To: The Illinois State House, The Illinois State Senate, and Governor J.B. Pritzker
Illinois: Don't Support Israeli Annexation of the West Bank
Just Foreign Policy
Representatives and Senators in the Illinois legislature should oppose HB4011 and SB1761. These bills would legitimize the de-facto Israeli annexation of the West Bank by punishing companies that boycott Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Why is this important?
The Illinois House and Illinois Senate may vote by April 24 on HB4011 [1] and SB1761.[2] These bills would legitimize the de-facto Israeli annexation of the West Bank by cutting off state contracts with companies that boycott Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
Boycotting Israeli settlements in the West Bank as a means of protesting the Israeli occupation has wide political support in the US and internationally, including by Peace Now (Shalom Achshav) in Israel and Americans for Peace Now in the US [3], and the Presbyterian Church [5], and United Methodist Church [6] in the US. Any private Israeli entity that wants to receive funding from the European Union must demonstrate that it has no links to the West Bank. [7]
Urge your Representative and Senator in the Illinois legislature to oppose HB4011 and SB1761 by signing our petition at MoveOn.
References:
1. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=&SessionId=88&GA=99&DocTypeId=HB&DocNum=4011&GAID=13
2. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=1761&GAID=13&DocTypeID=SB&LegId=88517&SessionID=88
3. http://archive.peacenow.org/entries/apn_joins_peace_nows_call_for_boycotting_settlements
4. http://jewishvoiceforpeace.org/content/jvp-issues
5. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/21/us/presbyterians-debating-israeli-occupation-vote-to-divest-holdings.html
6. http://umc-gbcs.org/resolutions/opposition-to-israeli-settlements-in-palestinian-land
7. http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.536155