* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting. [00:00:04] A QUORUM OF THE CITY COUNCIL BEING [ROLL CALL] PRESENT. I CALL TONIGHT'S OCTOBER 19TH, REGULAR 2026, MEETING OF THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL. TO ORDER THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS A ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS PRESENT. COUNCIL ZUBIE, PRESENT VICE MAYOR. PRESENT PRESENT. COUNCIL COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. PRESENT. PRESENT. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. PRESENT. COUNCILOR NOLAN, ABSENT COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. PRESENT. PRESENT. COUNCILLOR SABRINA WHEELER. PRESENT. PRESENT. COUNCILLOR ZUI. ABSENT MAYOR SIDIKI. PRESENT. PRESENT. YOU HAVE SEVEN MEMBERS RECORDED AS PRESENT, AND TWO RECORDED AS ABSENT. PLEASE JOIN ME IF YOU CAN IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND PAUSE FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE. AND MADAM MAYOR, AS WE PAUSE FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE, CAN WE REMEMBER LISA DIETRICH, WHO WAS THE LONGSTANDING DIRECTOR OF THE CAMBRIDGE PORT, WAS IT? NO. THE DAYCARE CENTER ON CHESTNUT STREET. AND SHE RECENTLY PASSED AWAY AND I THINK IT'D BE FITTING THAT WE AT LEAST ACKNOWLEDGE HER IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE. ABSOLUTELY. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WIDGET STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. AND COUNCILLOR NOLAN, YOU ARE PRESENT. PRESENT PER CHAPTER TWO OF THE ACTS OF 2025, ADOPTED BY MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL COURT AND APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR. THE CITY IS AUTHORIZED TO USE REMOTE PARTICIPATION AT MEETINGS OF THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL. IN ADDITION TO HAVING MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL PARTICIPATE REMOTELY, WE'VE SET UP ZOOM TELECONFERENCE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. YOU CAN ALSO VIEW THE MEETING VIA THE CITY TO OPEN MEETING PORTAL OR ON THE CITY'S CABLE CHANNEL 22. WE WELCOME YOUR PARTICIPATION AND YOU CAN SIGN UP TO SPEAK UNTIL PUBLIC COMMENT BEGINS. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDS THIS MEETING AND MAKES IT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR FUTURE VIEWING. IN ADDITION, THIRD PARTIES MAY ALSO BE AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDING THIS MEETING. ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE BODY HEARING? NO ANNOUNCEMENTS. ONE THING I'D LIKE TO DO BEFORE WE GET INTO PUBLIC COMMENT IS JUST TO, UH, SUSPEND THE RULES TO BRING FORWARD THE CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA ITEM. JUST TO KNOW THAT WHAT FOLKS WOULD LIKE TO PULL SO ON SUSPENSION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. NO, YOU CAN'T DO THAT. YOU DON'T HAVE SAY YES SHE CAN. SHE'S NOT VOTE. YEAH, SHE'S NOT COMING. YEAH. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO, THE AYES HAVE IT. WE ARE IN SUSPENSION. SO WE WILL [CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA] GO TO THE CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA AND THE PURPOSE IS TO PULL ITEMS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO DISCUSS AT A FUTURE POINT. COUNCILLOR NOLAN? YEAH. YES. I'LL, I'M GOING TO COUNCILLOR NOLAN AND THEN I'LL GO TO YOU. