Saudi Arabia Steps Up Boycott of Israel

Today's Jerusalem Post reports that "despite efforts by Washington in recent years to bring about a normalization of relations between Israel and the Arab world, Saudi Arabia has been steadily intensifying its enforcement of the Arab League boycott of Israel."

The article, which examines recent data issued by the Bureau of Industry and Security's (BIS), Office of Antiboycott Compliance, indicates that the number of boycott-related requests submitted to BIS has increased in the past two years, rising from 42 in 2006 to 65 in 2007 to 74 in 2008, an increase of 76 percent.

The article notes that the "bulk of these requests were related to the companies' or products' relationship to Israel. Typically, Saudi officials ask foreign suppliers to affirm that any goods exported to the desert kingdom are not manufactured in Israel and do not contain any Israeli-made components."

The antiboycott provisions of the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR) (15 CFR Part 760) prohibit U.S. persons from engaging in certain activity relating to restrictive trade practices and unsanctioned foreign boycotts, including implementing letters of credit containing prohibited boycott terms or conditions and entering into agreements containing prohibited boycott language.

The U.S. antiboycott regulations also require U.S. persons to report to BIS certain requests they have received to take certain actions to comply with, further or support an unsanctioned foreign boycott.