To the Editor of the Highland Park Planet
Senate Joint Resolution 81 (“SJR81”), which 18th District Senator Peter Barnes introduced in the New Jersey State Legislature on June 8, 2015, rightfully condemns the international Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (“BDS”) movement and its activities as being inherently antithetical and damaging to the causes of peace, justice, equality, democracy, and human rights for all peoples in the Middle East, and for seeking to undermine the Jewish people’s right to self-determination, being fulfilled in the State of Israel. SJR81 also condemns activities that contribute directly or indirectly to the denial, violation, or delegitimizing of any person’s academic freedom, including, but not limited to, promotion of academic boycotts against Israel by the BDS movement. Further SJR81 provides that New Jersey opposes all forms of racism and hatred, including anti-Semitism, and opposes attempts to deny the legitimacy of Israel as a sovereign state. Senator Peter Barnes’ condemnation of the BDS movement and increasing incidents of anti-Semitism should be applauded.
Josh Fine
Council Member
Borough of Highland Park