Top Obama aide: US firmly opposed to BDS movement

The statement was made by US Trade Representative Michael Froman during an appearance before the US-Israel Business Initiative in Washington.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Updated: DECEMBER 4, 2015 19:09
US Trade Representative Michael Froman (photo credit: AFP PHOTO)
US Trade Representative Michael Froman
(photo credit: AFP PHOTO)
The United States government is opposed to any efforts aimed at promoting the boycott, divestment from, and sanctioning of Israel, a top aide to President Barack Obama said on Friday.
The statement was made by US Trade Representative Michael Froman during an appearance before the US-Israel Business Initiative in Washington.
Froman spoke of burgeoning bilateral economic ties between the two countries since the signing of the US-Israel Free Trade Agreement during the Reagan administration.
“It was no mistake that the United States, which was the first nation to recognize Israel, also established its first free trade agreement with Israel,” he said. “This agreement was intended to strengthen our economies and the ties that growing commerce creates. And it was also intended to show the world that the bond between our nations runs even deeper than security matters.”
"Economically, the US-Israel relationship has flourished," Froman said. "Our bilateral trade in goods has grown more than eightfold over the last three decades, rising from $4.7 billion to $38.0 billion. Our trade in services has grown more than six-fold since 1992, rising to $10.7 billion in 2014."