New victory against BDS: Paris City Council votes two resolutions opposing the anti-Israel movement

PARIS (EJP)---The Council of the City of Paris has voted two resolutions against the anti-Israel Boycott, Sanctions and Divestment (BDS) movement. In the resolutions, the City Council‘’firmly opposes all attempts to isolate Israel among the nations" and ‘’condemns efforts, including public demonstrations in Paris, advocating for the boycott of Israel.’’ Councillors also reaffirm the city’s “commitment to the promotion of a peaceful solution to the Palestinian-Israel conflict.”One resolution was submitted by the Socialist-led coalition of Mayor Anne Hidalgo and the other by center-right members of the City Council.The vote reinforces an existing French law that considers boycott of Israel as discriminatory and illegal. Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, who heads the center-right Republicans opposition bloc in the City Council, said that her party decided to submit the draft motion following attempts last year to prevent an event celebrating Tel Aviv from taking place on a bank of the River Seine in the French capital. Following protests and calls to cancel the event, the city gave protesters permission to hold a similar event highlighting Gaza. In the UK, the government is set to adopt this weak new rules banning public institutions in England from endorsing boycotts against Israel. British Cabinet Officer Minister Matthew Hancock, currently on a visit to Israel, is to announced the new proposed regulations in a meeting with Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu. The bill will allow the government to prosecute universities, local government, councils, and student unions that back BDS.

http://ejpress.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=55233&catid=2





More and more are waking up to the racism of the BDS