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. POINT OF INFORMATION IS THAT THESE, THAT MEANS THAT THESE WILL BE DISCUSSED TOMORROW AT THE CONTINUANCE OF THE MEETING, CORRECT? MOST LIKELY, YES. BECAUSE WE WILL LIKELY NOT GET TO THE, UM, SOME OF THE ITEMS FOR TODAY'S AGENDA GIVEN, UH, HOW MANY PEOPLE WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT. BUT I DID WANNA GIVE NOTICE TO, JUST SO WE KNOW WHO NEEDS TO BE HERE, UH, IN THE MORNING. COUNCILOR NOLAN? YES. SO I WOULD, UH, POLL NUMBER FIVE. COUNCILOR NOLAN POLLS. NUMBER FIVE. MADAM MAYOR. YES. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. IT'S ALREADY BEEN PULLED. THANK YOU. OKAY, MADAM MAYOR COUNCILLOR ZUBI. I'D LIKE TO PULL FOUR, BUT WE WON'T NEED STAFF FOR IT 'CAUSE IT'LL JUST BE A REFERRAL TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE. OKAY, SO YOU'RE, YOU'RE GOING TO PULL FOUR. AND ANY OTHER ITEMS? I KNOW THAT COUNCILLOR ZUI HAD, SHE HAD NUMBER TWO. I'M GONNA JUST CONFIRM WHAT SHE HAD. SHE HAD, UH, FIVE AND 12. SO WE ALREADY PULLED FIVE AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PULL 12. SO WE HAVE PULLED NUMBER FOUR, FIVE, AND 12. AND HEARING NO ONE ELSE ON THE BALANCE OF THE REMAINDER OF THE ITEMS, NUMBER 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, AND 11, WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL ON ADOPTING, APPROVING AND PLACING ON FILE THE BALANCE. COUNCIL LORE ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZI? YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNSELOR ZUI AB ABSENT COUNCIL. I'M SORRY. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE EIGHT MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND ONE RECORDED IS ABSENT. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE DISPOSED OF THE ITEMS THAT WE HAD WANTED FOR THE CITY MAYOR'S AGENDA. AND SO NOW WE WILL GO [PUBLIC COMMENTS] INTO PUBLIC COMMENT. BEFORE WE GO INTO PUBLIC COMMENT, I WANTED TO JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO SET THE STAGE FOR TONIGHT. RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 352 PEOPLE WHO'VE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK, UH, AND MANY ARE HERE TO COMMENT ON THE TWO POLICY ORDERS [00:05:01] ON OUR AGENDA. I WANNA THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE AND JOINING US TONIGHT TO SHARE YOUR VOICE. UH, I REALLY HAVE ONE GOAL FOR TONIGHT, WHICH IS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE IS HEARD. UH, THIS IS A VERY CHALLENGING TOPIC AND I KNOW PEOPLE HOLD STRONG VIEWS, UH, ON ALL SIDES. AND PUBLIC COMMENT IS ONE OF THE MOST DIRECT WAYS RESIDENTS CAN SPEAK TO THEIR GOVERNMENT. AND I WANNA, SO I WANNA REALLY SAY THIS CLEARLY. WE AS A BODY ARE COMMITTED TO PROTECTING EVERYONE'S FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO EXPRESS VIEWS THAT OTHERS MAY FIND OFFENSIVE. AT THE SAME TIME, WE EXPECT EVERYONE TO FOLLOW OUR MEETING RULES. WE CAN STRONGLY REJECT HATEFUL RHETORIC WHILE RESPECTING CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS. OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE