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Spanish Court Orders Municipality To Rescind Boycott of Israel

By Jordan Zaitchik
B’nai Brith Canada

The Spanish city Velez Malaga has rescinded its city council’s resolution to boycott Israeli businesses after a local court ruled it illegal, as reported by Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

On Aug. 24, a Malaga court ruled that the city’s boycott of Israel was illegal since it violates constitutional principles that guarantee equality as well as proscribes incitement to discrimination. The city council’s motion to boycott Israeli businesses was passed in May. ACOM, a pro-Israel non-profit organization in Spain requested an injunction by the Malaga court against the resolution.

The council’s resolution refers to Israel as an apartheid state and occupier of Palestine. In the original motion the author’s accused Israel of annexing “78 per cent of the territory of historical Palestine.”

ACOM has secured over 20 rulings against boycotts of Israel in Spain, six of the rulings took place this year.

Velez Malaga, is a municipality a part of the Costa del Sol area in the province of Malaga in southern Spain. The municipality is home to 70,000 residents many of whom work in the tourism industry.

In recent years, 50 of Spain’s municipalities have passed resolutions to boycott Israel, Spain has boycotted Israel more than any other country in Europe. Thanks to the efforts of organizations like ACOM, Spanish courts have been undoing these resolutions in the past few years.

READ MORE: Spanish City Boycotts Israel, Loses El Al Flights