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Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) Drops Support for Israel Anti-Boycott Bill

HeadlineAug 04, 2017

Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York has withdrawn her sponsorship of a bill that critics say would criminalize free speech and peaceful protest. The Israel Anti-Boycott Act would make it a felony for U.S. citizens to support boycotts of Israel and Israeli settlements, punishable by at least a $250,000 fine, with a maximum penalty of a fine of $1 million and 20 years in prison. Gillibrand’s reversal came as groups including the ACLU, Jewish Voice for Peace and Palestine Legal mount a campaign challenging anti-BDS bills as unconstitutional. Nearly half of the Senate and 234 congressmembers continue as co-sponsors of the bill.

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