Opponent Testimony — Abrial Mahmoud, AMP Columbus, on House Bill 188

Summary

Opponent testimony before the House Development Committee, headed House Bill 291 while its text presents opponent testimony and proposed changes to House Bill 188. The testimony states that the author previously spoke before the committee in June on HB 291 and argues that HB 188 poses security and safety concerns, citing news reports and other sources in footnotes. It states that the author supports international partnerships in principle and demands a vote to strike down the bill. The name block reads Abrial Mahmoud, AMP Columbus.

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          OPPONENT TESTIMONY TO HOUSE BILL 291
                  Before the House Development Committee


Chairman Hoops, Vicechair Lorenz, Ranking Member Brownlee, and the rest of
the respectable members of the House Development Committee: I sincerely
thank you for the chance to present my opponent testimony and proposed
changes to House Bill 188. I want to preface that I was before this committee
back in June to speak on HB 291, which sought to create a trade alliance
between Ohio and several other countries, including Israel. I hope to convey my
dismay and complete disappointment in seeing this bill reemerge after presenting
legitimate security and safety concerns about Israel when HB 291 was on the
table.

THE CORE OF THE BILL
When I spoke on HB 291, I believed it to be a bill with potential. That potential is
killed in the face of HB 188.

When looking at this bill and 291, I found that at its core, this bill seeks to make
Ohio a strong state which thrives on international collaboration and partnerships
to create a diverse job market, expand current technology research, and help
local Ohio businesses reach out to larger client bases globally. I saw potential
when the bill had numerous countries in good standing involved, but such hope
has been destroyed in this bill. I want to be clear: this bill is beyond any
redeemable amendments.

This bill clearly does not serve the best interests of Ohio. This bill not only puts
Ohioans at risk, but you threaten the security of the entire United States more so
than it already is.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT AND MODERN RELEVANCE

In 1939, during the Holocaust, Alfred Sloan Jr., then the acting chairman of
General Motors, stated: “According to my belief . . . an international business
operating throughout the world should conduct its operations in strictly business
terms, without regard to the political beliefs of its management, or the political
beliefs of the country in which it is operating.”1 This was how he justified
continuing to do business in Nazi Germany, thus directly supporting the Nazi
government and furthering the genocide against Jews that happened in the
1930s and 40s.

This is a morally reprehensible justification on neglecting taking adverse action
on a nation committing a genocide. I know the other testimonies of my comrades
and colleagues will detail the genocide Israel is inflicting upon Palestine, so I will
1

https://www.historynewsnetwork.org/article/the-us-response-to-the-holocaust-was-part-of-
a-lon
            OPPONENT TESTIMONY TO HOUSE BILL 291
                    Before the House Development Committee


not explain it in detail, but I will state it for the record in no uncertain terms: Israel
is committing a genocide in Palestine. Israel has commit genocide in the past
against the Palestinian people. Israel has violated the ceasefire agreement
President Trump worked to put in place. Thus, a question I would like you all to
consider, if we were all currently gathered here today but in 1940, and our
country considered Germany its greatest ally in Europe, but this exact bill read
“Germany” instead of “Israel,” would you pass it? Would you strengthen a political
alliance with a genocidal, blood-thirsty ethno-state seeking to eliminate
“undesirables” and establish a “supreme race?” Or would you see an issue in the
timing of codifying an alliance with a nation committing some of the most horrid
crimes you have ever heard?

We have rational, reasonable cause to believe Israel is more likely to resume
their slaughter of Palestinians than we do to believe they will work to achieve
reasonable, lasting peace. Israel has proven to be a nation that has and is
actively betraying our own president’s efforts to create lasting peace. What does
this say about how such an “ally” sees our nation?

ISRAEL IS A SECURITY CONCERN, NOT AN ALLY

One thing that is crucial to understand is the threat to state and national security
this bill poses. I would like to discuss Israel’s unreliable history that makes this
partnership unstable and a betrayal of your constituents' trust in you as our
elected officials should you choose to pass it.

This bill specifically focuses on “Specific industries, emerging technology
opportunities and, innovation clusters that warrant support from Ohio and
Israel.” Would this bind Ohioans to supporting Israel’s cyberwarfare capabilities?
Would this tie our state to war crimes, atrocities, and acts of betrayal not only
towards peace for Palestine, but towards our own government?

This is a highly concerning and plausible fear considering Israel’s unreliable
history of espionage, betrayal of US support, and refusal to allow NSO Group to
be adequately investigated for abuse of the Pegasus spyware system.

