Long Island assemblymen urge boycott of boycott

South Shore Assemblyman Todd Kaminsky has signed on as a co-sponsor of legislation introduced by Glen Cove Assemblyman Charles Lavine to would prohibit the state -— including its Common Retirement Fund — from doing business with companies that boycott Israel.

“There are many nations that are murderous and lawless and yet are not singled out in the same was as Israel,” Kaminsky said. “Such anti-Semitism is unacceptable and this bill says that loudly and clearly.”

Both Kaminsky and Lavine are Democrats.

Lavine’s bill define “boycott” as “engaging in actions that are politically motivated and are intended to penalize, inflict economic harm on, or or otherwise limit commercial relations with the state of Israel or companies based in the State of Israel or in territories controlled by the State of Israel,” the Albany Times-Union reported.

Lavine called the BDS movement “an orchestrated effort to weaken and delegitimize Israel through economic isolation, which would harm our great ally. It undermines America’s national security to assist Israel’s enemies.”

Following the American Studies Association’s decision to advocate for an academic boycott of Israel, of bills were introduced that would have acted similarly against academic institutions, though none made it to Gov. Cuomo’s desk. A bill backed by Bronx Senator Jeff Klein passed the Senate, while a measure introduced by then-Speaker Sheldon Silver seemed to be sailing through the committee process before it was brought to a full stop by pushback from education groups.