Minister of Public Security, Strategic Affairs and Information Gilad Erdan (Likud) announced Thursday that the government is planning a series of legislative measures against Israeli organizations and citizens that promote the boycott of the state.
"There will now be real price to pay for someone working against their own country in order to isolate it from the rest of the world," Erdan said in his speech at the 16th Institute for Policy and Strategy Conference at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya.
"I set up a legal team, together with the Ministry of Justice, that will promote governmental legislation on the matter", said Erden. "If we want to convince the world that the de-legitimization of Israel is something wrong and that there should be consequences, we must start here in Israel."
Erden also welcomed Jordana Cutler, longtime senior advisor and chief of staff to Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer, for joining Facebook's Israel office as head of Policy & Communications.
"Facebook realizes that it has a responsibility to monitor its platform and remove content. I hope it will be regulated for good. If not – they will face legislation, and not only in Israel. There has been a n advance in dialogue between the State of Israel and Facebook.”
Minister Erdan explained that this policy directed to the Boycott, Divestments and Sanctions (BDS) supporters. "We must send a deterring message for people not to be active in the BDS movement,” explained Arden. "There is no intention to hurt anyone active, but anyone who harms the State of Israel must understand that there will be consequences.”
“We will use legitimate democratic tools to fight this battle. We will make companies shift from being on the attack against Israel to the defense of protecting themselves.”