CUFI In The News

DeSantis Threatens Airbnb with Sanctions over Israeli Settlement Boycott

TEL AVIV – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday ordered state officials to boycott Airbnb when conducting state business and said he would make the vacation rental giant “feel the heat” unless it walks back its decision banning rentals in Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

“We have a moral obligation to oppose the Airbnb policy; it does target Jews specifically,” said DeSantis, a pro-Israel Republican. “Airbnb claims it’s a company of inclusion and yet this policy only affects Jews who have homes on the West Bank. It doesn’t appear to apply to anyone else on the face of the earth.”

In November, Airbnb announced that it would remove 200 listings in Israeli settlements. The announcement came a day before a report by Human Rights Watch was due to be released slamming Airbnb for supporting settlements.

Read More: Breit Bart