America Ties $1.9 Billion Payment to States and Cities to Their Stance on Boycotting Israel

SadaNews Economy - The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the United States announced in a statement that U.S. states and cities will not receive funding for natural disaster preparedness if they choose to boycott Israeli companies.

Under the agency's conditions for grant beneficiaries, states must certify that they will not sever "business ties specifically with Israeli companies" in order to receive funds from the agency, according to a report by Reuters.

The agency's 11 grant notices stated that this condition applies to at least $1.9 billion that states rely on to cover costs for search and rescue equipment, emergency manager salaries, backup power systems, and other expenses.

The agency stated in July that it would ask states to spend part of federal counter-terrorism funds to assist the government in apprehending immigrants, a priority for the U.S. administration.

This condition targets the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel, which aims to exert economic pressure on Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian territories.

Supporters of the campaign have raised their voices in 2023 after Israel responded to a Hamas attack by launching a military campaign in the Gaza Strip.

A spokesperson for Homeland Security Secretary Kristjen Nielsen stated: "The department will enforce all laws and policies against discrimination, including those related to the Boycott Israel movement, which is explicitly based on anti-Semitism."

A notice related to the grants published on Friday indicated that the agency will require large cities to agree to the policy concerning Israel to obtain $553.5 million allocated for counter-terrorism in densely populated areas.

The notice revealed that New York City is set to receive $92.2 million from the program, the largest amount among all beneficiaries. The allocations are based on the agency's analysis of the "relative threat of terrorism."