TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (The News Service of Florida) - Florida took a step Tuesday in imposing economic sanctions on the popular home-sharing platform Airbnb because of a company decision against listing properties in the West Bank, an area that is a major flashpoint in Israeli-Palestinian relations.
Governor Ron DeSantis, Attorney General Ashley Moody and Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, acting as the State Board of Administration, agreed to place Airbnb on the state’s scrutinized companies list.
The list prohibits state investment in companies that boycott Israel. DeSantis, who urged taking the step, hopes the state’s action causes Airbnb to reverse its decision.
“States like Florida have stepped up and said, ‘you know what, if we allow Israel to be singled out for commercial discrimination, it’s only going to snowball’. You are going to have more and more people join it," said DeSantis. "You’ll have more governments get involved.”
Guy Gilady, Israel’s Deputy Counsel General in Miami, appeared at the Cabinet meeting and called the Airbnb West Bank decision “shameful.”
“The state of Israel regards Airbnb’s policy as pure discrimination against Jews. We, like you, abhor discrimination in all its forms," said Gilady.
Airbnb, which has 90 days to respond to the State Board of Administration’s action, issued a statement after the meeting reiterating that it “unequivocally” rejects the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions, or “BDS,” movement that has targeted Israel and supported Palestinians.
The company says the decision against allowing hosts in “the settlements in the West Bank” affects about 200 listings.
The action by the State Board of Administration followed a resolution supported by DeSantis and the full Cabinet that said Jerusalem is the “eternal and undivided capital” of Israel.
The resolution, proposed by Patronis, supported the December 2017 move by President Donald Trump to shift the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
