DeSantis Takes Aim At Airbnb, Supports $2 Million For Day Schools

BOCA RATON, FL — Saying that the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting was a painful reminder that the "scourge of anti-Semitism persists," Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced he would support at least $2 million in funding for security at Jewish day schools and ordered state employees to stop staying at Airbnb properties over the company's refusal to accept listings along Israel's West Bank.

Speaking at the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County on Tuesday afternoon, DeSantis also promised that his first overseas trip would be to the Jewish state.

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"Jews — and this is just a fact — are more likely to be targeted based on their religion than any other group," the governor asserted. "We won't tolerate anti-Semitism here in Florida."

On Monday, the governor appointed Robert Luck to the Florida Supreme Court and told the Boca Raton audience on Tuesday that Luck's appointment marked the first for a Jewish judge on the state's high court in two decades.

"We will be supporting at least $2 million in funding for security of Jewish day schools," DeSantis said. "We want that funding to be an ordinary part of the budget. There’s a whole bunch of issues that come down the pike. It’s easy to get your eye off the ball. "

DeSantis said he wants Jewish parents to feel safe sending their kids to Jewish day schools.

"I don’t want a Jewish parent to not want to send their kid to a Jewish school because they fear that that makes them more likely to be targeted for harm," the governor stressed.

DeSantis accused Airbnb of unfairly targeting Jews for disfavored treatment in its refusal to accept West Bank listings.

"Airbnb claims that it’s a community of inclusion, but yet this policy only affects these Jews who have property in the west bank," the governor said, adding that the State Board of Administration will report back as to whether the company policy represents commercial discrimination. "It doesn’t appear to apply to anybody else on the whole face of the earth.

The three-member board of trustees includes the governor, chief financial officer and state attorney general. A decision against Airbnb could affect future investment in the company. The governor said he hopes Airbnb will rescind its policy before further action is taken.

Airbnb spokesman Benjamin Breit told Patch that the company rejects the so-called Palestinian-led boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israel.

"We remain deeply committed to our more than 20,000 hosts in Israel. We have worked with the Florida State Board of Administration on this matter," Breit explained. "We remain committed to the more than 45,000 Airbnb hosts in Florida who share their homes with over 4.5 million visitors, and we’ll continue to do all we can to support our community.”

The company insists that the decision to refuse reservations for West Bank settlements affects fewer than 1 percent of listings in the region, which amounts to about 200 listings and accounts for less than .2 percent of revenue.

Company officials say they have previously refused listings in other places with "unique dynamics," including Crimea, where the decision affected 4,000 listings.

The governor had his son baptized with water from the Sea of Galilee after his inauguration. He said that the cleaning crew in the governor's mansion later mistakenly removed the special water that was left over from the ceremony.

"We're not used to having people pick up for us in our old life," the governor said. "We don't have any bun in the over right now, but I think that we do need to go back to Israel and make sure we have a stock of that water on display."

Photo courtesy Governor Ron DeSantis' Press Office