Sara Halawa, parent to five Palestinian-American children and Somerville for Palestine organizer, spoke in favor of the resolution at the City Council meeting on November 25.

By Harry Kane

The viability of boycotting and divesting from companies complicit with Israel’s genocidal war is still up for debate, but city councilors adopted a resolution that may begin the process.

Following public outcry and a win on the Palestine Solidarity Ballot Question during the November municipal election with 11,599 votes in favor, lawmakers in Somerville answered back by passing a resolution that lays the groundwork for plans toward divestment at the latest city council meeting on November 25.

“We have the moral duty, in my view, to take action on this,” said City Councilor Willie Burnley, Jr.

Ballot Question 3 was sponsored by activist group Somerville for Palestine, and while controversial, it led to the resolution, which passed in a 9-2 vote, in support of committing to divest in companies complicit in genocidal war.

The resolution states that the Somerville City Council is committed to passing an ordinance that is “legally feasible” in accordance with the language in Ballot Question 3.

The nonbinding ballot question had asked Somerville residents to vote on whether to prohibit current and future city investments and contracts with companies engaging in “business that sustains Israel’s apartheid, genocide, and illegal occupation of Palestine.”

“It is, in my view, based on the results, the will of our community to do all that we can to ensure that our municipal funds, whether they be invested in pensions or the contracts, are serving the values of our community,” said Councilor Burnley, Jr.

Councilor Burnley, Jr. added that municipal funds are not meant to “enrich corporations that are violating human rights, that participate in the perpetuation of apartheid…that destroy the lives of residents both here and abroad.”

This commitment, however, may turn into a symbolic gesture to curb the city’s business with corporations on a global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) list.

City Councilor Ben Ewen-Campen noted that the council is committed to understanding the legal options and will not support an “ordinance that violates constitutional rights, that is discriminatory based on national origin or ethnicity or religion…or that is illegal in some other way.”

Councilor Ewen-Campen cited the unsuccessful passage of an ordinance that attempted to divest pensions from fossil fuels as an example of a prior measure that failed.

“We are going to do everything we can legally and practically to make progress on it,” said Councilor Ewen-Campen.

Opponents of the new resolution like Somerville United Against Discrimination said that Ballot Question 3 was “illegal” and “sows division.”

Sam Gechter, who addressed the city council on behalf of Shalom Somerville, explained that the Israel boycott movement “shares the express purpose of destroying the Jewish state of Israel.”

“Somerville is a community that cares deeply, even when we disagree,” said City Councilor Kristen E. Strezo, who voted against the resolution at the city council meeting and says that it works against collaboration in the community.

“It is divisive,” said Councilor Strezo. “It focuses on a global quandary that has nothing to do with our Somerville … and Jewish members of the community have stated that it makes us feel more targeted and more unsafe. That’s not being inclusive.”

City Councilor Wilfred N. Mbah said he didn’t initially support the measure, but that it is the responsibility of elected officials to honor and implement the will of the voters. He says the resolution reflects the concerns of the constituents in the community who stand on the side of dignity, compassion, and justice.

“We have an obligation to respond to those concerns within the scope of what a municipal government can do, and to do so with thoughtfulness and integrity,” said Councilor Mbah.

A proponent for divestment and Somerville for Palestine organizer Sara Halawa delivered an impassioned speech before the council. Halawa is the parent of five Palestinian-American children.

“Palestinians deserve the same rights and freedoms as everyone else,” said Halawa. “That Palestinians, too, deserve life, dignity, and peace.”

Palestinian casualties in the Gaza Strip reached a grim milestone, surpassing 70,000 since the Israel-Hamas war began more than two years ago, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.