Texas Is Latest State to Blacklist Airbnb for What It Considers anti-Israel Actions

Texas is adding home sharing firm Airbnb to a short list of companies that cannot receive state investments because it removes Israeli-owned rentals in the controversial West Bank.Airbnb is the only American-based company on Texas' anti-Israel boycott list, which also includes a Norwegian financial services group, a British wholesale co-op and a Norwegian insurance company.Texas is making it "very clear that our state stands with Israel and its people against those wishing to undermine Israel's economy and the wellbeing of its people," said a statement from Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar's office.The West Bank is central to a long-running dispute between Israelis and Palestinians. In November, Airbnb said it would remove about 200 listing in Israeli settlements in the West Bank. It cited a variety of factors for its decision, including whether listings in an occupied territory had a direct connection to a larger dispute in a region.  Continue reading...