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Middle East Eye
06-08-2025
- Business
- Middle East Eye
Trump administration removes clause that cuts funding to states boycotting Israel
A clause in the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (Fema) guidelines threatening US states and territories that boycott Israel with the denial of federal funds for natural disaster preparation was discreetly removed from its terms and conditions directives on Monday after backlash. The change in status came after media reports on Monday explained how funding was conditional on states following Department of Homeland Security (DHS) conditions laid out in April. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) announced on Friday it was making nearly $1bn available to states to protect themselves from natural disasters, such as floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, and fires, as well as terrorist attacks and cyber disruptions. However, before being removed, the clause said: 'Discriminatory prohibited boycott means refusing to deal, cutting commercial relations, or otherwise limiting commercial relations specifically with Israeli companies or with companies doing business in or with Israel or authorized by, licensed by, or organized under the laws of Israel to do business,' according to 11 agency grant notices reviewed by Reuters. DHS, which oversees Fema, reportedly removed this clause from section 17 on anti-discrimination under its terms and conditions. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Fema had announced on Friday it was making nearly $1bn available to states to protect themselves from natural disasters, such as floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, and fires, as well as terrorist attacks and cyber disruptions. This $1bn allocation, which will apply to 15 different grant programmes, is part of the "Notices of Funding Opportunity amounting to more than $2.2 billion available to state, local, tribal and territorial governments to help them protect American citizens", Fema states on its website. DHS sent Middle East Eye a statement on Monday, saying: 'There is no FEMA requirement tied to Israel in any current NOFO. No states have lost funding, and no new conditions have been imposed. 'FEMA grants remain governed by existing law and policy and not political litmus tests. DHS will enforce all anti-discrimination laws and policies, including as it relates to the BDS movement, which is expressly grounded in antisemitism. Those who engage in racial discrimination should not receive a single dollar of federal funding.' BDS refers to the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which aims to "pressure Israel to comply with international law". Existing law Although the clause has been removed, more than 30 US states already have laws that require 'public entities to certify they do not and will not boycott Israel'. However, public outcry over the worsening humanitarian conditions in Gaza has led to institutions and companies coming under increasing pressure to divest from Israeli and international companies investing in Israel. The momentum for the BD movement in the US was spearheaded by students on college campuses across the country last year due to outrage over the war on Gaza, which to date has killed over 60,000 Palestinians, wounded over 100,000 and decimated the strips infrastructure. While many institutions have refused pressure to divest from Israel, a handful of institutions like Union Theological Seminary have applied new investment screenings to divest from companies profiting from Israel's war on Gaza. San Francisco State University also agreed to disclose its investments quarterly and added new screening policies for investment decisions last year. Following this agreement, San Francisco State University agreed to pull investments from three companies it claimed do not meet its human rights standards, including aerospace and defence company Lockheed Martin, stock positions in Italian defence company Leonardo, and US-based data analysis enterprise, Palantir Technologies.
Yahoo
06-08-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump Pulls Sneaky 180 After MAGA Rips Him on Disaster Aid Condition
Deciding to condition FEMA aid on support for Israel has not panned out well for the Trump administration. Grant orders issued by the agency directed states and cities to certify that they would not avoid or end 'commercial relations specifically with Israeli companies' while receiving the federal disaster relief funds, Reuters reported Monday, citing official notices it had obtained. But in the wake of the news, fierce bipartisan backlash effectively forced the White House to nix the operation. MAGA influencers including Candace Owens, Nick Fuentes, and Matt Walsh came out in staunch opposition to the effort, accusing Donald Trump of failing to put 'America first.' 'Remember to pledge allegiance to Israel before your house is destroyed by a fire or hurricane, it could save your life,' wrote Fuentes on X. Owens, meanwhile, claimed that Trump had 'fully betrayed America' for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. 'If you cannot see that now you are completely blind,' the talk show host wrote. 'Best 100 million Miriam Adelson ever spent.' Walsh simply stated, 'There is just no way to reasonably claim that this qualifies as 'America First'.' Hours after initial reports broke about the conditioned aid, the Department of Homeland Security issued a statement insisting that 'there is NO FEMA requirement tied to Israel in any current NOFO.' But that doesn't mean that future funding is protected from similar efforts. The notice underscored DHS's ability to deny funds to any entity it deemed affiliated with the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement, which aims to curb Israel's violence in Gaza by peeling financial support away from the nation and its businesses. 'No states have lost funding, and no new conditions have been imposed,' the notice reads. 'FEMA grants remain governed by existing law and policy and not political litmus tests. DHS will enforce all anti-discrimination laws and policies, including as it relates to the BDS movement, which is expressly grounded in antisemitism. Those who engage in racial discrimination should not receive a single dollar of federal funding.' But a review of the order shows that it did indeed originally contain language conditioning aid on support for Israel. Following the backlash, the language was quietly edited to remove the reference to anti-Israel boycotts. And as journalist Saagar Enjeti noted on X, 'the DHS … makes it clear the admin reserves the right to deny these funds … based on the Anti-Boycott Act.' 'They still might do it. They're just not saying it out loud right now,' he added. The off-color FEMA order was just the latest in a long line of warnings from the Trump administration regarding its alliance with Israel and Netanyahu. The Department of Homeland Security announced in April that boycotting Israel was forbidden for any state or city intending to receive federal funding, and the White House has rescinded billions of dollars from universities around the country for failing to meet Trump's metric of support for America's genocidal Middle Eastern ally.
