Any corporation doing business with Iran, directly or indirectly, will face
sanctions, according to a law passed by the Knesset on Monday.
The bill
passed its third and final reading with 47 in favor and three
opposed.
“We need to work so these sanctions have a chance to fulfill
their goal, so we can avoid using force against Iran,” Knesset Foreign Affairs
and Defense Committee chairman Ronnie Bar-On (Kadima) said in the
plenum.
Bar-On scolded Hadash MKs Dov Henin and Muhammad Barakei for
saying the bill represents “voices of war,” explaining that war is exactly what
the legislation is meant to prevent.
Although the Kadima MK is a vocal
critic of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, he denied the Hadash MKs’ claim
that the bill is meant to help the prime minister politically, saying it is
“worthy and necessary.”
According to the new law, any business found to
be helping Iran will not have economic rights in Israel, including putting in
bids, receiving permits and licenses, as well as receiving economic aid from the
government. Helping includes dealing with foreign companies that work with or in
Iran.
A staff dedicated to sanctions in the Finance Ministry will
determine who is aiding Iran.
Earlier this month, Bar-On called for
Israel to lead the way in the economic battle against Iran.
Bar-On
pointed out that in the public discourse in Iran, many officials have said “all
options are on the table,” and sanctions are one of those options.
“This
bill is the State of Israel’s moral compass, and we hope to use it to set an
example for the nations of the world,” he stated. “It is necessary as part of
the civilian effort against Iran.”