A Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Virginia supports the anti-Israel boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement, he said during a debate.
As part of a virtual event for the Virginia People's Debates series Tuesday, the candidates were asked whether they would support laws limiting the BDS movement, which puts pressure on the government and companies to financially separate themselves from Israel. Del. Lee Carter is not only against criminalizing the movement but also a supporter of it, he said.
One of the moderators, Zeina Hutchison, an activist for the Palestinian cause, described BDS as a "form of peaceful protest to secure Palestinian rights and pressure Israel to comply with international law," asking participants, "If you are asked to issue a gubernatorial directive against BDS, would you agree to do so?"
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All of the candidates were opposed to criminalizing the movement, but Carter went further.
"I'm a supporter of the BDS movement," he said. "I believe that the human rights abuses that are being inflicted upon the Palestinian people are among the worst currently ongoing in the world."
Carter also voiced his opposition to the Virginia Israel Advisory Board, a group that "helps Israeli companies build and grow their U.S. operations in Virginia," according to its website.
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Former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, another candidate, did not participate in Tuesday's debate. He has previously expressed his opposition to the BDS movement.
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