Bill would prohibit businesses from engaging in boycotts of Israel as a condition of any state contract and state agencies and local governments from establishing their own policies.

MADISON - Sen. Leah Vukmir, R–Brookfield, and Rep. Dale Kooyenga, R–Brookfield, released a bill Tuesday that would prohibit businesses from engaging in boycotts of Israel as a condition of any state contract.

“Boycotts of Israel must be fought because they do not just attack the Jewish state. This propaganda campaign is also the basis for newly emboldened and destructive anti-Semitic attitudes,” Vukmir said. “We must support our ally Israel.”

"Israel stands as the only democracy in the Middle East, offering a voice not only to the Jewish citizens of Israel, but to all citizens of Israel regardless of their age, race, sex or religion," Kooyenga said. "The bill demonstrates that Wisconsin is serious about standing with Israel, as our republic has since Israel’s founding nearly 70 years ago."

The bill would also prohibit state agencies and local governments from establishing their own policies to boycott Israel.

The boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement, which has been linked to Hamas and other designated terrorist groups, deceptively claims to be concerned with Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. This campaign targets Israel and Israelis economically and politically and actually is a propaganda campaign dedicated to destroy the Jewish state.

Currently, 21 states have enacted similar laws or resolutions to stand against this harmful BDS campaign.