Dallas Bank Shuts Down BDS Account

YERUSHALAYIM
Dallas, Bank, BDS, Account
Comerica Bank Tower in Downtown Dallas, Texas.

In what may be the first case of a U.S. bank closing down an account due to boycotting of Israel, Dallas-based bank Comerica said it will terminate the account of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers, a BDS supporter.

Although the bank did not attribute the decision to any Israel-related issue, it was hailed by BDS opponents as the first result of a measure signed into law just last week which bars Texas state contracts with companies that support BDS.

The big bank was circumspect about the matter. “Comerica Bank has taken steps to close the account. The account closing, the result of a business decision, will occur in due course. We will have no further comment on this matter,“ Wayne Mielke, the bank’s spokesman, told The Jerusalem Post by email.

Nevertheless, World Jewish Congress president Ronald Lauder said, “On behalf of the World Jewish Congress, I applaud Comerica for this bold and commendable decision to shut down the bank account of the virulent anti-Israel organization, the International Association of Democratic Lawyers.

“The IADL consistently demonizes Israel and defends those who incite against it. In penalizing the IADL, Comerica has demonstrated that it is committed to helping the state of Texas enforce its strict anti-BDS laws, and that it will have zero tolerance for any person or organization that seeks to undermine democracy or promote terror,” he added.

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