85R16005 KSM-F
By: Zedler H.C.R. No. 112
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The State of Israel, the only democracy in the
Middle East, is a great friend and ally of the United States of
America, and Texas and Israel have a long history of friendship in
support of each other's interests; and
WHEREAS, Texas has signed multiple cooperative agreements
with Israel that have increased our connections and interactions in
the areas of business, government, art, culture, and education, and
elected Texas officials have been making mission trips to Israel
since 2003; and
WHEREAS, Despite previously expressed support from the Lone
Star State, there have been increasing incidents of anti-Semitism
around the world and in Texas, and the international Boycott,
Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement is one of the main
vehicles for spreading anti-Semitism and for advocating the
elimination of the Jewish state; and
WHEREAS, The preponderance of anti-Israel activities and the
promotion of the BDS movement, in Texas communities in general and
on university campuses specifically, have resulted in threats
against Jewish students and have deliberately interfered with the
learning environment of all students, particularly in the negative
impact of these activities on student programming related to the
State of Israel and politics in the Middle East; and
WHEREAS, The call of the BDS campaign for academic boycotts
has been condemned as a violation of the bedrock principle of
academic freedom by many of our nation's largest academic
associations, hundreds of university presidents, and a number of
other leading scholars; and
WHEREAS, Elected representatives of Texas defend the
inalienable right to free speech and understand that the goals and
activities of BDS campaigns in Texas are harmful to the state's
relationships with its Jewish citizens and with Israel and have a
deleterious impact on the educational environment; now, therefore,
be it
RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby condemn the international Boycott, Divestment, and
Sanctions movement and its activities to spread anti-Semitism in
Texas; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That activities that contribute, directly or
indirectly, to the denial, violation, or delegitimization of any
people's academic freedom, including, but not limited to, promotion
of academic boycotts by the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions
movement against Israel, be denounced; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That the international Boycott, Divestment, and
Sanctions movement and its agenda be considered inherently
antithetical and deeply damaging to the causes of peace, justice,
equality, democracy, and human rights for all peoples in the Middle
East; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That support for the State of Israel be reaffirmed
and that the Jewish people be recognized as indigenous to the land
of Israel and that they be supported in their right to engage in
lawful acts of self-defense.