New York, NY — Betsy Berns Korn, Chair, and William C. Daroff, CEO, of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, issued the following statement:
“We strongly condemn the decision by the governments of the United Kingdom, France, and Canada to impose discriminatory trade restrictions targeting Israelis and Israeli businesses in the West Bank. Economic discrimination against Israelis will not bring Israelis and Palestinians closer to peace. Instead, it strengthens the campaign to isolate Israel and turns a political dispute into a basis for excluding Israelis from ordinary economic activity.
“Companies complying with these boycott measures should think carefully about the consequences. Thirty-eight U.S. states have acted, through laws or executive action, to oppose boycotts of Israel. Companies that participate in these measures may therefore put state contracts, investments, or other business at risk. Businesses should not allow foreign governments to enlist them in economic discrimination against Israelis.
“In the same statement announcing these measures, UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband spoke of the urgent need to combat antisemitism and announced that he will host representatives of the J7 Large Communities’ Task Force Against Antisemitism, which brings together the seven largest Jewish diaspora communities, next month. The Conference of Presidents will participate in that gathering. We welcome serious efforts to confront antisemitism, but the United Kingdom cannot credibly seek the partnership of Jewish communities in that fight while pursuing policies that single out Israelis for boycott.
“Jewish communities around the world already face sustained threats and violence. In the United States, anti-Jewish hate crimes accounted for nearly two-thirds of all reported religion-based hate crimes in 2025. At a time when hostility toward Israel too often spills over into hostility toward Jews, governments should be particularly wary of legitimizing the exclusion of Israelis.
“We condemn violence against civilians and support holding those responsible accountable. Collective economic measures targeting Israelis, however, are neither a substitute for accountability nor a path toward peace. They ignore Palestinian terrorism and incitement, deepen division, and undermine the economic and security cooperation necessary for any durable resolution.
“We urge the United Kingdom, France, and Canada to reverse course and reject economic measures that single out Israelis. We also urge private companies to consider carefully the legal and moral consequences of implementing these boycotts. Peace requires engagement, cooperation, and accountability, not the economic exclusion of Israelis.”
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The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations is the recognized central coordinating body representing 50 national Jewish organizations on issues of national and international concern. The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the positions of all member organizations.
