By Leyna Krow, Assistant Editor, JTNews
Opponents of a ballot initiative that, if passed, would force the city of Seattle to divest employee pension funds from companies that do business with the Israeli government were expected to appear at King County Superior Court on Thurs., May 15, (after JTNews went to press), to challenge the initiative’s legality.
According to a community mailing sent out by Rob Jacobs of StandWithUs Northwest, representatives from the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, the American Jewish Committee, the Anti-Defamation League, and the Washington Israel Business Council intended to argue that “the legal description of the initiative is unclear and does not represent the actual intent or effect of the proposed measure.”
The initiative links divestment from Israel with divestment from companies involved in the war in Iraq, such as Halliburton. Opponents worry that voters may be signing the petition out of concern over the war, without taking into consideration the impact it would have on Israel.
“If nothing else, we want those who sign the initiative petitions to know that they are not only criticizing the U.S. policy in Iraq, but [that] the same initiative punishes Israel for defending its people and borders against terrorists and terrorist attacks,” Jacobs wrote.