Monday, July 05, 2021

GOP House members want FBI to investigate BDS movement

Three Republican House members are calling on the FBI to investigate dubious connections between the BDS movement and terrorism.
TIM BURCHETT. CREDIT: DANANDREWSREPORTER VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Three Republican House members are calling on the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to investigate dubious connections between the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS) and terrorism.

Last month Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) led a letter, cosigned by Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) and Maria Salazar (R-FL), that was sent to FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. It claims that there are “serious concerns” that Americans who donate to BDS-affiliated organizations might be financing terrorist groups. The letter specifically cites the Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC) and The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) for having alleged links to “designated terror groups” like Hamas and Palestine Islamic Jihad.

In March Burchett sent a similar letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, asking them to investigate the fundraising app ActBlue for allegedly funneling money to terrorists.

“President Biden has said he opposes the anti-Semitic BDS movement,” he declared on Twitter. “I agree. We must stand with our ally Israel.”

When asked about BDS during a 2018 interview Burchett said, “They totally disgust me. I remain loyal to Israel.”

In March a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit targeting the BNC and the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights (USCPR) for alleged connections to terrorism. That lawsuit was filed by the pro-Israel Jewish National Fund (JNF) and 12 American citizens living in Israel. In his ruling the judge said the claims were “to say the least, not persuasive.”

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