First, Israel’s espionage of the United States has been the most concerning
amongst any so-called “ally” of the United States. In 2014, a report on Israel
found that “[Israel]’s efforts to steal U.S. secrets under the cover of trade
missions and joint defense technology contracts have ‘crossed red lines.’" 2 This
is concerning as part of this bill intends to create more contracts in the hopes of
advancing electronic and cyber capabilities. How can we trust them with such

2
    https://www.newsweek.com/israel-wont-stop-spying-us-249757
          OPPONENT TESTIMONY TO HOUSE BILL 291
                   Before the House Development Committee


sensitive data and research when they are going behind our federal
government’s back to steal it anyway? This is like seeing a thief in your home
and choosing to leave your doors unlocked instead of barricading the door to
keep them out.

Secondly, the Trump administration is well-known for citing China as a concern
for the United States, at times seeming to indicate China is this country’s top
enemy. Yet, Israel has had multiple incidents of giving secret US technology to
China. In one instance from 1994, “[Israel] sold China the plans for the [Lavi
Fighter Bomber, a deadly air weapon] and the associated secret U.S. technology.
This has enabled the Chinese to build their own version of this new generation of
fighter aircraft.”3 1994 was over 30 years ago, so perhaps this is not a concern for
the future...is what I wish I could say to chalk this up to being a one-off. But in
2013, Israel did it again, sending China “a miniature refrigeration system
manufactured … used for missiles and in electro-optic equipment.” Reports by
Aretz Sheva, an Israeli newspaper, cites further future concerns in which it can
foresee Israel to continue giving away our country’s secrets and information to
the United States.4

Lastly, please consider Israel’s involvement in protecting NSO Group’s spyware,
known as Pegasus. Pegasus is cyberware that is supposedly used for
counterterrorism, but has a history of being abused and targeting civilians and
journalists.5 Meta Platforms took legal action against Pegasus, filing a
high-stakes lawsuit in the United States to seek damages related to the NSO
Group’s use of the software to hack WhatsApp users. Yet Israel’s government
intervened and attempted to hinder justice by seizing documents about Pegasus
spyware in an effort to prevent the company from being able to comply with
demands made by WhatsApp in a US court to hand over information about the
invasive technology. “Documents suggest the seizures were part of an unusual
legal manoeuvre created by Israel to block the disclosure of information about
Pegasus, which the government believed would cause “serious diplomatic and
security damage” to the country.”6 Pegasus was forced to pay substantial
damages to Meta, but they were also found to target iOS and Android operating
systems, all without valid reason and as a severe abuse of their capabilities.7


3

https://www.wrmea.org/1996-january/u.s.-military-technology-sold-by-israel-to-china-upse
ts-asian-power-balance.html
4
  https://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2014/06/06/how-israel-has-betrayed-america/
5
  https://us.norton.com/blog/emerging-threats/pegasus-spyware#
6

https://www.theguardian.com/news/article/2024/jul/25/israel-tried-to-frustrate-us-lawsuit-o
ver-pegasus-spyware-leak-suggests
7
  https://about.fb.com/news/2025/05/winning-the-fight-against-spyware-merchant-nso/
          OPPONENT TESTIMONY TO HOUSE BILL 291
                  Before the House Development Committee


I respectfully request every one of you consider the repercussions of giving Israel
increased access to our sensitive research and data at a time where, realistically,
if any other country did any of the aforementioned things, we would be
sanctioning them at best. Think of what they have done when we draw a red line,
and to now permit them open access to the hard work, research, and
technological innovations of the innocent, trusting, and hard-working citizens of
Ohio may be a reckless decision that wantonly ignores Israel’s clear disregard for
American integrity.




CONCLUDING THOUGHTS AND NEXT STEPS
I understand the proponents of this bill seek to enhance the economic endeavors
of Ohio business and the jobforce of our state through international partnerships.
I am in firm support of this principle. However, I need to be unequivocal in my
condemnation of Israel, and someone must speak out about the legitimate
concern for the safety and integrity of the people of the State of Ohio. The way
we execute this is of crucial importance for what precedents we set and how we
value our people.

I respectfully demand you all vote to strike down this bill. Not only is the action of
partnering with Israel for any reason morally reprehensible in the face of Israel’s
ongoing international law violations8 and genocide of the Palestinian people, but
the last thing we as a state should be doing is encouraging relations with a state
commiting an unconscionable evil. Furthermore, as explained, Israel is a nation
known for taking information and technology from our country and giving it to
non-allied nations such as China. They do not respect our legal system nor our
integrity.

Please consider these suggestions. It is wonderful for us to have our own trade
commission to continue to stabilize and grow our economy. But it is in no way
acceptable to continue to entertain strengthening alliances and permanently
codify relations with a country known for its continuous war-mongering, betrayal
of our country, and illegal practices with cyber technology.

Thank you,
Abrial Mahmoud
AMP Columbus



8

https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/12/israels-assault-foundations-internationa
l-law-must-have-consequences-un


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