The Washington state Supreme Court reversed a ruling that protected the Olympia Food Co-op from lawsuits over its boycott of Israeli products.
In a 9-0 decision on May 28, the justices voided a 2012 ruling by the Thurston County Superior Court against five people who in 2011 sued the co-op over its policy on Israel.
The 2012 ruling not only dismissed the five plaintiffs’ claim, but also slapped them with a $230,000 bill for legal expenses and fines connected to state legislation designed to punish those found to have used litigation to intimidate political rivals.
Last week’s ruling allows the plaintiffs to again sue Olympia in a trial court and have their claims reviewed. It also means the plaintiffs do not have to pay the $230,000 bill.
The Olympia Food Co-op is the only commercial establishment in the United States officially to vote to boycott Israeli products, according to StandWithUs, an American pro-Israel group that funded the plaintiffs’ motion to have the Washington Supreme Court review the county court’s 2012 ruling.
StandWithUs called the May 28 ruling “a major setback to the anti-Israel boycott, divestment, sanctions campaign.” — jta