification or equity in singling out one nation alone for a boycott on purported human rights grounds while ignoring nations with egregious human rights records; and¹

Whereas, New Jersey's elected representatives understand that the goals and activities of campaigns such as BDS in New Jersey are harmful to New Jersey's relationship with its Jewish citizens and with the Jewish homeland, Israel, and have a deleterious impact on ¹[the educational environment] New Jersey's strong economic, scientific, educational and cultural ties with Israel, which bring jobs and other benefits to citizens of our State¹; and

¹Whereas, Efforts to boycott cultural exchanges, educational cooperation and commercial interaction between Israelis and their peers among Palestinians and with people and institutions throughout the world will further exacerbate the conflict in the Middle East rather than promote mutual recognition, trade and normalization of relations where Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side free from fear and violence; and¹

Whereas, The call for academic boycotts ¹, or any other boycott,¹ by the BDS campaign ¹[have] has¹ been condemned by many of our nation's largest academic associations, over 250 university presidents, ¹by presidents of New Jersey's major institutions of higher education,¹ and many other leading scholars as a violation of the bedrock principle of academic freedom; now, therefore,

 

     Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    The State of New Jersey condemns the international Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement and its activities as being inherently antithetical and damaging to the causes of peace, justice, equality, democracy, and human rights for all peoples in the Middle East, and for seeking to undermine the Jewish people's right to self-determination, being fulfilled in the State of Israel.

     2.    The State of New Jersey condemns activities that contribute directly or indirectly to the denial, violation, or delegitimation of any person's academic freedom, including, but not limited to, promotion of academic boycotts against Israel by the BDS movement.

 

     3.    The State of New Jersey opposes all ¹[forms of racism and hatred, including anti-Semitism, and opposes]¹ attempts to deny the legitimacy of Israel as a sovereign state ¹and to economically and politically isolate Israel within the international arena, including, but not limited to, the promotion of economic, cultural, and academic boycotts¹.

 

     4.    Copies of this joint resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Secretary of State to the President of the United States, the Secretary of State, each member of Congress elected from this State, and the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., for transmission to the proper authorities in the State of Israel.

 

     5.    This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.