Congressman Steve Stockman this week introduced legislation ending U.S. support for international projects that discriminate against Israel.

The “Prohibiting Discrimination Against Israel Act” terminates U.S. government funds for any international project that prohibits participation of Israeli organizations operating beyond the 1949 armistice line.

“Hatred and discrimination shouldn’t be funded with American tax dollars,” said Stockman. “Congress should stop funding actions that foster hatred of Israel and violate international agreements. We must never forget where this type of hatred always leads.”

In 2009, the Kingdom of Spain refused to allow a team from the Ariel University Center of Samaria (now known as Ariel University) to participate in a solar energy competition funded by the United States Department of Energy because the university was located beyond Israel’s 1949 armistice line. At the same time, the Spanish government funded projects from universities in other disputed regions including Artsakh State University in Nagorno-Karabakh and Eastern Mediterranean University in Northern Cyprus.

The European Union last year issued orders forbidding its member states from cooperating, transferring funds, or giving scholarships or research grants to organizations beyond Israel’s 1949 armistice line.

The EU order ignores several international agreements. In 1995, the Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (commonly referred to as the Oslo II Accord) formally divided Judea and Samaria into three administrative divisions, with Area C being under full Israeli civil and security control; therefore, foreign countries should not discriminate against Israeli organizations that operate there.

Additionally, Israeli settlements in these territories do not violate Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. They are completely voluntary and do not involve “individual or mass forcible transfers” prohibited by subpart (1) of Article 49.

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