Time of India
05-08-2025
- Business
- Time of India
'Antisemitism': Fema no longer requires states to oppose Israel boycotts; DHS confirms
DHS representative image The Trump administration has quietly removed a clause from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) guidelines that required states to maintain commercial ties with Israel in order to qualify for federal emergency funds. The clause, previously listed in the department of homeland security's (DHS) internal terms and conditions, stated that states 'must not support severing commercial relations, or otherwise limiting commercial relations specifically with Israeli companies or with companies doing business in or with Israel.' The condition was removed without public announcement on Monday. The reversal comes after mounting backlash and media scrutiny over the administration's threat to withhold at least $1.9 billion in disaster relief from states and cities that support boycotts of Israel or Israeli firms. Fema funding is essential for states to manage natural disasters, support emergency operations, pay staff, and maintain critical equipment. DHS oversees Fema operations, and on Monday, agency spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin confirmed the policy shift, saying, 'Fema grants remain governed by existing law and policy and not political litmus tests,' as quoted by Euro News. The clause appeared to target the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which seeks to apply economic pressure on Israel over its military actions in Gaza, now ongoing for more than 20 months. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 15 Most Beautiful Female Athletes in the World Click Here Undo The DHS had previously referred to the BDS campaign as a 'discriminatory prohibited boycott,' language that has now been removed from Fema's updated guidelines, reported Euro News. 'There is NO Fema requirement tied to Israel in any current NOFO. No states have lost funding, and no new conditions have been imposed,' DHS said in a post on X Tuesday. 'DHS will enforce all anti-discrimination laws and policies, including as it relates to the BDS movement, which is expressly grounded in antisemitism. Those who engage in racial discrimination should not receive a single dollar of federal funding,' it added. The administration's initial inclusion of the clause was widely criticised for tying life-saving emergency assistance to political ideology. Multiple US media outlets condemned the move as using federal aid to enforce political loyalty. The decision to backtrack also comes amid growing international criticism of Israel's ongoing military offensive in Gaza. While the Trump administration has maintained strong pro-Israel policies, it has also pledged to combat what it calls 'left-wing induced antisemitism,' asserting that it has no place in the US and 'will not be tolerated.
