International Trade Law News

The 76th conference on the Arab League boycott of Israel is taking place this week in Damascus, Syria. Fourteen of the 22 Arab League countries sent representatives to the four-day meeting that is intended to strengthen the Arab boycott of Israel.

Although Bahrain did not sent a delegate to the boycott conference, Representative Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), the ranking Democrat on the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee recently called for the Bush Administration to investigate whether Bahrain has followed through on its committment to end its boycott of Israel. Congress approved the U.S.-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement only after receiving pledges from the Government of Bahrain that it had eliminated all aspects of the secondary and tertiary Arab League Boycott of Israel and intended to dismantle the primary boycott of Israel. There have been recent conflicting reports, however, as to whether Bahrain has actually ended its boycott of Israel. For example, the Jerusalem Post recently reported that Bahrain has yet to close its boycott office.

Labels: Boycotts