One of the first things that Anat Berko of the Likud did upon entering the Knesset was to form a lobby to combat the delegitimization of Israel and the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. To do this the suicide bombing expert approached Knesset member Michael Oren, Israel’s former ambassador to Washington, who holds a doctorate in Middle East history, and asked him to co-chair the lobby with her.
Within just a few days, Berko and the Kulanu Party legislator easily recruited over 20 Knesset members from the right, the left, the center and the ultra-Orthodox factions. The conflict with the Palestinians at soccer's governing body, FIFA, over the Palestinian request to suspend Israel from the association was brewing in the background, making the issue especially pressing and the new lobby especially relevant.
