(Atlanta, Georgia — June 26, 2023)
StandWithUs celebrates the unanimous ruling issued on June 22, 2023 by the Eleventh Court of Appeals to uphold Georgia’s anti-BDS law in Abby Martin v. Chancellor for the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. Anti-BDS laws combat national origin discrimination by preventing state agencies from awarding funds or contracts to entities that engage in national origin-based commercial discrimination against Israel. To date, multiple US Courts of Appeals—such as the Eighth and now the Eleventh Circuits—have ruled in cases dealing with anti-BDS laws and remain the highest courts to date to preside over such laws. All of these appellate courts have either upheld or refused to invalidate these laws.
In rejecting Abby Martin’s petition, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals referenced the recent landmark ruling by the Eighth Circuit in The Arkansas Times v. Waldrip, which explicitly and overwhelmingly upheld Arkansas’s anti-BDS law as constitutional. While plaintiffs in Waldrip sought to appeal, the Supreme Court unanimously rejected the appeal, a testament to the constitutionality of anti-BDS laws throughout the country. Abby Martin, the plaintiff, alleged violation of free speech, in the Georgia law requiring that contractors with the state not engage in discriminatory boycotts of Israel. The 11th Circuit Court dismissed the case, noting that the plaintiff is “unable to point to a case with materially similar facts that clearly establishes” that the anti-boycott clause was unconstitutional.” The Eighth Circuit upheld a similar anti-boycott law in Arkansas. Roz Rothstein, co-founder and CEO StandWithUs stated, “We thank the State of Georgia, particularly Sen. Judson Hill and Rep. John Carson for its continued efforts to combat national-origin discrimination and ensure that Georgia remains a welcoming environment for all.”
About StandWithUs
StandWithUs is an international, nonprofit, and non-partisan Israel education organization that works to inspire and educate people of all ages about Israel, challenge misinformation, and fight against antisemitism.
Through university fellowships, high school internships, middle school curricula, conferences, materials, social media, educational films, and missions to Israel, StandWithUs supports people around the world who want to educate their schools and communities about Israel.
Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Los Angeles, the organization has chapters and programs on seven continents, including the U.S., Israel, UK, Canada, South Africa, Brazil, and Australia.
For the last eleven years, StandWithUs has consistently received the highest possible ratings from Charity Navigator (4-stars) and GuideStar (Platinum).
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