Los Angeles City Council Rejects BDS

On June 12, the Council unanimously approved a resolution to continue awarding city contracts “based on the best interests of the City, its residents, businesses and taxpayers,” and not taking into account “issues related to the Arab-Israeli conflict.”

Council members Paul Koretz and Mitchell Englander sponsored the resolution

The full text of the resolution

WHEREAS, individuals affiliated with the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions
(BDS) Movement attempt to isolate and delegitimize the State of Israel through targeted campaigns across the United States; and

WHEREAS, the BDS movement seeks to block American cities from doing business with or awarding contracts to companies doing business with Israel; and

WHEREAS representatives of this movement have recently targeted the City of
Los Angeles in an attempt to influence City policy decisions in support of their BDS efforts; and

WHEREAS, the Federal government and the State of California have adopted measures prohibiting discrimination in commerce on the basis of contacts in or with Israel; and

WHEREAS, the Federal Government has repeatedly emphasized that efforts to isolate and delegitimize Israel will not promote Middle East peace, which can only be achieved through direct negotiations between the parties; and

WHEREAS, linking the City’s public contracting process to the Arab-Israeli conflict would be contrary to state and Federal policy and is not in the best interest of the City; and

WHEREAS, attempting to isolate Israel in this way will only cause needless division within our community.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Los Angeles will continue to make contracting decisions based on the best interests of the City, its residents, businesses and taxpayers and in accordance with the City Charter and applicable State and Federal law and hereby affirms that issues related to the Arab-Israeli conflict will not be considered and will have no impact on the awarding of contracts with the City of Los Angeles.