Cuyahoga County, Ohio, froze $3 million in investments in Israel bonds in late February following persistent advocacy from local grassroots organizations. Activists from the Cleveland Palestine Advocacy Community (CPAC) see the decision as a significant milestone, though approximately $13 million in bonds remain.

The movement to freeze investments in Israel bonds was led by CPAC, who argued that local funds should be used to benefit residents of Cuyahoga County, which includes Cleveland, rather than supporting “genocide and apartheid.” The organizers say their goal is to ensure that taxpayer money is not complicit in human rights violations abroad.

“We think that that decision about what to do with that money should be a community decision,” said Shereen Naser, one of the organizers. “But we’ve also suggested things like local municipal bonds at the library or the sewer department to allow for union jobs here in Cuyahoga County, while at the same time bolstering our local economy and local infrastructure.”

The decision follows nearby Summit County’s divestment of $1 million in Israeli bonds. Sean Abbott-Klafter, another coalition member, emphasized that local investments should prioritize infrastructure and community welfare. 

“What we advocate for is that the county takes the Israel bonds and looks at other opportunities in the investment portfolio to invest locally,” said Abbott-Klafter. “If the county is investing money locally, creating union jobs, that’s going to create tax revenue, create more economic activity, and build the infrastructure that we need to improve the lives of local residents.”

CPAC gathered more than 3,000 signatures through a strategic mix of online and in-person canvassing. Naser highlighted that engaging with residents in person was particularly powerful. 

“There is a huge appetite for people who want to know more about what’s going on in Palestine,” Naser said. “This is the first livestreamed genocide in the history of the world. People are watching it unfold in front of them, and they feel helpless because they’re not sure how they’re complicit—though they understand broadly that’s true—nor how to do something about it. So pushing back against Israel bonds and connecting with local community members is one easy way for people to get involved, to feel like they are doing something about the horrible things that they’re seeing unfold.”

The activists also faced opposition against their efforts. The Jewish Federation of Cleveland, part of a national network that staunchly supports Israel, mobilized counterefforts, including legal threats. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno issued warnings against the county’s actions, arguing that such measures were antisemitic and could lead to legal repercussions.

The activists reported experiencing both political and physical pushback. 

“We knew that coming in, we [would] face a lot of backlash, and some of it is violent backlash,” said Naser. 

Naser recounted that an “extremist” who has been banned from university campuses for stalking Palestinian women tried calling her workplace.

“We have people showing up to give public comment in support of Israel bonds, who are relying on racist tropes to make their point. And our Palestinians in the room and our allies who are with us feel sick to sit and listen to that hour after hour after hour, things like, ‘You are all terrorists,’” said Naser. “Things like that are really hard to listen to, but we persevere because we know that people in Gaza are persevering, and it’s the least that we can do while we’re being subjected to this racism.”

Additionally, the organizers said that County Executive Chris Ronayne has refused to meet with the group despite their persistent efforts. Ronayne did not respond to a request for comment.

“He has taken fancy lunches with Israel bond executives. … He has been deeply embedded with the local bond-supporting community while completely ignoring us,” Naser added. “It’s been an incredible uphill climb. But even though this is a small one, it’s a significant one. We’re starting to loosen the bolts a little bit.”

Although this victory marks a turning point, activists stress that the work is not done. The ultimate goal is to invest locally rather than in foreign entities.

Ohio has the second-highest amount of Israel bond holdings in the country, after Florida, which includes a staggering $700 million in Israeli bonds. Abbott-Klafter said CPAC is working to expand its campaign statewide; over $330 million in Israel bonds are held across Ohio.

Activists are also advocating for legislative changes to prevent future investments in foreign bonds.

What we want to see is all of that money invested locally across the state, and none of it invested in foreign bonds.

Sean Abbott-Klafter, CPAC member

“The state law around public investment in Ohio was written in such a way to allow Israeli bonds as the only foreign bond that public entities are allowed to invest in,” Abbott-Klafter explained. “What we want to see is all of that money invested locally across the state, and none of it invested in foreign bonds.”

As they move forward, the organizers remain committed to their cause. Their efforts continue to gain traction, connecting with other activists in Florida, who have filed a lawsuit against Palm Beach County for their investment in Israel bonds. and across the U.S., reinforcing a national movement to scrutinize public investments and ensure they align with community values.

“We’ve been pushing so hard,” Naser said. “We’ve done such a wonderful job of informing people about Israel bonds, and we want to continue that education work, but ultimately we won’t stop until that complicity is gone.”

Editorial Team:
Sahar Fatima, Lead Editor
Carolyn Copeland, Top Editor
Rashmee Kumar, Copy Editor