Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) National President Morton A. Klein released the following statement:

The ZOA condemns the Biden administration’s reinstatement of a discriminatory, antisemitic boycott of research, development, science and technology cooperation and joint projects with Israel, in lawful Jewish areas that invading Arab nations seized from the Jewish people in 1948-1949, which Israel recaptured and liberated in the defensive 1967 war. The Biden/Blinken administration secretly enacted this despicable boycott two years ago. The State Department circulated a directive stopping “participation in joint projects with Israel in the fields of science and technology in areas that came under its control after June 5, 1967.” The areas that are subject to this U.S. boycott thus include eastern Jerusalem including the Jewish Quarter, Judea/Samaria and the Israeli Golan Heights.

The Biden administration boycott just came to light when a research request by Ariel University in Samara was turned down. Almost 20% of Ariel University’s students are Arabs, so this boycott targeting Jews will end up also hurting local Arabs; hurt the cause of peaceful co-existence; politicize science; and set back scientific advancements that could have benefited the U.S., the Middle East and the whole world. It may also inspire more Palestinian Arab terrorism giving the anti-Israel extremists and terrorists an ugly victory. The ZOA has often pointed out that boycotts of Jewish businesses harm Arab workers as well as Jewish workers. Similarly, this Biden/Blinken boycott aimed at Jews will do widespread harm beyond its Jewish target.

The Trump administration had previously ended this boycott. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and former U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman announced the end of the boycott, and signed a new scientific cooperation agreement in a joint ceremony at Ariel University. Ambassador Friedman explained that ending the boycott and expanding cooperation would “further strengthen our deep science and technology ties and help promote economic security for both our countries.” The Trump/Friedman-era U.S. Embassy press release announcing the expanded scientific cooperation also noted that “BSF [the U.S.- Israeli Binational Science Foundation] has supported 47 Nobel Laureates and has kept scientists in both countries in the lead in innovation in medicine, cybersecurity, high technology, other critical areas of science with both civilian and military applications.” (See “U.S., Israel Expand Reach of Binational Foundations and Establish New Scientific and Technological Cooperation Agreement,” U.S. Embassy Jerusalem Press Release, Oct. 28, 2020.)

ZOA is familiar with Ariel University’s wonderful contributions to science, medicine and peaceful co-existence. ZOA friends and philanthropists Dr. Miriam Adelson and Sheldon G. Adelson z’’l generously contributed the Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson School of Medicine and pre-medical programs at Ariel University.

Several ZOA officials, members and friends are on the Ariel University board, including ZOA National President Morton A. Klein; ZOA National Board member Rubin Margules; ZOA Director of Research and Special Projects Elizabeth Berney, Esq.; and ZOA Coalition member Lori Lowenthal Marcus, Esq.

It is utterly sickening that the Biden administration is so hateful to Israel that it is willing to harm America and scientific and medical progress in the process of harming Israeli Jews.

ZOA thus joins with and urges others to condemn this anti-Israel U.S. action and to thank Senator Ted Cruz for his excellent twitter thread and press release entitled “Senator Cruz Condemns Biden Administration Antisemitic Discrimination Against Israel,” in which Senator Cruz rightfully stated:

“Joe Biden and Biden administration officials are pathologically obsessed with undermining Israel. Since day one of their administration they have launched campaigns against our Israeli allies that are granular, whole of government, and done in secret. This new boycott of Israeli Jews is yet another example. The State Department is telling the entire U.S. government not to cooperate with Jews in Judea and Samaria. And of course it was sent to Congress in secret, and only revealed because reporters found out. The Biden administration defends funding scientific research in Wuhan with the Chinese Communist Party, but they’re discriminating against and banning cooperation with Jews based on where they live. I will do everything possible to reverse this decision and prohibit such antisemitic discrimination by the U.S. government in the future.”