Euronews
05-08-2025
- Business
- Euronews
US backtracks on tying FEMA funds to stance on Israel boycott
The Trump administration has reversed course on Monday after it faced backlash for threatening to withhold at least $1.9 billion (€1.64 billion) in disaster funds from cities and states that support boycotts of Israel and Israeli companies. The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appears to have removed an article from its website under its internal terms and conditions which stipulated that states 'must not support severing commercial relations, or otherwise limiting commercial relations specifically with Israeli companies or with companies doing business in or with Israel' to qualify for the funding. States rely on the emergency line of funding to finance search and rescue operations in cases of natural disasters or local emergencies, staff salaries, equipment and resources. The DHS oversees the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding operations. Spokesperson for the DHS Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement on Monday that 'FEMA grants remain governed by existing law and policy and not political litmus tests'. This marks a shift in the Trump administration's policy which has tried to penalise local governments, institutions, federal agencies and private companies for not aligning with its views on Israel or antisemitism. The now seemingly rebuked clause attempted to take aim at the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which is designed to place economic strain on Israel and force them to end their more than 20-month long offensive on Gaza. The old terms and conditions, which states must follow to be allowed access to funds, followed what the DHS called a 'discriminatory prohibited boycott', but the updated version, quietly published late on Monday no longer uses that language. 'There is NO FEMA requirement tied to Israel in any current NOFO. No states have lost funding, and no new conditions have been imposed,' wrote the Department of Homeland Security in a post on X. 'DHS will enforce all anti-discrimination laws and policies, including as it relates to the BDS movement, which is expressly grounded in antisemitism. Those who engage in racial discrimination should not receive a single dollar of federal funding.' The decision to quietly remove the clause from the terms and conditions comes after various US media outlets slammed the department for tying access to federal emergency funds to political agendas and ideologies. It also comes as global pressure and criticism mounts on Israel over its Gaza offensive. The Trump administration has routinely stated that it will continue to fight what it called a wave of left-wing induced antisemitism, stressing that it has no place in the Untied States and will not be tolerated.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gov. Pritzker awards over $10M in IL grocery initiative grants
HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – Governor JB Pritzker announced some awards to assist with Illinois grocery stores, however, the closest town to the Tri-State that will currently benefit from this initiative is Marion, Illinois. Governor JB Pritzker says he joined the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and 'local leaders' to announce awards through the Illinois Grocery Initiative 'New Stores in Food Deserts Program' and 'Equipment Upgrades Grant Program' to address food deserts and prevent grocery store closures in Illinois. Officials note grantees were selected through competitive Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) processes. 'When I signed the Illinois Grocery Initiative into law the vision we had in mind was reducing costs, fighting food insecurity, and boosting the local economy,' said Governor JB Pritzker. 'This $10 million investment will go directly toward construction and renovation of quality, affordable grocery options in neighborhoods across the state. From Champaign to Marion to Venice, we're fighting food insecurity while investing directly into the lifeblood of our economy, supporting farmers, small businesses, and working families.' Support grows for banning cell phones in classrooms across Illinois New stores in food deserts program Officials say the 'New Stores in Food Deserts Program' awards will support the establishment of new grocery stores in food deserts as defined by the Illinois Grocery Initiative Act. This funding will support construction and renovation costs for new stores, as well as many first-year operations costs, such as employee wages, utility costs and initial inventory of food. AL RAAWI LLC of Marion, Illinois, received $2,399,975 for a new construction project. 'At Economic Security Illinois, we believe that families and communities should have the resources they need to live fulfilling lives, from access to banks, to good schools, to affordable food in grocery stores,' said Erion Malasi, Director of Policy and Advocacy, Economic Security Illinois. 'When major life staples are lacking in the market, we want to harness the power of community and government to come together and provide a public option. We are proud to have funded the feasibility study for this effort, and proud to see funds for a new municipal-owned grocery store come to Venice. We're grateful to Governor Pritzker, Deputy Governor Andy Manar, and leaders in the General Assembly for advancing this critical effort.' Officials say after providing approximately $6.9 million through Round I of the Illinois Grocery Initiative New Stores Grants, DCEO opened Round II in October of 2024. Applicants were selected based on various requirements including: Must be located in a food desert Must earn less than 30% of revenue from alcohol and tobacco sales Must accept SNAP and WIC Must contribute to diversity of fresh foods available in community Kristi Noem slams Illinois governor, state's sanctuary policies; Pritzker claps back Equipment Upgrades Grant Program Governor JB Pritzker's office says the Equipment Upgrades Grant Program awards will support energy-efficient equipment upgrades for existing grocery stores, with priority given to those located in food insecure communities across the state. This program is designed to strengthen existing grocery stores and preserve access to fresh food in food insecure communities, in an effort to stop the formation of new food deserts. Willjo, Inc. of Marion, Illinois, received $132,234 for the complete replacement of walk-in freezer, HVAC system. State officials say after providing $1 million through Round I of the Illinois Grocery Initiative Equipment Upgrades Grant Program, DCEO opened Round II in January of 2025. This is a rolling grant opportunity which will remain open until December 15, 2025, or until funding is exhausted. Applicant qualifications include independent grocers or cooperatives with fewer than 500 employees and no more than four grocery locations. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
