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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