SAFELY AND THAT THIS MEETING PROCEEDS IN AN ORDERLY MANNER. THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL ADHERE TO OUR RULES OF COURTESY, WHICH I'D LIKE TO REMIND EVERYONE, AND I'M SURE I'LL BE REMINDING FOLKS AS THE UM, MEETING GOES ON, BUT I WANTED TO PUT THESE UP FRONT. SIGNS ARE NOT PERMITTED IN THE CHAMBER OR IN THE OVERFLOW AREAS, INCLUDING THE HALLWAYS. FOOD AND BEVERAGES ARE NOT PERMITTED IN THE CHAMBER. THOSE PARTICIPATING DURING PUBLIC COMMENT MAY ADDRESS ONLY ITEMS ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA AND COMMENTS MUST BE ADDRESSED TO THE CITY COUNCIL AS A BODY THROUGH ME, THE CHAIR, AND NOT ANY INDIVIDUAL MEMBER. WE WILL NOT TOLERATE DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR FROM THOSE SPEAKING OR IN THE AUDIENCE, SUCH AS FIGHTING WORDS, SLANDER, UNREASONABLY, LOUD OR REPETITIVE SPEECH AND SPEECH. SO DISRUPTIVE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS, UH, WILL BE SUBSTANTIALLY INTERRUPTED. SO FOR UH, MEMBERS IN THE AUDIENCE, THIS INCLUDES CLAPPING AND MAKING NOISE, UH, FOR, SO JUST BE AWARE CLAPPING AND NOISES AMONG THAT. AND IF YOU ENGAGE IN THESE BEHAVIORS, UH, THERE WILL BE SOME WARNING, BUT I WILL HAVE TO ASK YOU TO LEAVE PER OUR CITY COUNCIL RULES AND IF DISRUPTIONS BECOME A REPEATED PROBLEM, WE WILL HAVE TO RE RECESS. UH, AND SO I WANTED TO JUST GET THAT OUT UPFRONT. THESE RULES REALLY MATTER. THEY HELP US MAINTAIN ORDER AND THE ORDER MATTERS BECAUSE WE WANT THIS TO BE A WELCOMING SPACE FOR EVERYONE. EVERY SINGLE MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC, WHATEVER THEIR POSITION SHOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE STEPPING UP TO THIS MICROPHONE AND BEING HEARD. AND THAT'S ONE OF OUR CORE VALUES AS A COUNCIL AND AS A COMMUNITY. AND IT'S WHAT WE'RE COMMITTED TO PROTECTING. TONIGHT, OUR RULE STATE THAT OUR MEETING RECESSES AT 10 AND CONTINUES TO ANOTHER SESSION. WE HAVE NOTICED A SECOND MEETING FOR TOMORROW MORNING AT NINE, BUT OUR GOAL REALLY IS TO GET THROUGH PUBLIC COMMENT TONIGHT IF IT IS AT, IF IT'S THE WILL OF THE BODY. SO THIS COULD BE A LATE NIGHT, SHOULD YOU WISH TO LEAVE AND JOIN REMOTELY. WE HAVE HANDOUTS GOING AROUND WITH PARTICIPATION INSTRUCTIONS THAT YOU CAN USE FOR TONIGHT AND TOMORROW MORNING. I WANNA THANK EVERYONE IN ADVANCE FOR THE COOPERATION AND YOUR RESPECT FOR ONE ANOTHER. WITH THAT, WE WILL MOVE INTO PUBLIC COMMENT. PUBLIC COMMENT MAY BE MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL LAWS 30 A SEX AND SECTION 20 G, AND THE CITY COUNCIL RULES 20 3D AND 37. ONCE YOU FINISH SPEAKING, THE NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE CALLED INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT PERMITTED TO ALLOCATE THE REMAINDER OF THEIR TIME TO OTHER SPEAKERS. I ASK THAT YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AND THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING ON. THERE ARE 350 SPEAKERS SIGNED UP. EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE ONE MINUTE. SO WITH THAT, I HAVE NAOMI WHO IF YOU'D LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS BEFORE WE START PUBLIC COMMENT, FEEL FREE, BUT YOU WILL BE NAVIGATING THE PUBLIC