Contact:
Somerville Divestment Project
P.O. Box 441259, Somerville, MA 02143
Ron Francis (Ward 3 Coordinator) 617 230-2835
Christina Bolton (Coordinator) 617 233-3978

Somerville Divestment Project submits 4500 signed petitions for a ballot question on divestment from publicly held funds connected to Israel¹s Human Rights violations against Palestinians.

The Somerville Divestment Project (SDP) will climax a nine-month ballot initiative campaign by delivering an additional 3500 petitions (for a total of 4500) to the Board of Election Commissioners at Somerville City Hall at 11:30 am on Friday Sept 24th.

A Press Conference outside of City Hall will be held at this time.  

The total number of signatures submitted exceeds the requisite number of petitions (10% of registered voters = 3966) to place a question on the ballot for the November 8th election.   Further signatures will be delivered on Monday.

The signatures have been collected despite a well-funded mailing and publicity campaign to block collection of the signatures.  Mayor Curtatone, Congressman Capuano, and the Boston-based Jewish Community Relations Council encouraged people not to sign the petition, yet thousands of citizens have made their own choice.

The SDP, like several larger religious and other groups, proposes divestment from Israel Bonds and military companies which facilitate human rights violations by Israel.  Divestment is a means to promote justice and thereby peace in the Holy Land.

The SDP has also filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Superior District Court for an injunction against the Board of Election Commissioners for their refusal to accept and count the more than 4400 petitions which the SDP has collected so far.