60 European Parliament Members Demand EU Stop Funding Anti-Israel BDS Groups

European Jewish Press reports: BRUSSELS —In an unprecedented initiative, 60 members of the European Parliament called on EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini to stop EU funding and isolate the anti-Israel BDS (Boycott,Divestment and Sanctions) movement.

In a letter, the cross party group of 60 Members of the European Parliament urged Mogherini to marginalize, both financially and politically organizations such as BDS that are increasingly becoming a virulent source in the spread of anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism under the pretense of exercising freedom of speech and association.

The move is spearheaded by representatives of the four major political groups, MEP Cristian DAN PREDA, MEP Ioan Mircea Pascu (S&D, Romania) and a Vice-President of the European Parliament, MEP Petras Austrevicius (ALDE, Lithuania), MEP Arne Gericke (ECR, Germany) . It “calls upon ensuring that no public funds go to organizations calling for a boycott of the State of Israel, and to instruct agencies not to engage with companies, organizations or other entities involved with the BDS movement”.