Trump administration links US$1.9 billion federal disaster funding to Israel boycott stance
Israeli companies, according to an agency statement. States must certify that they will not cut off 'commercial relations specifically with Israeli companies' to receive the money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), according to the agency's terms for grantees.
Advertisement
The condition applies to at least US$1.9 billion that states rely on to cover search and rescue equipment, emergency manager salaries and backup power systems, among other expenses, according to 11 agency grant notices reviewed by Reuters.
It is the latest example of
US President
Donald Trump 's administration making use of routine federal funding to advance its political message at the state level. Fema said in July that US states will be required to spend part of their federal terrorism prevention funds on helping the government arrest migrants, an administration priority.
The Israel requirement takes aim at the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement, a campaign designed to put economic pressure on Israel to end the occupation of Palestinian territories. The campaign's supporters grew more vocal in 2023, after Hamas attacked southern Israel and
Israel invaded Gaza in response.
'DHS will enforce all anti-discrimination laws and policies, including as it relates to the BDS movement, which is expressly grounded in antisemitism,' a spokesperson for Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said in a statement.
Advertisement
The requirement is largely symbolic. At least 34 states already have anti-BDS laws or policies, according to a University of Pennsylvania law journal. Fema will require major cities to agree to the Israel policy to receive a cut of US$553.5 million set aside to prevent terrorism in dense areas, according to a grant notice posted on Friday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RTHK
2 hours ago
- RTHK
Reports of Gaza takeover deeply alarming, says UN
Reports of Gaza takeover deeply alarming, says UN Media reports says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu favours a complete military takeover of the Gaza Strip. Photo: Reuters The United Nations has said reports about a possible decision to expand Israel's military operations throughout the Gaza Strip are "deeply alarming" if true. UN Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenca told a UN Security Council meeting on the situation in Gaza that such a move "would risk catastrophic consequences... and could further endanger the lives of the remaining hostages in Gaza. "International law is clear in the regard; Gaza is and must remain an integral part of the future Palestinian state," he added. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met senior security officials on Tuesday to finalise a new strategy for the nearly two-year-old war in Gaza with media reporting he favoured a complete military takeover of the Palestinian enclave. Responding to the reports at the Security Council, China's deputy UN representative, Geng Shuang, said: "We urge Israel to immediately halt such dangerous actions." He called for a ceasefire and urged countries with influence to take concrete steps to help bring one about. Speaking to new recruits at a military base, Netanyahu said Israel must "complete" the defeat of Hamas in Gaza to secure the release of the remaining hostages. "It is still necessary to complete the defeat of the enemy in Gaza, release our hostages and ensure that Gaza never again constitutes a threat to Israel," Netanyahu said. "We are not giving up on any of these missions." The brother of Israeli hostage Evyatar David, who was shown appearing emaciated in a video released by Hamas last week, told the Security Council to use its leverage to secure the immediate unconditional release of remaining hostages and to ensure humanitarian aid reaches them. "Every moment of delay is a step closer to final tragic outcome," Ilay David told the meeting. He said the video showed his brother as "a living skeleton. He had barely the strength to move or speak, his voice barely recognizable," the brother said, adding that neither he nor his mother could bring themselves to watch. "We knew that if we did, we would be unable to function. My father and sister, however, felt they had to see him, to hear his voice, to feel him somehow. Now these images haunt them. My father cannot sleep, and my mother has not stopped crying ever since," he said. (Agencies)
South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Trump-led Texas redistricting gambit ignites national arms race to control US Congress
The escalating political fight over the Texas congressional map is spreading across other states across the country, triggering an unprecedented mid-decade redistricting arms race with the balance of power in Washington at stake. At President Donald Trump's urging, Texas Republicans have proposed new congressional districts aimed at flipping five Democrat-held US House seats in next year's midterm elections, further skewing what is already considered a deeply partisan map in that state. In response, Democratic governors elsewhere – most notably Gavin Newsom of California, the only state with more congressional districts than Texas – have threatened to retaliate by mounting their own redistricting efforts. 'Donald Trump is a cheater, and so is Governor Greg Abbott,' JB Pritzker, the Democratic governor of Illinois, told reporters on Tuesday. Standing alongside him were several of the Democratic lawmakers from Texas who fled their home state on Monday to deny Republicans a quorum and prevent a vote on the proposed new map. 'As far as I'm concerned, everything is on the table,' Pritzker said.\ Illinois Governor JB Pritzker speaks during a news conference held by Texas Democratic lawmakers in Aurora, Illinois, on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters Democrats need to flip only three Republican-held seats to retake the majority in the 435-seat House next year, so even modest gains for either party via redistricting could prove decisive. If Democrats win the House, they could stymie much of Trump's legislative agenda and pursue multiple investigations into his administration.
South China Morning Post
4 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Trump narrows Fed chair candidates to 4, excluding Treasury Secretary Bessent
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he has whittled down his list of potential Federal Reserve chair candidates to four as he considers a successor to Jerome Powell – a choice that could reset the path of the US economy. Asked on CNBC's Squawk Box for a future replacement for Powell, Trump named Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, and Kevin Warsh, a former member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. 'I think Kevin and Kevin, both Kevins, are very good,' Trump said. He said two other people were also under consideration, but US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is not among them. 'I love Scott, but he wants to stay where he is,' Trump said. He did not name his other two top candidates but used the opportunity to disparage Powell, whom he has dubbed 'too late' in cutting interest rates. 01:21 Trump and US central bank chief bicker over bank renovation costs Trump and US central bank chief bicker over bank renovation costs The news that Trump plans to make a decision on the Fed chair 'soon' comes as the Republican president has been highly critical of Powell, whose term ends in May 2026.
