لمنع مقاطعة إسرائيل.. وكالة أمريكية تضع شروطاً جديدة لتمويل «طوارئ» الولايات

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today (Monday) new conditions against U.S. states and cities for obtaining funding to prepare for natural disasters. The agency reported that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that states and cities will not receive funding for disaster preparedness if they choose to boycott Israeli companies.

The new conditions set by FEMA emphasize to grant beneficiaries that states must acknowledge they will not sever business ties specifically with Israeli companies in order to receive funds from the agency.

Western media reported that this condition applies to at least $1.9 billion that states rely on to cover costs for search and rescue equipment, emergency management salaries, backup power systems, and other expenses, indicating that this is the latest example of the Trump administration using regular federal funding to bolster its political message at the state level.

The agency had stated last July that it would require states to spend part of their federal counter-terrorism funds to assist the government in apprehending immigrants, a priority for the U.S. administration.

This condition targets the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement, which aims to exert economic pressure on Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian territories, after voices in support of the campaign rose following the ongoing Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.

A spokesperson for Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen stated in a press release: “The department will enforce all laws and policies against discrimination, including those related to the Boycott Israel movement,” noting that this condition is largely symbolic.

The legal journal of the University of Pennsylvania reported that at least 34 states already have laws or policies opposing the boycott movement.