Cuomo Blacklists 13 Businesses, All Foreign, for Boycotting Israel

NEW YORK

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has released a list of 13 banks and companies — all of them based overseas — whose boycott of Israeli products makes them ineligible to do business with the state of New York.

The list, dated Friday, comes months after the Democratic governor issued an executive order barring companies who participate in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel from also dealing with the state.

The businesses are all foreign based, including Dutch bank ASN, Danish bank Danske, Norwegian banks KLP Kapitalforvaltning and Kommunal, as well as Triodos Bank and Betsah Invest SA, both in the Netherlands. The list also includes Cactus SA, a Luxembourg supermarket chain, and Vitens, the largest drinking water company in the Netherlands.

British companies include Freedom Call UK, a telecom, and the Co-Operative Group, a food retailer.

“New York stands in solidarity with Israel today and always. This state will not stand for the politics of discrimination in any form, and we will continue to demonstrate our unwavering support for the people of Israel in the fight for freedom, liberty and democracy,” Cuomo when he signed the order.

The Orthodox Union thanked Cuomo for creating the list, noting that the BDS movement is a long-term threat to the viability of Israel.

“The BDS movement has been associated with harassment and anti-Semitism” said Jake Adler, OU Advocacy’s New York State Policy Director. “Thanks to Governor Cuomo, New York State again stands with Israel in a real and meaningful way.”

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