South Carolina signs bill to stop anti-Israeli boycotts

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley on Thursday signed a bill into law over the case.
 
The legislation prevents public entities from contracting with businesses engaging in the “boycott of a person or an entity based in or doing business with a jurisdiction with whom South Carolina can enjoy open trade,” without mentioning Israel directly.
 
This is while South Carolina Representative Alan Clemmons said the bill would support Washington’s ally in the Middle East, Israel.
 
“Discriminatory boycotts have historically been used as a form of economic warfare to forward the purposes of hatred and bigotry. The tactics employed by the Nazis serve as a poignant example,” Clemmons said.
 
“In this day and age, no group better demonstrates this fact than the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement in its effort to harm our great ally, Israel,” he added.
 
The BDS movement seeks to end the Israeli occupation and colonization of Palestinian lands and respect the right of return of Palestinian refugees.
 
The BDS boycott campaign against Israel began in July 2005 by 171 Palestinian organizations, which calls for "various forms of boycott against Israel until it meets its obligations under international law.”