Florida Congressman Randy Fine (R-FL) warned Britain on Monday that companies complying with reported British sanctions targeting Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria could be barred from doing business with state and local governments in Florida.
"As the British government considers forcing British companies to boycott portions of Israel, it should be aware that a Florida law that I passed as a member of the Legislature would ban any British company forced to comply from doing business with any state or local government in Florida," Fine wrote on social media.
He added that the legislation "would also end any British business participating in that boycott from doing any business in Florida if it needed any official interaction with state or local government to operate (permits, tax collection)."
Fine stated that the potential consequences for Britain would be substantial. "Florida is one of Britain’s largest trading partners. They should understand that their vanity project in support of Muslim terror could cost them billions of dollars," he wrote.
"And for those who doubt the power of this policy," continued Fine, "it was this same law that broke Airbnb’s misguided effort to boycott portions of Israel in 2019. They realized that this law would have bankrupted their company."
"Florida has made it clear. Any company - or nation - that boycotts Israel is boycotted by Florida," he concluded.
Fine was responding to a report in The New York Times that Britain is preparing to announce expanded economic measures against Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria. The reported measures could include prohibiting trade in goods produced in the communities and imposing sanctions on companies involved in construction there.
Three officials cited by the newspaper said Britain is also considering sanctions against companies that assist construction in Jewish communities. Such steps would broaden previous British sanctions related to Judea and Samaria, which have largely targeted individuals.
The reported plans come after Britain condemned Israel's plans for construction in the E1 area between Jerusalem and Ma'ale Adumim. Israel recently issued a tender covering seven residential compounds in E1 with 1,234 housing units, following approval last year of approximately 3,400 units in the area.
British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has called on Israel to withdraw the tender, describing the project as "an unacceptable and destructive act" and arguing that construction in E1 would undermine the possibility of establishing a future Palestinian state.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said last week that Israel would respond to British measures.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called Monday for action against Britain before the expected sanctions are announced Tuesday, including the expulsion of Britain's ambassador.
"The British ambassador should be expelled this evening. We will not be a doormat for an antisemitic government in a country that has been conquered by radical Islam and is trying to save itself from economic and social decline by attacking Jews and the State of Israel. The British Mandate in the Land of Israel is over," Smotrich said.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir also proposed a response to the expected British measures, calling for Israel to recognize Argentina's claim to the Falkland Islands.
"The time has come for the State of Israel to publicly recognize the Falkland Islands as occupied Argentine territory, which the British are violently stealing from the Argentine people. The British are not only occupying the territory, but are also conducting oil drilling there and stealing money from the Argentine people," he said.
"I call on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to recognize Argentina's sovereignty over the Falkland Islands and impose sanctions on Great Britain for as long as the occupation continues," added Ben Gvir.