The full federal appeals court in St. Louis upheld the law, overturning a three-judge panel's finding that it violated constitutional free speech rights.
ARKANSAS' ISRAEL BOYCOTT PLEDGE LAW HAS BEEN UPHELD BY A FEDERAL APPEALS COURT
The Supreme Court building on Capitol Hill is pictured in Washington on Jan. 10, 2023. The Supreme Court is refusing to enter a legal fight over an Arkansas law that prohibits contractors from boycotting Israel. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)
Similar measures in Arizona, Kansas and Texas were initially blocked by courts, prompting lawmakers to focus only on larger contracts. Arkansas’ law applies to contracts worth $1,000 or more.
GET THE FOX NEWS APP BY CLICKING HERE
Republican legislators in Arkansas who drafted the 2017 law have said it wasn’t prompted by a specific incident in the state. It followed similar restrictions enacted by other states in response to a movement promoting boycotts, divestment and sanctions of Israeli institutions and businesses over the country’s treatment of Palestinians. Israeli officials said the campaign masked a deeper goal of delegitimizing and even destroying their country.