Boycotting, divesting from and sanctioning Israel is not antisemitic, despite the claim made in the ad published in the Press Herald. Antisemitism means hostility to Jews, and every single person who worked to pass our City Council’s resolution to divest from companies profiting from Israel’s war on Gaza believes that Jewish people should have the same rights and respect as everyone else. In fact, Portland Jews led this effort.

We also believe that as U.S. residents, whose taxes have funded the $17 billion in military aid that our country has sent to Israel over the past year, we have a responsibility to do everything possible to stop this flow of weapons that are being used to decimate Gaza, including killing at least 17,000 children there (and counting).

Our leaders in Washington have refused to stop arming Israel. We have no choice but to act locally to do so.

Abigail Fuller
Portland