A non-profit group focused on U.S.-Middle East policy plans for the second time to use the petition process under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to call into question Israel’s status as a U.S. ally, the group’s director said this week.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative this month rejected the first petition by the group, the Institute for Research: Middle Eastern Policy, Inc. (IRmep), which alleged IPR violations and technology diversion and called for a suspension of the U.S.-Israel free trade agreement.
Grant Smith, IRmep’s director, said he plans to file another petition in the near future.
“We’re confident that we’re able to build a stronger petition when the moment’s right,” he said.
USTR Reponse to petition to suspend US-Israel FTA Link