January 14, 2020 — Pierre, South Dakota
AJC commends South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem for signing an executive order prohibiting state offices from doing business with companies that boycott Israel. The executive order requires vendors seeking contracts with state agencies, authorities, commissions, departments, or institutions of the State of South Dakota to not engage with companies that participate in boycotts of Israel. This order applies to companies, or contractors, with more than five employees who enter into a contract with South Dakota that involves the expenditure of $100,000 or more.
South Dakota is the latest state to take concrete action against the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement which seeks to delegitimize and demonize Israel. Other states that have passed similar measures include Alabama, California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas. South Dakota is the 28th state to have enacted an anti-BDS executive order or legislation.
“Governor Noem has taken bold action to combat the insidious BDS movement that encourages punitive actions solely against Israel,” said Laurence Bolotin, Director of the AJC Chicago Region, which covers South Dakota. “BDS proponents do not advance peace at all. Peace only will be achieved in direct bilateral negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.”
