Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) announced on Tuesday that the state government will place Airbnb on its Scrutinized Companies List due to the company de-listing Israeli homes in Judea and Samaria.
Being put on the aforementioned list means that Airbnb is ineligible for state investment when it goes forward with its public offering. Airbnb is the seventh company to be put on the list, but is the first American company to be put on it.
“Airbnb made a conscious decision to discriminate against the Jewish people and as governor I have an obligation to oppose policies that unfairly target the world’s only Jewish State and our greatest ally in the Middle East,” DeSantis said in a statement. “Our action today solidifies the State of Florida’s resolve to stand with Israel and if Airbnb does not denounce their previous policy of discrimination we may be compelled to explore additional action.”
Airbnb responded to the vote with a statement saying that they are opposed to the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement and were “disappointed” by the Florida government’ move.
“There are over 20,000 Airbnb hosts in Israel who open their doors and showcase the best of Israeli hospitality to guests from around the world, which boosts local families, businesses and communities,” the statement read. “Our community of hosts in Israel has already welcomed more than 1 million guests and we will continue to invest in Israel.”
Israeli-American Coalition for Action chairman Shawn Evenhaim praised DeSantis in a statement.
“We extend our sincere thanks to Gov. DeSantis for his continued leadership in opposing the bigotry and anti-Semitism of the BDS Movement,” Evenhaim said. “He was a champion of the issue in Congress, and now as governor he has positioned Florida at the forefront. Governor DeSantis has set an important example at a time when many states around the country have begun the process of evaluating Airbnb’s discriminatory new policy.”
