The US House of Representatives on Thursday advanced legislation blocking federal funding from universities that boycott Israel, with 33 moderate Democrats joining almost every Republican in backing the measure.

After passing by a margin of 237 to 169, the Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act still needs to be passed by the Senate before it can be signed into law.

The bill seeks to “amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit an institution that participates in a nonexpressive commercial boycott of Israel from being eligible for certain funds under that act [and] to require an institution that participates in certain programs under that act to certify that students are not unreasonably obstructed from participating in academic programs in Israel, and for other purposes.”

House Democratic leadership opposed the bill over what it said were free speech concerns, in addition to arguing that it doesn’t differentiate between Israel and settlements in the West Bank, which much of the international community deems illegal.

Explaining his opposition to the bill, House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries said, “Our Jewish brothers and sisters deserve safety and security on campuses across the........

© The Times of Israel