Dianne Lob, Chair, William Daroff, CEO, and Malcolm Hoenlein, Vice Chair, of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, issued the following statement:
“We applaud Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds for signing two bills today to combat antisemitism, as well as discriminatory boycotts of Israel.
“The first, HF 2220, formally adopts the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, which reflects the broad support that exists for the most authoritative and internationally accepted definition of antisemitism, as well as the widespread view that it is critically important to define antisemitism in order to combat it successfully. The bill demonstrates a firm commitment to the safety of the Jewish people, which is particularly essential at a time when acts of antisemitism are on the rise at home and abroad.
“Iowa was joined by the Kansas legislature, which unanimously supported a similar IHRA resolution in its state. There are now 23 states that have adopted the IHRA Working Definition as a tool in defining antisemitism.
“As part of the ongoing effort to fight antisemitism, the second bill, HF 2373 amends the 2016 law that prohibits public funds from being invested in companies that engage in discriminatory boycotts of Israel. The critical amendment further excludes any entity that is a ‘wholly-owned subsidiary, majority-owned subsidiary, parent company, or affiliate of such business,’ and is a direct rebuke to companies currently engaged in discriminatory boycotts of Israel, particularly Unilever and its subsidiary Ben & Jerry’s, which unfairly targeted an Israeli licensee for refusing to engage in the Ben & Jerry’s boycott of Jews and Palestinians living in the West Bank.
“We applaud this decision and advise any corporations considering similar actions to take into account the reputational damage, as well as the legal complications, associated with engaging with the bigoted Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) Movement currently prohibited in a majority of US states in the form of adopted laws, executive orders, and resolutions.
“We call on Unilever to exercise its contractual right to overrule the misguided decision of the Board of Directors of its subsidiary, Ben & Jerry’s. We continue to support legal efforts in over 30 states to hold to account companies that engage in similar boycotts of Israel and demand that Unilever publicly reject this shameful and discriminatory campaign.”
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