By Kevin Foster

Dozens of Corvallis community members have spent months pushing for a resolution that would prohibit the city from investing in companies that profit off of genocide, apartheid, illegal occupation, mass deportation or mass incarceration. A public hearing, and likely a vote on the resolution, is set for Oct. 20.

The resolution would bolster Corvallis’ investment standards by naming specific human rights abuses. Supporters see the resolution as a principled stand against genocide and apartheid, while opponents argue it unfairly singles out Israel and risks deepening divisions in the community.

Backers emphasize the resolution does not mention Israel and is meant to apply to any company engaged in the listed human rights violations. Some have argued that opponents may equate the resolution with Israel because they associate Israel with genocide. A growing list of human rights organizations, including a United Nations commission of inquiry, have said Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. 

“I read through the resolution and decided I really like it,” says Coleman Jennewein, a supporter of the resolution. “There’s a lot of things in our society where our money goes to things we don’t want.” He adds, “I think it’s entirely reasonable to put forth language that says we’re going to include human rights in our investment conversation.”

Four of eight Corvallis city councilors voted against continuing to consider the bill during the Sept. 2 council meeting. Mayor Charles Maughan broke the tie in favor of sending it to the city attorney for further revisions. 

Is Israel the focus?

Opponents criticized the resolution for pulling a divestment list from the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), a Quaker-founded organization working on peace and social justice issues. They claim AFSC is biased against Israel because its Investigate.info tool — where the list was pulled from — has a disproportionate number of Israeli companies.

According to AFSC’s Investigate.info site, its investment policy on Israel-Palestine goes back to 2008 and its work in the region goes as far back as 1949.

Following these critiques, the resolution’s supporters offered to remove the AFSC list.

“If the council has reservations about AFSC’s tool, our group is also in favor of an amendment to strike the inclusion of it from the resolution completely,” Ryssa “Parker” Parks told the Corvallis City Council in the Sept. 2 meeting. “We initially included it out of consideration for the financial team.”

Councilor Jan Napack has opposed the resolution, critiquing its language and AFSC’s connection to the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement — a non-violent movement designed to apply economic pressure on Israel to end its human rights violations against Palestinians.

“The resolution itself, though it may be well-intentioned, clearly implicates Israel,” Napack says. “Instead of saying the city does not want to support companies that benefit from or contribute to genocide, apartheid and occupation — only Israel is referred to as having those qualities, shall we say — they could’ve used more inclusive language.”

Israel receives the most prominent accusations of genocide, apartheid and occupation, but other governments, such as those in Russia, Myanmar and Sudan have been accused of the same or similar actions.

Napack and others highlighted Corvallis’ Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) framework that they feel is sufficient for addressing human rights issues. Corvallis has rules against investing in weapons manufacturers, military contractors and fossil fuel production. 

In the eyes of supporters, the resolution would set better standards than the ESG framework, filling in gaps with specific human rights language. 

“Currently we use the ESG framework, which I found to not be fully comprehensive in addressing human rights violations,” says Kylie Griggs. “Not only related to Israel, but related to mass deportations as well.”

Misinterpretations

Some Jewish community members have spoken against the resolution, likening its language to antisemitic rhetoric and saying it’s amplified antisemitism in the community. 

“In the name of human rights, we’re considering a resolution that adds to the legitimate and real fears of too many people in our Jewish community,” Councilor Jim Moorefield said in the Sept. 2 meeting.

Moorefield voted against the resolution and did not respond when called and emailed for comment.

Those hoping for the resolution’s adoption say it’s being misinterpreted, often in a way that disrespects the many Jewish people in support of it. Parks, who originally proposed the resolution, is Jewish.

“This resolution would do everything in its power to prevent any harm upon people,” Griggs says. “The way that it has been pointed to as a source of harm, and a source of unease, I think is a total misrepresentation and just a bad faith reading of who we are as a group.”

The embattled resolution is still in limbo, waiting upon recommended revisions from the city attorney intended to mitigate risk and potential financial impacts. With 30 oral testimony slots in the public hearing on Oct. 20, supporters and opponents are expected to show up in force.

To attend the 6 pm Oct. 20 public hearing, go to the Downtown Fire Station, 400 NW Harrison Boulevard in Corvallis or online at CorvallisOregon.gov/mc.