An alternate reality
City says Hayward council vote about BDS divestment wasn’t really about BDS; San Leandro, Berkeley set stage for appointment, special election; Eric Swalwell's veiled criticism of DA Price
CITY NEWS
HAYWARD
—BDS B.S.—Hayward officials said the city council’s recent decision to remove four companies from its investment portfolio was not about the Boycott, Divestment and Boycott (BDS) movement that seeks to hold Israel accountable for its actions against Palestinians, nor was it an endorsement. A Jewish community group, however, said the council’s action was anti-semitic.
—The Orwellian response followed a lengthy Hayward City Council meeting on Jan. 23 that included several hours of pro-Palestinian activists calling for the city to approve a new investment policy, and a full-throated speech by Councilmember George Syrop opposing Israel’s handling of the conflict in Gaza.
—Syrop later motioned to amend the city investment policy to include language to divest from Chevron, Intel, Hyundai, and Caterpillar. Each is featured on a list of companies the BDS movement recommends divestment for its role in the “genocide” of Palestinians in Gaza, Syrop noted.
—The city’s strange Jedi mind trick to recast the council’s vote as anything but an admonishment of Israel’s actions is Gaza puts into question whether we can trust anything they say going forward.
—The clarification issued by the city comes after intense pressure was placed on three of the four councilmembers who voted for the divestment motion last week.
—The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) issued a statement on Friday asserting Syrop “stood alone in an attempt to get the Hayward City Council to support the BDS Movement.”
—They falsely claimed Councilmembers Angela Andrews, Francisco Zermeno, and Daniel Goldstein voted for divestment because of concerns about the city’s investments in fossil fuel.
—Here’s some context: Hayward’s investments in Chevron were questioned on Tuesday night, first by Syrop, and then by Zermeno. But the context was clearly secondary to the main intention of Syrop’s motion, which was to register opposition to Israel.
—To underscore the international flavor of the discussion, Zermeno said the city council should also consider divestment from Russia for the invasion of Ukraine.
—Councilmember Angela Andrews, who was the swing vote last Tuesday, issued a statement on Thursday, reframing the council vote in terms of opposing anti-semitism.
—“As the Hayward City Council has been considering a socially responsible investment reform, I saw an opportunity for us to end our investments in fossil fuels,” Andrews wrote. “I am resolutely opposed to anti-semitism and hate in all forms, and I pray for a peace process that ensures that Israel has the right to exist next to a free and prosperous Palestine.”
—Zermeno’s response to the statement on X: “In agreement.”
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