One can have no problem with Easthampton’s City Council divesting from companies connected with Israel, based on the human tragedy in Gaza.
However, it might be pointed out that other countries, such as Russia, which has killed thousands of innocent Ukrainians, and Iran, which has killed and imprisoned thousands of its own citizens, certainly deserve the same response.
So, why not try an equal opportunity divestment strategy? The problem is, taking on Russia and Iran is a lot harder and more complicated than taking on a small country like Israel. Virtue signaling is a tricky business, particularly when it comes to divestments.
Leonard Cohen
Northampton