A new government task force will work to deport activists calling to boycott Israel and prevent others from entering, Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan and Interior Minister Arye Deri announced Sunday.
The ministries’ joint task force will work to locate hundreds of boycott, divestment and sanction activists working to delegitimize Israel, who are currently in the country.
According to the ministers, dozens of organizations in Israel collect information and use it to promote boycotts against Israel and make it more isolated.
BDS activists, the ministers said, visit the West Bank to provoke Palestinian violence and obstruct soldiers and Border Police.
Erdan, who is also strategic affairs and public diplomacy minister, said the task force “is a necessary step in light of the malicious intentions of delegitimization activists who act to spread lies and twist the reality in our region.”
Deri, whose Interior Ministry is responsible for the Population, Immigration and Borders Authority, said the fight against boycotts must start within Israel.
“We have the responsibility to do all we can to crush the boycott and say clearly that we will not allow the State of Israel to be harmed,” Deri added.
Erdan also said his ministry is working on ways to fight boycotts through the judiciary.
“Boycotting Israel must have a price,” he stated.
Originally published in the Jerusalem Post