New York, NY, February 28, 2006 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today said that the Government of Dubai's ongoing support of the Arab economic boycott of Israel "should torpedo any deal with the United States on port operations."

Dubai Ports World, the company at the center of the debate in Washington over its pending agreement to operate six U.S. port terminals, is owned by Dubai, which, as first reported in The Jerusalem Post, continues to support the Arab economic boycott of Israel.

"That Dubai Ports World is owned by the emirate of Dubai, which actively supports the Arab economic boycott of Israel, should be grounds enough to torpedo any deal with the United States on port operations," said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director.  "Dubai should not benefit from America's open trade policies unless it discontinues its anti-Israel activity."

In a letter to Treasury Secretary John Snow, who as chair of the interagency Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States is overseeing the review of the agreement with Dubai Ports World, the League noted that as recently as 2005, the Commerce Department alleged that Dubai was asking U.S. companies to certify that goods shipped to Dubai were "neither of Israeli origin, nor do they contain Israeli materials, nor are being exported from Israel."

"For decades, the United States has been a leader in the fight against the Arab economic boycott of Israel, one of the most punitive and long-term restrictive trade practices," Mr. Foxman said in the letter to the Treasury Secretary.  "The Administration's leadership has been critical in securing commitments from Bahrain and Saudi Arabia to cease their boycott of Israel.  Dubai must take similar public action to even be considered for a deal with the U.S. government."