The BDS movement is a manifestation of animus against Jews as a people. The State of Illinois led the country by becoming the first state to pass an anti-BDS law in 2015, recognizing that the BDS movement seeks to exclude Israel from the economic, cultural, and academic life of the rest of the world, and targets not only the Israeli government but individual Israeli citizens.
Ben & Jerry’s, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Unilever, recently announced their decision to participate in BDS tactics and boycott parts of Israel, including Judea, Samaria, and East Jerusalem. Because of that, the Illinois’ Investment Policy Board just voted unanimously to divest their financial stake in Unilever, per state law.
Rabbi Shlomo Soroka, Agudath Israel of Illinois’ director of government affairs, said, “The Board’s 7-0 vote to uphold and enforce a law combating antisemitic activity, sends a message that attempts by some to delay, distort, or disregard this law will not succeed.”