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Poll results

In a unanimous resolution opposing the war in Gaza, the Portland City Council last week said the city will divest funds from many companies doing business in Israel.

The resolution directs the city manager to eliminate any current holdings — and forego future investment — in "all entities complicit in the current and ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and occupation of Palestine.”

The resolution refers to a “divestment list” with dozens of corporations. They include technology companies, financial institutions, manufacturers and defense contractors such as General Dynamics, the parent company of Bath Iron Works.

Portland currently does not hold investments in any companies on the list, but has in the past, the city's finance director told the council.

The council's action has drawn massive outpourings of both criticism and support. They reflect the sharp divide in public opinion about Israel's invasion of Gaza — which has killed more than 40,000 people, and was sparked by the Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack in which Hamas fighters killed 1,200 people in Israel and took some 250 hostages.

Some members of the business community also have responded to the Portland City Council's action.

Quincy Hentzel, CEO of the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce, criticized the council for its "choice to pursue a path that fosters division rather than unity."

In a written statement, she said, "Rather than focusing on pressing local issues, the Council chose to engage in a matter that has little bearing on municipal governance and, worse, risks deepening divides within our community. This proclamation does nothing to address the immediate challenges that Portland faces."

Do you support Portland's decision to divest funds from businesses in Israel, because of the Gaza War?
Yes (58%, 7727 VOTES)
No (42%, 5661 VOTES)
Undecided (0%, 21 VOTES)
Poll Description

In a unanimous resolution opposing the war in Gaza, the Portland City Council last week said the city will divest funds from many companies doing business in Israel.

The resolution directs the city manager to eliminate any current holdings — and forego future investment — in "all entities complicit in the current and ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and occupation of Palestine.”

The resolution refers to a “divestment list” with dozens of corporations. They include technology companies, financial institutions, manufacturers and defense contractors such as General Dynamics, the parent company of Bath Iron Works.

Portland currently does not hold investments in any companies on the list, but has in the past, the city's finance director told the council.

The council's action has drawn massive outpourings of both criticism and support. They reflect the sharp divide in public opinion about Israel's invasion of Gaza — which has killed more than 40,000 people, and was sparked by the Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack in which Hamas fighters killed 1,200 people in Israel and took some 250 hostages.

Some members of the business community also have responded to the Portland City Council's action.

Quincy Hentzel, CEO of the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce, criticized the council for its "choice to pursue a path that fosters division rather than unity."

In a written statement, she said, "Rather than focusing on pressing local issues, the Council chose to engage in a matter that has little bearing on municipal governance and, worse, risks deepening divides within our community. This proclamation does nothing to address the immediate challenges that Portland faces."

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  • 27 Comments
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27 Comments

  • September 10, 2024

    Free Palestine

  • September 10, 2024

    I stand with Israel and the peaceful Palestinians. Free Gaza from Hamas! Hamas operatives invaded Israel, massacred 1,400 men, women, babies & elderlies and dragged more than 200 of them back into Gaza as hostages. But you don't count this as a barbaric act. Hamas has indiscriminately fired more than 17,000 rockets into Israel since Oct 7 with the explicit intention of annihilating the country. That is clearly a genocidal intent. If not for Israel's ability to intercept those rockets, they would have killed hundreds of thousands of Israelis. By contrast, how many times did Israel fire rockets into Gaza unprovoked? Zero. But you don't count that. A Hamas operative does not wear any uniform, fires a rocket grenade into an IDF formation, kills half a dozen of them and blends back with the civilian population. But you don't count that. Hamas intentionally imbeds itself into homes, school, hospitals, mosques and other civilian structures. When the IDF pursues them, civilian casualties cannot be avoided. And you call that genocide. Before going into Gaza, Israel dropped millions of leaflets, made thousands of calls and SMS messages informing the Gazan civilians to move. Hamas prevented them from going because they do not care about their civilian population. If Israel was a genocidal state why would it bother to inform the enemy it was about to attack. Why not just bomb everyone without giving any warning. But you don't count that. Humanitarian aid is poured into Gaza but Hamas hijacks it, depriving their own citizens of the aid. What's worse is they even sell those goods to their own population for a profit. But you don't count that. International aid poured into Gaza intended for schools are used to educate young Palestinians on how to use an assault rifle and kill as many Jews as they can even if it means their own death. But you don't count that.

  • September 10, 2024

    All the pro-Hamas comments are anonymous. This tells you all that you need to know. Portland just “divested” from Jewish survival in the indigenous land of Israel. When over a hundred hostages are still tortured in the tunnels including Americans, this vote represents betrayal of the important American ally and American citizens. There is no genocide in Gaza. It is a war. And the goal of the war for Hamas who started the war, is to ethnically cleanse the Jews by ultimately murdering all and pushing Israelis into the sea. The goal of Israel is to survive and save its citizens. We will not forgive or forget and we will divest from Portland. Portland’s business will not have Jewish support or the support of our allies.

  • September 10, 2024

    Free Palestine stop arming Israel!!

  • September 10, 2024

    Why does Portland feel the need to punish our one democratic ally in the mid east along with American companies that do business with Israel over a war an Iranian regime backed Islamic terror group started with a murder rape and hostage spree on October 7th. All right after the announcement of a murdered American hostage in gaza no less!?