CLEVELAND —  A year after the war between Israel and Hamas began, activists in Cleveland remain committed to attending Cuyahoga County Council meetings with a goal of convincing the county to sell its $16 million investment in Israel bonds. 

What You Need To Know

  • Activists in Cleveland continue to pack Cuyahoga county council meetings — calling on county leaders to sell its $16 million investment in Israel bonds. 

  • Both pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel residents continue to use the public comment section of council to speak about the issue

  • Pro-Palestinian commenters expressed disappointment with council members for failing to extend their sympathy to the Palestinian community.

Both pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel residents continue to use the public comment portion of the meeting to speak.

Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne has said the county will not move away from Israel bonds. Monday night, Ronayne and Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb spoke at an event honoring the Israelis killed or taken by Hamas in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. 

“On Oct. 9, 2023, I stood with you in solidarity, as with every day after the attack,” Ronayne said. “And tonight, I’m still standing with you, just as my good friend and colleague, Mayor Justin Bibb, is.”

At Tuesday’s meeting, Rochelle Roth thanked county leadership for their support of Israel bonds and reminded council of the hostages who still haven’t been returned.

“Primarily, I wanted to thank you for not passing any divest resolutions, and just like the young woman that talked of the tragic deaths of people, I would just like to remind everyone that there are still 100 hostages in Gaza that should be released, and so far, they have not after a full year,” she said.

Pro-Palestinian supporters expressed disappointment with council members, saying they failed to extend their sympathy to the Palestinian community. 

Demonstrators gathered outside after the council meeting to honor Palestinians who died in the war. 

More than 41,000 Palestinians have been killed and 96,000 injured since the Oct. 7 attack, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.

Palestinian activist Shereen Naser said she’s spent hours looking back at public comments from the past few months.

“It is 100% clear that the public comments are rife with anti-Palestinian racism,” she said. “It is abhorrent that our county executive continues to ignore Palestinian calls for a meeting, ignore any ask for any kind of dialogue with Palestinians.”