Boston, MA, December 10, 2004…The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) commended the City of Somerville Board of Aldermen for voting overwhelmingly (10-0 with one recusal) to reject a misguided resolution calling for the city to divest all holdings in the State of Israel and companies that do business in Israel.
 
ADL New England Regional Director Rob Leikind and Regional Board Chair Dennis Kanin issued the following statement:

Divestment has been soundly rejected in Somerville.  This misguided proposal was identified for what it is: an attempt to single out Israel and condemn it without any consideration at all of the many Palestinian impediments to peace and security in the Middle East, and without consideration of the many human rights issues in nations around the world.  Respect for human rights is a fundamental concern for Israel, which is an open democracy facing unique and extreme security concerns.  The divestment campaign aimed to emulate the 1980s campaigns against South African-apartheid and the City of Somerville has overwhelmingly rejected the absurd comparison.

The resolution, offered by the Somerville Divestment Project, would not have been binding on any city investment practices, and faced a certain veto by Mayor Joseph Curtatone.  It was also soundly rejected by Congressman Michael Capuano (D), the former Mayor of Somerville. 

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.