President's historic decision to cut off federal support for boycott funds from federal funding • Order states: Judaism is a nationality • "Proud that Jews are part of my family
President Trump signs presidential decree // Photo: Reuters
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a presidential decree to combat anti-Semitism and the boycott movement against Israel, which recognizes Judaism as a nation and the right of Jews to the state. At a Chanukah ceremony at the White House, the president said: "Proud of Jews are part of my family."
This morning, President Trump is planning to sign a presidential decree to fight anti-Semitism and anti-Israelism at universities and colleges with a threat to cut off suspected institutions for promoting anti-Semitic activity from federal funding, a New York Times official reported.
The order targets the boycott movements against Israel, such as the BDS, which are widespread in many universities and colleges. In the Trump administration, the BDS has long been arguing that it is a form of anti-Semitism similar to discrimination against minorities or women.
The order eliminates discrimination against the common national identity of Jewish students - Israel - and not merely as a form of religious or racial discrimination. Defining Judaism as a form of national identity allows the education department to launch civil rights investigations in schools that it believes do not foster an open climate for Jewish students.
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Critics of the hard-line federal approach against BDS say the government is violating the right of free speech of anti-Israeli movement advocates, preferring Jewish students over BDS-supported Muslim students who feel some kind of discrimination.
Bench with inscription against Israel at George Mason University in the United States
At least 27 U.S. states have passed laws trying to curb the BDS movement, in part by requiring providers who work with the state to sign a pledge not to support the movement.
The President's executive order is intended to effectively implement a bill in Congress against boycott movements. The bill has widespread, bipartisan support in Congress, though some Democrats and Republicans also oppose it on grounds of violating free speech.
The order takes anti-Semitism as "denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination and opposition to Israel as an example of this behavior."
Foreign Minister Israel Katz congratulated Trump on the decision: "Judaism will be defined as both religion and nationality, enabling a more effective fight against the campus anti-Israel boycott movement. In addition, the administration is expected to adopt the IHRA's definition of anti-Israelism as anti-Semitic "Most significant steps in the ongoing fight against anti-Semitism and the boycott movement. I urge more countries to adopt similar measures."