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© 2026 The Somerville Times. All rights reserved.
(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)
The ballot question in Somerville on November 4th regarding the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions/BDS of Israel, is a proposal which, if passed by voters, will stigmatize, delegitimize and isolate Israel. BDS proponents in Somerville are seeking to drive a wedge between Israel and the rest of the world, separating Israel’s government, business, universities and people from their partners abroad.
This is an unconscionable move which will NOT affect political change or improve the situation for Palestinians. This ballot question advises your city leaders and cities and towns across America to end current business and future contracts with corporations in Israel that engage in business sustaining Israel’s apartheid, genocide, and illegal occupation of Palestine.”
The BDS movement’s objective is to delegitimize Israel and undermine its right to exist. Arab Muslim countries control more than 50 counties with a land mass in excess of 100X that of Israel. Why are they so determined to deny Israelis their singular and miniscule home?
Jews are indigenous to Israel and have built the only pluralistic democracy in the Middle East. It is the only country in the Middle East where Jews are able to live as full citizens alongside their Arab neighbors who also enjoy full rights as citizens.
There is only one sustainable path forward in the Middle East and that is a land for peace deal with Palestinians who are also indigenous to the area. Israel has made five good faith offers. Arabs have responded with wave after wave of military and terror attacks. UNRA has colluded with this dystopian mindset by helping to teach three generations of Palestinians that Israel must be eradicated. BDS is the latest iteration of this philosophy which is espoused by Hamas and underwritten by Iran: delegitimize, weaken and destroy Israel.
Supporters of Somerville’s ballot initiative should ask themselves what would happen if Hamas returned Israeli hostages, laid down their arms and accepted Israel’s right to exist. The answer is peace. One need look no further than Jordan or Egypt for proof.
And what would happen if Israel were to do the same in relation to Hamas? Look no further than the Hamas founding charter, the statement of Hamas leaders or the actions of October 7, 2023. There would be no Israel.
When the citizens of Somerville and the global community turn their efforts toward condemning and delegitimizing Hamas, acknowledging Israel’s right to exist as the only Jewish state and supporting Palestinian civil society, there will be progress toward peace.
BDS accomplishes none of this. It does not seek a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians. A NO vote AGAINST this ballot question is aa step toward bringing Jews and Palestinians together in a society that supports health, welfare and democracy for all.
Written and submitted by
Sylvia B. Belkin
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Refusing to address the crimes of apartheid, illegal occupation, and genocide does not in fact get anyone closer to health, welfare and democracy for all.
Countries do not have rights, people do. We as a people have a right to decide where our tax dollars go.
I’m voting yes because I don’t want my tax dollars going to corporations that enforce Israel’s undemocratic apartheid state.
Dylan
You throw around terms like apartheid and undemocratic without care for their actual meanings.
Israeli is a parliamentary democracy, albeit a very flawed one. All of its citizens are eligible to vote and have (in theory) equal rights.
Apartheid is a legal term that has to be proven in an international court of law. It has not. I will not deny the terrible massive discrimination that exists against non-Jewish Israeli citizens, but it is de facto not de jure.
Please be careful with your terminology