Netanyahu brings up measure that stalled this year in state Senate

Democratic state Rep. Esther Panitch was not part of a Georgia delegation that traveled to Israel on a trade mission headed by Gov. Brian Kemp.

But, as the only Jewish member of the General Assembly, her attendance at a U.S. Embassy reception for the group signaled that the delegation’s visit to the Holy Land isn’t just about business.

Panitch, who was visiting the country with her daughter Miriam when she got the embassy invite, is a key sponsor of House Bill 30, a measure to combat antisemitism that advanced through the Georgia House before stalling in the state Senate.

Kemp hasn’t publicly endorsed the measure, but Panitch said his trip to Israel “inspired me to believe that they understand why this is a fight we cannot afford to abandon or compromise.”

“Saying ‘never again’ includes making sure that we define antisemitism properly in order to make sure it doesn’t get the chance to take hold,” said Panitch, who lives in Sandy Springs.

HB 30 also came up during the delegation’s closed-door meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who questioned Kemp and others about the status of the legislation. Kemp’s executive counsel, David Dove, told Netanyahu that it was a two-year legislative session and that the measure would be up for debate again in 2024.

During the embassy reception, Kemp discussed other efforts in Georgia to combat discrimination, including a measure aimed at discouraging economic boycotts of Israel.

Kemp said the visit “further renews Georgia’s ties to this ancient land and demonstrates our loyalty as an ally, especially as we confront the rise of antisemitism in this current era.”

He added, “We will continue to stand with you in the face of that prejudice and say loudly: ‘Hate has no place in Georgia.’ “