The Senate expressed its overwhelming support last week to end the Arab economic boycott of Israel, unanimously approving an amendment that prohibits arms sales to countries adhering to the boycott.
The vote, taken Friday, was 93-0.
However, the measure included a provision that makes it likely the prohibition would not be carried out.
The measure, which was an amendment to the State Department Authorization Bill, authorizes the president to overrule the measure if he believes an arms sale would be in the national interest.
Nevertheless, Sen. Hank Brown (R-Colo.), who authored the amendment, said, “With this tool in place, the president has far more leverage to protect American businesses by forcing the end of the secondary and tertiary Arab boycotts.”
The primary boycott is against Israeli products.
The secondary boycott imposes sanctions on firms doing business with Israel. The tertiary boycott applies to firms trading with firms that have broken the terms of the secondary boycott.
The State Department Authorization Bill is still under consideration on the Senate floor.
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