PRINTER'S NO. 979
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.
136
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY GREENLEAF, DINNIMAN, TEPLITZ, LEACH, EICHELBERGER,
SCHWANK, SMITH, RAFFERTY, AUMENT, VULAKOVICH AND SCARNATI,
MAY 29, 2015
REFERRED TO RULES AND EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS, MAY 29, 2015
A RESOLUTION
Condemning economic, social, cultural and other boycotts of
Israel and growing incidents of anti-Semitism.
WHEREAS, The citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
have a history of standing against bigotry, oppression,
discrimination and injustice; and
WHEREAS, The Commonwealth and Israel have a long history of
friendship and are great allies in support of each other's
interests; and
WHEREAS, The State of Israel, the only democracy in the
Middle East, is the greatest friend and ally of the United
States in the Middle East; and
WHEREAS, The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has strong
cultural, economic, social, business, governmental, art,
education and activities between the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania and the State of Israel, further strengthening the
historic ties between this Commonwealth and that country; and
WHEREAS, The elected representatives of the Commonwealth of
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Pennsylvania recognize the importance of expressing their
unabridged support for the Jewish people and the State of
Israel's right to exist and the right of self-defense; and
WHEREAS, The first attempt to boycott Jewish interests in the
Pennsylvania Colony occurred in 1662 and was rejected when Sir
Robert Carr, in 1664, assumed command of the Delaware in the
name of the English crown; and
WHEREAS, The instructions to Carr were that "all people
should enjoy the liberty of their conscience," and the proposed
boycott did not occur; and
WHEREAS, American Jews sided overwhelmingly with the American
Revolution and Haim Solomon, a Philadelphia citizen, was a major
financier of the American Revolution, although he died penniless
and bankrupt; and
WHEREAS, There are increasing incidents of anti-Semitism
around the world, including across the United States and in the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, reflected in official hate crime
statistics; and
WHEREAS, The International Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions
movement (BDS) is one of the main vehicles for spreading anti-
Semitism and advocating the elimination of the Jewish State; and
WHEREAS, Activities promoting BDS against Israel have
increased in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, including on some
college and university campuses and other Pennsylvania
communities, and contribute to anti-Semitism and anti-Zionist
propaganda; and
WHEREAS, The dramatic increase in BDS campaign activities on
college campuses around the country has resulted in increased
animosity and intimidation against Jewish students, negatively
impacting student programming related to the State of Israel and
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politics in the Middle East; and
WHEREAS, Leaders of the BDS movement say their goal is to
eliminate Israel as the home of the Jewish people; and
WHEREAS, Signs and messaging at anti-Israel rallies in
Pennsylvania have adopted the BDS slogan, "from the river to the
sea Palestine will be free," meaning there would be no Israel
between the Jordan River and Mediterranean, that the State of
Israel would cease to exist; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania's elected representatives who defend
the inalienable right to free speech understand that the goals
and activities of BDS campaigns in Pennsylvania are harmful to
the Commonwealth's relationship with its Jewish citizens and
with the Jewish homeland, Israel, and have a deleterious impact
on the educational environment; and
WHEREAS, The BDS campaign's call for academic boycotts have
been condemned by many of our nation's largest academic
associations, more than 250 university presidents and many other
leading scholars as a violation of the bedrock principle of
academic freedom; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
condemn the International Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions
movement and its activities in Pennsylvania for seeking to
undermine the Jewish people's right to self-determination, which
they are fulfilling in the State of Israel; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Senate condemn activities which contribute
directly or indirectly to the denial, violation or
delegitimization of any people's academic freedom, including,
but not limited to, promotion of academic boycotts by the BDS
movement against Israel; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Senate consider the International BDS
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movement and its agenda inherently antithetical and deeply
damaging to the causes of peace, justice, equality, democracy
and human rights for all peoples in the Middle East; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That the Senate reaffirm its support for the State
of Israel, recognize that the Jewish people are indigenous to
the land of Israel, condemn all attacks on the people of Israel,
support Israel's right to engage in lawful acts of self-defense
and oppose all attempts to deny the legitimacy of Israel as a
sovereign state; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Senate urge the Office of Attorney General
of the Commonwealth to explore whether the BDS movement violates
the laws of the Commonwealth, including laws pertaining to
antitrust violations, hate crimes, business torts and other
matters that may be within its jurisdiction; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
the President of the United States, to the presiding officers of
each house of Congress, each member of Congress from
Pennsylvania, the Office of Attorney General of the Commonwealth
and the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC, for transmission to
the proper authorities in the State of Israel.
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