(Augusta, ME – March 4, 2026) — StandWithUs thanks the Maine Legislature’s Committee on State and Local Government for unanimously voting against LD 1383. While the language of the bill is broad, its supporters have made clear that its intent is to promote the hateful Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.
“Committee members rejected a BDS bill that would have been bad for Israelis, Palestinians, and the people of Maine,” said Avi Posnick, Executive Director of StandWithUs Northeast. “Legislators faced intense BDS pressure, including from local hate groups that supported the October 7th massacre by Hamas. We urge the Maine legislature follow the committee’s recommendation and vote no on LD 1383.”
BDS seeks to shut down Israeli-Palestinian cooperation and end Israel’s existence. According to the New York Times, the committee that coordinates BDS globally includes Hamas and other U.S.-designated terrorist groups. In an official statement, the Palestinian BDS National Committee (BNC) described the genocidal atrocities committed on October 7th as a “powerful armed reaction.”
The BNC is a coalition of foreign extremists who are actively promoting campaigns of hate in local and state governments across the United States. This includes bills like the one in Maine, along with efforts to repeal anti-BDS policies in other states. 38 U.S. states have adopted anti-discrimination laws and executive orders to combat BDS.
Multiple groups in Maine that lobbied for LD 1383 have worked closely with the BNC. They include the Maine Coalition for Palestine, which has denied the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7. They also include Maine DSA, which called the massacre, “morally and legally legitimate.”
We thank the Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine, the ADL, and all other groups working to defeat LD 1383. We will continue fighting BDS across the country and supporting communities as they fight back against this hate.
