An Illinois state board and a town in Florida have each condemned Airbnb for its recent decision to no longer provide listings for Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria.
According to the Washington Free Beacon, the Illinois Investment Policy Board Committee on Israel Boycott Restrictions voted unanimously on Wednesday to declare Airbnb as being in violation of state laws for engaging in a type of Israeli boycott. Airbnb has 90 days to respond, or else it will be blacklisted by the state.
“This is a watershed moment for anti-BDS [Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions] laws in America,” a former Illinois official told the Free Beacon. “If I’m an investor looking at a possible IPO next year, this is very worrisome.”
On Tuesday night, the town commission for Surfside, which is located in Miami-Dade County, voted unanimously to condemn Airbnb as being in violation of its contract with the town, according to Bal Harbour Mayor Gabe Groisman:
It was an honor to present at Surfside, Florida’s Commission meeting tonight to urge them to adopt a resolution condemning @Airbnb’s discriminatory actions in Israel and holding them in breach of their contract with the city bc of its anti-BDS provisions. Passed 5-0! pic.twitter.com/EDETWfoyVr
— Gabriel Groisman (@GabeGroisman) December 12, 2018
According to StandWithUs, Vice Mayor Daniel Gielchinsky introduced the resolution, stating: “Let’s make South Florida a shining light and beacon of truth, good and love prevailing over hatred, evil and hypocrisy throughout the world!”
“BDS is a campaign disguised as anti-Semitism,” StandWithUs CEO Roz Rothstein said in a statement. “We have a responsibility to speak up against hate and condemn this actions Airbnb from city hall to the Governor’s mansion. We applaud the efforts of the Vice Mayor and Governor-elect [Ron] DeSantis. We urge other cities, counties and states to follow their lead.”
DeSantis has said that he will determine if Airbnb is in violation of the state’s anti-BDS laws.
The city of Beverly Hills has also condemned Airbnb’s decision as an example of “hatred, prejudice, ignorance and hypocrisy.”
Airbnb did not respond to the Journal’s requests for comment at publication time.
