In a move that underscores Georgia’s commitment to Israel amid the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict, Governor Brian Kemp enacted legislation on Monday mandating businesses engaged in significant state contracts to pledge not to participate in any boycott against Israel. This legislative action comes in the wake of a federal court decision that invalidated a comparable statute from 2016, which was challenged on the grounds of infringing free speech rights.
House Bill 383, the newly signed law, escalates the criteria for businesses required to commit to the anti-boycott pledge to those involved in state contracts exceeding $100,000 and applies exclusively to companies with a workforce of five or more. Governor Kemp, emphasizing Georgia’s solidarity with Israel, stated during the signing, “This deepens our support for a crucial ally, ensuring that Georgia does not financially back companies that boycott, divest from, or sanction Israel.”
This measure is a direct response to the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement aimed at protesting Israeli policies towards Palestinians. Georgia stands as a forerunner among numerous states adopting such legislation, initially passed largely by the Republican majority in the state legislature in 2016. Despite bipartisan support for the revised bill, it has not been without its detractors, including Stacey Abrams, a leading Democrat, who expressed concerns over potential restrictions on advocacy movements.
The bill’s passage was notably supported by state Representative Mike Wilensky, the sole Jewish member of the Georgia Legislature, and received bipartisan endorsement. However, the law has faced criticism from entities like the Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which condemned the measure as an attempt to suppress free speech.
Proponents argue that the legislation judiciously balances Georgia’s prerogative in selecting its business partners with the safeguarding of free speech, a stance awaiting further scrutiny in federal courts. Anat Sultan-Dadon, Israel’s consul general to the southeast U.S., lauded the law as a countermeasure to what is perceived as a movement fueled by an “age-old hatred agenda” against Jews.
The enactment of House Bill 383 represents a significant moment in Georgia’s legislative history, spotlighting the state’s alignment with Israel and stirring a complex debate over the intersection of free speech and political boycotts in the context of international relations.
Nkozi Knight 