The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a resolution on Tuesday opposing boycotts of Israel. Some 350 legislators cosponsored the resolution, 175 from each party.
House Resolution 246, sponsored by Rep. Bradley Schneider (D-Illinois-10), opposes the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, "including efforts to target United States companies that are engaged in commercial activities that are legal under United States law, and all efforts to delegitimize the State of Israel." It also "urges Israelis and Palestinians to return to direct negotiations as the only way to achieve an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict."
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Florida) supported the resolution, saying on the House floor: "The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement does not seek and will not help achieve Israeli-Palestinian peace. In fact, it pushes the hope for a two-state solution even further away."
The resolution reaffirms strong support "for a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict resulting in two states – a democratic Jewish State of Israel, and a viable, democratic Palestinian state – living side by side in peace, security and mutual recognition."
In addition, it "affirms that the Global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement undermines the possibility for a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by demanding concessions of one party alone and encouraging the Palestinians to reject negotiations in favor of international pressure."
"You simply will not and cannot achieve lasting peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians and work toward a two-state solution if you support a movement that seeks to delegitimize the very existence of Israel," said Congressman Ted Deutch (D-Florida-22). "I am relentlessly opposed to the global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign that seeks to delegitimize the State of Israel and deny the Jewish people – and only the Jewish people - the right to self-determination."
Some 398 members supported the resolution, with 17 voting against it, 16 of them from the Democrats.
The following voted against the Resolution:
AZ- Raul Grijalva
CA- Barbara Lee
IL- Chuy Garcia
IL- Bobby Rush
IN- Andre Carson
KY- Thomas Massie
MA- Chellie Pingree
MI- Debbie Dingell
MI- Rashida Tlaib
MN- Ilhan Omar
MN- Betty McCollum
NJ- Bonnie Watson Coleman
NY- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
OR- Earl Blumenauer
WA- Pramila Jayapal
WI- Gewn Moore
WI- Mark Pocan