A lawsuit raised by the Arkansas Times challenging the state ban on boycotting Israel has been dismissed by a federal judge. The judge ruled that such a boycott would not be protected by the First Amendment.
The Arkansas law requires state employees and contractors to pledge not to withhold services or goods from Israel. If contractors do not make the pledge, their fees are reduced by 20 percent.
The ACLU of Arkansas filed the suit on behalf of the Arkansas Times against the University of Arkansas Pulaski Technical College, after the University refused to sign an advertising contract with the Arkansas Times unless the newspaper signed the pledge.
