Justice Minister approves regulations that will prevent organizations that boycott Israel from receiving tax benefits
By: Hezki Baruch
Justice Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Saturday night approved the anti-boycott regulations in Israel. The regulations require the approval of the Knesset’s Constitution, Law and Justice Committee.
The purpose of the move is to regulate procedures restricting participation in tenders and preventing benefits from those who are found to have issued a call for a boycott of the State of Israel or those who participate in a boycott of it.
“The State of Israel must fight the foolish attempts to boycott it, which are part of a broader process of attempts to delegitimize the Jewish state,” Sa’ar said.
MK Simcha Rothman of the Religious Zionism Party said in response, “This announcement comes six months too late. While many states across the United States wage a legal battle against boycotts of Israel, the State of Israel remains inactive.”
Rothman added, “When Unilever announced a boycott by Ben & Jerry’s against Judea and Samaria about six months ago, I asked the Minister of Justice to exercise his authority under section 3 of the Boycott Law to restrict participation in tenders of those boycotting Israel and under section 4 to cancel benefits for those calling for a boycott of Israel. It is absurd that while our friends in the world could act on the issue and take measures to combat the boycott, the State of Israel delayed taking action because of the non-signing of regulations.”
“Despite the delay, I congratulate the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Finance on their decision and call on the members of the Constitution Committee to approve these regulations as soon as possible.”
INN previously reported that Unilever caused an uproar with its controversial July 19 announcement that it will stop selling the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream in Judea and Samaria.
In response to the announcement, several US states announced they would divest from Unilever. These include New Jersey, Arizona and Florida, Texas, Illinois and New York.
Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, the co-founders of Ben & Jerry’s, insisted that the decision by Unilever to stop selling the ice cream in Judea and Samaria is not a boycott of Israel.
In late July of 2021, Anuradha Mittal, the chair of Ben & Jerry’s board of directors and vice president of the ice cream maker’s nonprofit foundation, tweeted: “I am proud of Ben & Jerry’s for taking a stance to end sale of its ice cream in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. This action is not anti-Semitic. I am not anti-Semitic. The vile hate that has been thrown at me does [not] intimidate me. Pls work for peace – not hatred!” she added.
