“The creators of this referendum are only targeting Israel. That makes this clearly an undeniably antisemitic,” said Jeff Finkelstein, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh.
(August 16, 2024 / JNS) A measure potentially slated to appear in Pittsburgh on November ballots that would penalize entities that do business with Israel and nonprofits aligned with the Jewish state has provoked an immediate backlash from local Jewish groups and government officials, including a legal challenge.
The boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) measure—backed by Pittsburgh Democratic Socialists of America and an organization that calls itself “No War Crimes on Our Dime”—would not allow the city to invest in, provide public funds or grant tax exemptions to “entities that conduct business operations with or in the State of Israel” to last until the war in Gaza concludes.
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) said, “I unequivocally condemn this referendum. It’s rank antisemitism and is an affront to the region’s Jewish community.”
