HOUSTON OIL CO. AGREED TO BOYCOTT ISRAEL

Testimony: Bayoil boycotted Israel
A Houston oil company agreed to boycott Israel in the Iraqi oil-for-food scandal, according to congressional testimony.

Dan Berkovitz, counsel to the Democrats on the Senate’s Homeland Security Committee, which is investigating charges that officials and companies took kickbacks from Saddam Hussein’s regime under the U.N. humanitarian oil-for-food scheme, said Bayoil agreed to boycott conditions in its dealings with Iraq.

“Documents obtained by the subcommittee also indicate Bayoil knowingly participated in a trade boycott in violation of U.S. law,” Berkovitz told the committee Tuesday. “One of the Bayoil officers signed and notarized a statement attesting, and I quote, ‘We herewith confirm never to have sold, directly or indirectly, to Israel, and further confirm that this policy will remain permanently in force during the entire validity of our contract.’ That statement was signed and notarized by the chairman of Bayoil Supply and Trading, Limited.”