A U.S. federal court decision on BDS just cited a J'accuse op-ed

A growing number of states across the U.S. now have laws that exclude Israel-boycotting companies from eligibility for public contracts or financial investments.

Supporters argue that taxpayers, through these laws, are exercising their right to avoid subsidizing discriminatory boycotts. Detractors argue that it’s unconstitutional to penalize companies for their political viewpoints.

The controversy has triggered a wave of lawsuits. And in the latest ruling, a U.S. federal court explicitly referenced one of our op-eds from 2019 to illustrate the relationship between BDS and antisemitism.

Judge Andrew S. Hanen for the Southern Texas District Court cited the article, written by our executive director at the time, as follows:

“…many consider the BDS movement to be anti-Semitic. See e.g., Zach Schapira, Commentary: Israel Boycott Ban is Not About Free Speech, REUTERS (Jan. 10, 2019), https://www.reuters.com/article/us-schapira-israel-commentary/commentary-israel-boycott-ban-is-not-about-free-speech-idUSKCN1P420Z ("The practical impact of BDS on Jews and Israelis in the United States is no less troubling. When companies and organizations engage in secondary boycotts of Israel, meaning they won't do business with entities that have a relationship with Israel, this disproportionately targets both Jewish and Israeli Americans.")

To be clear, the 30-page opinion ultimately hinged on much more than the relationship between BDS and antisemitism. (Although the court granted an injunction to the plaintiff — allowing the Gaza-born owner of an engineering firm to continue doing business with the city of Houston without having to refrain from boycotting Israel — the Texas law itself remains in force. In other cases across the country, rulings have been split). But what’s noteworthy about this citation goes well beyond this specific lawsuit, or even the constitutional issue it addressed.

Instead, it speaks to the potential this organization has, through the growing body of work we publish in reputable mainstream outlets, to educate the public and raise awareness about antisemitism. To transcend the news cycle, enter the permanent public record, and reach individuals with the capacity to change our world.