Hawzah News Agency-A bill heading to the California Governor's desk could prevent companies that boycott Israel from contracting with the state government. Activists for Palestine and others call the legislation a violation of freedom of speech.

Companies that participate in a boycott of Israel could be excluded from receiving contracts worth $100,000 from the California state government if AB 2844 becomes law.

While AB 2844 claims that “it is the intent of the Legislature to ensure that taxpayer funds are not used to do business with or support discriminatory actions against any individuals,” and would also include banning companies with “any policy that they have against any sovereign nation or peoples recognized by the government of the United States” from receiving these contracts, the only country listed in the version of the bill that passed is Israel.

In a letter sent to Bloom in April, Kevin G. Baker, the American Civil Liberties Union )ACLU( legislative director, wrote, “AB 2844 in essence proposes an official state blacklist of persons and corporations that engage in lawful politically-motivated speech and association.”

Opponents also believe that it unfairly targets the Boycott, Divestments and Sanctions (BDS) movement to boycott Israel until the country ends its occupation of “all Arab lands” and recognizes an independent Palestine.

David Mandel, a Sacramento attorney, member of Jewish Voices for Peace as well as the Palestine Subcommittee of the National Lawyers Guild believes that the bill is more about a show of force, saying the point is to “try to make a political point, to intimidate people, to send a message.”