COMMENT. SO I THANK YOU FOR THAT. JUST A QUICK REMINDER TO FOLKS, UM, THE TIMER WILL BE ON SCREEN WHEN YOUR TIME RUNS OUT. I MAY PROMPT YOU TO EMAIL US THE REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENT. YOU CAN ALWAYS SEND YOUR COMMENTS TO CAMBRIDGE, UH, CITY COUNCIL@CAMBRIDGEMA.GOV. AND AS THE MAYOR SAID, WE WANT TO HEAR EVERYBODY TONIGHT. AND SO WE'RE GONNA DO OUR BEST TO GET THROUGH THIS LIST. SO I DO HAVE, BEFORE I GO TO YOU, UM, I HAVE TO GO TO, I HAVE SEE A HAND FROM COUNCILLOR ZUZI. COUNCILLOR ZUZI. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU KNEW I WAS HERE. YES, YOU ARE RECORDED AS PRESENT. PLEASE CONTINUE. AND WITH THAT, OUR FIRST SPEAKER, SORRY, JUST ANOTHER NOTE FOR FOLKS WHO ARE SITTING UP IN THE BALCONY, I'M GONNA TRY TO SAY THREE NAMES AT A TIME SO PEOPLE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF ADVANCED NOTICE TO KNOW IF YOU NEED TO COME DOWNSTAIRS. UM, WHEN YOU'RE AT THE MIC, PRESS THE BUTTON. THE GREEN LIGHT INDICATES IT'S ON FOR PEOPLE PARTICIPATING VIA ZOOM WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED. I WILL UNMUTE YOU ON OUR END. YOU NEED TO UNMUTE YOURSELF ON YOUR END AND GO AHEAD AND YOU WILL BE MUTED AGAIN WHEN YOUR TIME EXPIRES. OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS STEVEN SUCCI, FOLLOWED BY NOAH ROTH, THEN PIPER WINKLER. GOOD EVENING COUNSEL. MY NAME IS STEVEN LUCCI. I AM A THIRD GENERATION CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT AND A PARENT OF A CHILD IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS HERE TO TALK ABOUT POLICY ORDERS [00:10:01] SEVEN AND EIGHT. PART OF PARENTING FOR ME HAS BEEN FACING GRIEF ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE'S NO WAY TO ENSURE TOTAL SAFETY FOR MY CHILD, BUT THERE ARE THINGS WE CAN DO TO MAKE THE WORLD MORE SAFE FOR EVERYONE. ENDING OUR CITY'S BUSINESS WITH COMPANIES THAT PROFIT FROM ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE OF PALESTINIANS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS. THAT'S WHAT THESE POLICY ORDERS WOULD DO. THEY WOULD NOT TARGET JEWISH PEOPLE OR BUSINESSES. THEY TARGET COMPANIES LIKE LOCKHEED AND RAYTHEON BECAUSE OF THEIR CONDUCT. THESE COMPANIES ARE SELLING WEAPONS TO ISRAEL THAT ARE BEING USED TO TARGET, KILL AND MAIM THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN ACCORDING TO THE UN HRC. WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT JUST LIKE WE DID SOMETHING ABOUT SOUTH AFRICAN APARTHEID IN 1980. I WANT OUR CITY TO DIVEST FROM THESE COMPANIES AND I WANT CAMBRIDGE TO NAME ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE OF PALESTINIANS AS THE REASON WHY. THIS IS WHY I SUPPORT THE POLICY ORDERS AND WILL HOLD DEEP RESPECT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO VOTE FOR THEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NOAH ROTH, FOLLOWED BY PIPER WINKLER, THEN B FEINBERG. NOAH, PLEASE GO AHEAD. MY NAME IS NOAH. I LIVE ON HAMMOND STREET. THIS POLICY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE. IT'LL NOT CHANGE THE POLICY OF THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT. THIS IS NOT THE SENATE. THIS POLICY IS ABOUT HATE AND DIVISION. I'M A PROUD ISRAELI, A PROUD JEW, A PROUD ZIONIST, AND