On August 14, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson signed bills allowing the state to invest in Israel bonds and prohibiting state and local governments from contracting with or investing in companies that boycott Israel.
 
In signing the bills, Governor Hutchinson said, “Those are two very strong messages that one, we ought to be open to invest in Israel as need be, and we should not have any restrictions on those investments.”
 
Attending the ceremony was Israel’s ambassador to the U.S., Ron Dermer, who thanked the governor for “send(ing) such a strong message that Arkansas stands against hate, that Arkansas stands against anti-Semitism, that Arkansas stands with Israel.”
 
Prior to the signing ceremony, Ambassador Dermer met with leaders of the Arkansas Israel Bonds campaign, praising their efforts and underscoring the importance of building a broad base of support for Israel through investments in Israel bonds.
 

Governor Asa Hutchinson (seated) shakes hands with Israeli Ambassador
Ron Dermer after signing legislation allowing the state to invest in Israel bonds
(Photo: Randall Lee)
 

Arkansas Treasurer of State Dennis Milligan (left), who was instrumental
in the legislation’s passage, with Ambassador Dermer (Photo: Randall Lee)
 

Ambassador Dermer meeting with Arkansas Israel Bonds leadership
(Photo: Zac Lehr)