Officials in Somerville, Massachusetts, proposed an ordinance that could divest the city from companies that support Israel's efforts to defend itself from Islamic terrorist groups like Hezbollah. Boston.com reports that the ordinance would prohibit procuring vendors and investing in companies — unless it is necessary for the city’s operations, among other things — that are engaged in such things like genocide and unlawful military action.
According to the Boston Herald, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, writing on behalf of the Jewish residents, argue that the ordinance is flagrantly unconstitutional and would adversely affect many companies that supply products to Somerville. They intend to sue if the city moves forward with the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) ordinance.
An ADL press release reveals they have recorded 279 antisemitic incidents in Massachusetts in 2025. The organizations also report that Jewish families feel compelled to leave Somerville because of the hostility they receive.
“Local governments should focus on serving residents, not conducting foreign policy. This ordinance exceeds the city's authority and raises serious constitutional concerns,” said Kenneth L. Marcus, chairman and CEO of the Brandeis Center.
“BDS has never been about peace; it's about casting Israel and the Jewish people as uniquely deserving of punishment. This is a moment for local leaders to stand with all their constituents, including their Jewish constituents,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO and National Director of ADL.
Brian Camenker is president of Massachusetts-based MassResistance.
"There are complete wacko leftist radicals on their city council. So, I guess they voted nine to zero to have this divestment of anything that is not Palestinian or something like that," Camenker states.
Every poisonous political idea, he says, goes through that town.
"That doesn't surprise me at all because they do the same thing with everything else. They stand up for all their anti-ICE garbage, and they stand up for the whole George Floyd thing and the Black Lives Matter and every other lunatic insane thing. Their public officials stand up for it,” Camenker states. “To me, the fact that they're standing up for something as horrible as this, it's just sort of how they do things."