I'M ALSO A PROUD MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY. I RAISE ISRAELI AMERICAN KIDS WHO ATTEND CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WHEN THE CITY SINGLES THEM OUT, THEY BECOME A TARGET. WE ARE ALREADY UNSAFE HERE, MAKE IT. JEWISH DAYCARE HAS HIRED AN ARMED BODYGUARD SINCE OCTOBER 7TH HERE IN CAMBRIDGE. THIS POLICY ORDER WILL NOT HELP A SINGLE PALESTINIAN CHILD, BUT IT'LL PUT A TARGET ON JEWISH AND ISRAELI CHILDREN IN CAMBRIDGE ON MY CHILDREN. PLEASE CHOOSE DIALOGUE OVER BOYCOTT. CHOOSE UNITY OVER HATE, CHOOSE OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS PIPER WINKLER, FOLLOWED BY B FEINBERG. THEN HOPE TURNER. PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI, UH, MY NAME IS PIPER AND I'M A CAMBRIDGE PORT RESIDENT. THANKS TO THE PUBLIC MAP OF PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING PROPOSALS, WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS WANT THE CITY TO DO WITH OUR MONEY. HERE ARE SOME OF THE PROPOSALS, SOLAR PANELS FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL BATHROOMS AT LOCAL PARKS, FREE SCHOOL SUPPLIES, CITY RUN GROCERY STORE TO COMBAT FOOD INSECURITY AMONG OUR NEIGHBORS. INSTEAD OF SUPPORTING PROJECTS LIKE THESE, IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE AND BRINGING OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER, $28 MILLION IN PUBLIC FUNDS ARE CURRENTLY INVESTED IN ISRAEL'S ONGOING GENOCIDE OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE. THE VERY LAST THING THAT I AND THOUSANDS OF OTHER RESIDENTS WANT IS FOR OUR MONEY TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR LOCKHEED RAYTHEON, PALANTIR, ELBIT AND OTHER DEFENSE AND SURVEILLANCE CORPORATIONS TO ENABLE THE MASS KILLINGS AND TORTURE OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. WE WON'T BE THE FIRST CITY TO VOTE TO DIVEST FROM THIS GENOCIDE AND WE ALREADY KNOW THAT IT CAN BE DONE. YOU HAVE THE POWER TO ADD, TO ADD OUR CITY TO A GROWING LIST OF COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY STANDING ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY. PLEASE USE THAT POWER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS B FEINBERG, FOLLOWED BY HOPE TURNER. THEN MO KC B. PLEASE GO AHEAD. B FEINBERG EAST CAMBRIDGE. I AM OFFENDED AS A JEW TAUGHT NEVER AGAIN BY HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS AND HEBREW SCHOOL THAT WE HAVE COUNSELORS REPRESENTING US WHO DECLARE THAT ISRAEL IS NOT COMMITTING A GENOCIDE DESPITE THE WORD OF THE UN AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, THE WORLD'S SCHOLARS ON GENOCIDE AND THE HOLOCAUST PLUS CONSTANT ACCESS TO THE MASSACRE, ETHNIC CLEANSING, AND STARVATION OF PALESTINIANS. WE CAN VIEW SCROLLING OUR PHONES. SO I MUST SPEAK TO THE COUNSELORS WHO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS GENOCIDE IS GOING ON BECAUSE IT IS SIMPLE. WE THE TAXPAYERS OF CAMBRIDGE, ME AND MY JEWISH COMMUNITY PAYING PROPERTY AND COMMERCIAL TAXES IN CAMBRIDGE SIMPLY DO NOT WANT THE CITY'S FINANCIAL STAMP OF APPROVAL ON THOSE WEAPONS SLAUGHTERING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. WE DON'T WANT TO EMPOWER THESE COMPANIES LISTED IN THE ORDINANCE TO KILL MORE, NO MORE OF OUR DOLLARS FUNDING ISRAEL'S APARTHEID GOVERNMENT. IF YOU KNOW THIS IS A GENOCIDE AND YOU WANT TO LOOK YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR TOMORROW, DO THE RIGHT THING. VOTE YES, NO CHANGES. