With council vote, Somerville doubles down on effort to divest from Israel

""It has been called 'divisive' by some," Burnley said. "And yet, this question received more votes than the vast majority of us around this horseshoe. It received more of a mandate from our constituents than many of us did. 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 ... are serving the values of our community.""

""Liberation is a shared Jewish value," said Katz-Christy, who grew up in Somerville's Jewish community. "Somerville Jews from both Somerville congregations and countless minyanim and local Jewish organizations have been publicly, bravely announcing their support of divestment, along with our rabbis.""

""the opportunity to speak against injustice and commit to act against it, too.""

Somerville officials committed to work toward passing an ordinance within a year to implement Ballot Question 3 and to divest the city from companies that support Israel's actions in Palestinian territories. The City Council resolution passed nine to two, with Councilors Kristen Strezo and Emily Hardt voting no. Councilor Willie Burnley Jr. sponsored the resolution and cited the ballot's decisive vote as a mandate from constituents. Two residents, Mo Katz-Christy and Sara Halawa, spoke in favor of divestment, citing shared Jewish values of liberation and the opportunity to act against injustice. Officials vowed to pursue the ordinance.

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