To the editor:

Jesse McKinley ("Cuomo to Halt State Business With Groups That Back Boycott of Israel," June 6) extensively quotes BDS founder Omar Barghouti but misleads readers by ignoring the real goal of BDS. when she refers to supporters as aiming "to pressure Israel economically over its treatment of Palestinians and to further Palestinian independence."

That same Barghouti emphatically said "Definitely, most definitely we oppose a Jewish state in any part of Palestine." Similar statements have been made by other BDS founders and many supporters, making it clear BDS is not about alleged Israeli actions, but about the existence of Israel.

Barghouti urges others to boycott Israel, but the native Qatari not only took advantage of his marriage and Israel's generous family unification policies to gain Israeli residency for himself, but also studied for a masters degree at Tel Aviv University and enrolled in a Ph.D. program there. He hates Israel and works to destroy it, but on a personal level he clearly recognizes Israel is good to the Arabs in the Middle East.

Sincerely,

Alan Stein