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS HOPE TURNER. HOPE PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN. PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI, MY NAME IS HOPE TURNER AND I'M A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT. I'M SPEAKING TO POLICY ORDERS SEVEN AND EIGHT AND I'M SPEAKING TO YOU AS A PARENT THIS EVENING. YOU CAN'T SEE ME, BUT I'M WEARING A SHIRT THAT SAYS ALL CHILDREN ARE OUR CHILDREN. AS JAMES BALDWIN WROTE, THE CHILDREN ARE ALWAYS OURS, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM ALL OVER THE GLOBE. AND I'M BEGINNING TO SUSPECT THAT WHOEVER IS INCAPABLE OF RECOGNIZING THIS MAY BE INCAPABLE [00:15:01] OF MORALITY. WE KNOW THAT THE GENOCIDE AND GAZA HAS KILLED AT LEAST 21,000 CHILDREN. WE KNOW THAT GAZA HAS THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF CHILD AMPUTEES PER CAPITA ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. HOW CAN WE NOT DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO STOP THIS? COUNSELORS, I'M ASKING YOU TO DO WHAT'S IN YOUR POWER RIGHT NOW BY VOTING TO DIVEST FROM AND BOYCOTT COMPANIES COMPLICIT IN ISRAEL'S APARTHEID, GENOCIDE, AND ILLEGAL OCCUPATION OF PALESTINE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MO KC, FOLLOWED BY ORI POAT, THEN MAYAN SCHOEN MO PLEASE GO AHEAD ONE MINUTE. MY NAME IS MO KATZ CHRISTI. I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN CAMBRIDGE AND ATTEND SERVICES REGULARLY AT THE TREMONT STREET SHO AND MINION ZA AS AN ASHKENAZI JEWISH HERBALIST. I THINK A LOT ABOUT THE GENERATIONAL TRAUMA OF GENOCIDE. I WORK WITH COUNTLESS ASHKENAZI JEWS WHO LIKE MYSELF HOLD TRAUMA FROM A GENOCIDE THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY AND GENERATIONS AGO IN OUR BODIES. AS I DO THIS WORK, I WONDER, COULD THIS HAVE BEEN PREVENTED? HOW MANY CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS COULD HAVE BEEN SPARED THE GENERATIONAL EFFECTS OF STARVATION, OF TRAUMA, OF A HYPERVIGILANT NERVOUS SYSTEM, OF THE FEAR THAT LEADS US TO THE ERRONEOUS BELIEF THAT OUR SAFETY IS CONDITIONED ON THE OPPRESSION OF OTHERS. WHEN THIS IS ALL OVER AND PALESTINE IS FREE, HOW MANY GENERATIONS OF PALESTINIANS WILL CARRY THIS IN THEIR BODIES? HOW MUCH OF THAT GENERATIONAL TRAUMA IS PREVENTABLE? HOW MUCH CAN YOU PREVENT TODAY BY VOTING TO TAKE OUR CAMBRIDGE TAX DOLLARS OUT OF GENOCIDE? JEWS ARE REQUIRED TO TELL THE STORY OF LIBERATION EVERY YEAR AT OUR PASSOVER SEDERS TO PASS THEM DOWN FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION UNTIL WE ARE ALL FREE. VOTE YES TO BOYCOTT AND DIVEST. THANK YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. PLEASE EMAIL US THE REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENT. