A Summit County the county has no plans to further invest in Israel bonds in response to the war in Gaza, a council member said during this week's meeting.
For the past month, some residents have spoken in Summit County Council meetings asking officials to sell the bonds to apply some economic pressure on Israel.
On Monday, Councilmember Liz Walters said they can’t sell the bonds they’ve already bought because that must be approved by the Israeli government.
However, she said, they aren’t planning to make any future investments.
“We all, internally, have talked and have no plans to purchase Israeli bonds going forward,” she said, which was met with applause from meeting attendees. “We’re going to let these things run their course.”
Dr. Ahmad Jadallah, a member of the Palestinian-American community who has helped lead the charge in Summit County, is “pleased” with Walters’ comments.
“This is only one step of many,” Jadallah said. “Sometimes, politics is local. And if your federal government is not doing something, it starts at the grassroots level.”
The ultimate goal is to put pressure on Israel to agree to a ceasefire, he added.
“We are all about nonviolence. Sometimes, economic pressure is the way to go, and hopefully, that will force change,” Jadallah said.
Walters did not immediately respond to Ideastream Public Media’s request for an interview.
In the council meeting, she said the county’s investment board will meet soon to make a final decision. Jadallah has been invited to that meeting, he said.
Summit is not the only Ohio county considering such a request. Cuyahoga County Council brought forth a resolution in early June requesting the county's treasurer cease investments in Israel bonds. Signal Cleveland reported council withdrew the resolution after Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost sent County Executive Chris Ronayne a letter urging him not to.
Ohio has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Israel bonds, according to a March press release from Treasurer Robert Sprague announcing a $30 million purchase.
“After the purchase, the Ohio Treasury now holds a total of $262.5 million in Israel Bonds, continuing Ohio’s standing as one of the largest government holders of these bonds in the United States,” according to the release.
