South Carolina becomes first US state to take action against anti-Israel boycotts

”State law bars public entities from contracting with companies that boycott “based on race, color, religion, gender or national origin.”

South Carolina’s governor has signed into law a bill to stop efforts to boycott, divest and sanction Israel on Thursday afternoon, in a first for the nation on a statewide level.

The bill makes no mention of Israel directly, but prevents public entities from contracting with businesses engaging in the “boycott of a person or an entity based in or doing business with a jurisdiction with whom South Carolina can enjoy open trade.”

The premise of the law is that the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, colloquially known as BDS, discriminates against the people of Israel and weakens the economy of South Carolina.

Read more: South Carolina becomes first US state to take action against anti-Israel boycotts