New York State Assembly Office of Legislative Oversight and Analysis Arab Boycott Investigation Files

Arranged roughly by date of document.

Since its establishment in 1948, Arab countries have maintained an economic boycott of the State of Israel and have attempted to persuade its trading partners to participate in the boycott. This boycott was not highly effective until 1973 when Arab counties raised oil prices and Arab income and influence increased.

By the mid-1970's, Arab countries had complied a blacklist of over 1500 companies and individuals who had invested in or contributed to the economy or defense of Israel. Included on the blacklist were companies that merely had Jewish employees or stockholders. In order for a company to do business with Arab countries, it had to agree not to have dealings with any of the 1500 companies on the blacklist.

Because many of the blacklisted companies either resided or conducted business in New York, there was a growing concern that the Arab boycott was having an effect on the state's economy and that it violated the state's Human Rights Law. The Assembly Subcommittee on Human Rights was asked by Assembly Speaker Stanley Steingut to investigate the boycott. The Assembly Office of Legislative Oversight and Analysis was directed to assist the Subcommittee, chaired by Assemblyman Joseph Lisa.

The principal task of the Office was to survey shipping companies, exporters, banks, insurance companies, and other business concerns dealing in foreign trade. The Office gathered information on the Arab boycott from official meetings, "off the record" conversations, federal government reports from the Department of Commerce and other agencies, and from published material. The investigation found that there was widespread compliance with the Arab boycott among companies and that it was being assisted by actions of the United States government. The Office's Director William Haddad was in continual contact with Speaker Steingut, Assemblyman Lisa and others in state government providing evidence against the boycott.

The investigation by Haddad's Office helped the passage of New York's "Arab Boycott Law" (Laws of 1975, Chapter 662), that went into effect January 1, 1976. This law extended provisions of the state's Human Rights Law and banned commercial boycotts and blacklisting directed against individuals or companies residing or doing business in the state. This was the first such law passed in the United States to deal with the Arab boycott.

After the passage of this law, the Office of Legislative Oversight and Analysis worked closely with New York's Congressional delegation to get similar legislation enacted on the federal level and in other states. This was important to New York because the passage of its law caused a number of companies to leave the state in order to continue trading with Arab countries. New York sought a united front against the boycott. Eventually, the state was instrumental in getting federal legislation passed in 1977 making it illegal to assist the Arab boycott.

The series contains records produced or collected by the Assembly Office of Legislative Oversight and Analysis in its investigation of the Arab boycott from 1975 to 1977. These records include:

Individual files on approximately fifty companies doing business in New York. The files included notes on conversations with company officials relating to the company's compliance with the Arab boycott and the effect of the boycott on the State's economy. Included in most of the files is a copy of a Department of Commerce report with information on the company's compliance with the boycott. (Until 1977, it was not against federal law to participate in the boycott.)

Lists with names of companies who completed the Department of Commerce's report on compliance with the Arab boycott.

Transcripts of conversations and notes of "off the record" conversations between Office investigators and businessmen regarding their involvement in the Arab boycott and its effect on New York.

Clippings from newspapers and journals on the Arab boycott and U.S. foreign trade.

Correspondence and memoranda relating to the Office's investigation, the majority of which is from William Haddad to Speaker Steingut, Assemblyman Lisa, other members of the New York Assembly and members of New York's Congressional delegation.

Surveys of major banks regarding compliance with the Arab boycott and reports from the Port Authority of New York on the effects of the boycott.

A copy of "The Arab Boycott: Alive and Flourshing in New York." A special 1976 report to Assemblyman Lisa prepared by the Office.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of this material.