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ORI POAT, FOLLOWED BY MAYAN SCHOEN. THEN CHRIS M HELLO EVERYONE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ORI POAT. I'VE LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE FOR 16 YEARS NOW. BOTH MY KIDS WERE BORN AND RAISED HERE. AND LET ME TELL YOU THIS POLICY ORDER IS NOT ABOUT ISRAEL. IT'S NOT ABOUT PROTECTING PALESTINIANS, IT'S NOT ABOUT HELPING ANYONE, IT'S JUST MOTIVATED BY PURE HATE. AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT BEING A CHILD IN CAMBRIDGE, IF YOUR PARENTS ARE ISRAELI, MEANS YOU GET BULLIED, ASSAULTED, HARASSED, CALLED OUT, SPIT ON, PUSHED FOR NO REASON OTHER THAN WHERE YOUR PARENTS WERE BORN IN A COUNTRY THAT YOU'VE NEVER HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH. SO I URGE YOU TO VOTE NO AGAINST THIS POLICY ORDER AND I WILL REMIND YOU THAT THE PEOPLE WHO BROUGHT THIS POLICY ORDER AND WHO SUPPORT IT ARE THE SAME PEOPLE THAT LITERALLY HAD A STREET PARTY RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF CITY HALL ON OCTOBER 9TH, TWO DAYS INTO THE HAMAS MASSACRE, AND THE INVITATION FOR THAT PARTY WENT OUT ON THE MORNING OF OCTOBER 7TH. THINK ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MAYAN SCHOEN, FOLLOWED BY CHRIS M THEN ADI PELEG MAYAN. ONE MINUTE. MAYAN SCHOEN, HARVARD LAW SCHOOL. THANK YOU. TODAY IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A MORAL STAND AGAINST THE MOB. I URGE THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL TO REJECT THIS BDS RESOLUTION. JUST BECAUSE LOUD VOICES HAVE COMMANDEERED THE LANGUAGE OF OPPRESSION DOES NOT MAKE THEM JUST OR TRUE. THIS RESOLUTION PRESENTS GRAVE ACCUSATIONS OF GENOCIDE AND APARTHEID AS FACTS. DESPITE SERIOUS DISAGREEMENT AMONG MILITARY AND LEGAL EXPERTS, REDUCING A DEVASTATING CONFLICT TO POLITICAL SLOGANS DOES NOT ADVANCE JUSTICE FOR ISRAELIS OR PALESTINIANS. I WAS IN ISRAEL ON OCTOBER 7TH WHEN HAMAS INVADED ISRAEL, MASSACRED, RAPED AND KIDNAPPED. LAUNCHING THIS WAR, I VISITED THE DEVASTATED BORDER COMMUNITY. SHORTLY AFTERWARD, I SAW FIRSTHAND THE AFTERMATH OF WHAT A MOB POISONED BY HATRED CAN DO. YET THIS RESOLUTION MAKES NO MENTION OF HAMAS. IT IS MORALLY BANKRUPT TO ECONOMICALLY PUNISH THE VICTIMS OF A RELENTLESS TERROR CAMPAIGN FOR DEFENDING THEMSELVES. PALESTINIAN CIVILIANS ARE ALSO THE VICTIMS OF HAMAS. THE PROPAGANDA THIS RESOLUTION PUSHES IS EXACTLY WHAT HAMAS WANTS. IF YOU WANT TO SUPPORT PALESTINIANS, DON'T REWARD HAMAS' TERROR REJECT BDS AND LET US BRAVELY STAND FOR THE TRUTH EVEN WHEN IT'S NOT EASY. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHRIS M FOLLOWED BY ADI PELEG. THEN KARA DERMAN. CHRIS, PLEASE GO AHEAD. ONE MINUTE. HI, MY NAME IS CHRIS. I'VE LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE FOR EIGHT YEARS. UM, CAMBRIDGE SHOULD DIVEST FROM COMPANIES COMPLICIT IN ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE OF PALESTINIANS SO THAT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS DON'T HAVE TO HAVE THEIR TAX DOLLARS GOING TOWARDS COMPANIES THAT ARE RUINING THEIR FAMILY'S LIVES. MY FRIEND, A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT WHO HAS FAMILY IN NORTH GAZA IN NOVEMBER, 2023. HIS NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE WAS BOMBED BY THE IOF DESTROYING HIS HOME WHILE HIS FAMILY WAS INSIDE OF IT. IN JANUARY, 2025, HIS BROTHER WAS INJURED BY AN IOF DRONE AND HAD 10 PIECES OF SHRAPNEL FROM HIS ANKLE TO HIS NECK. HIS DAD LOST 50 POUNDS DUE TO THE ISRAELI INDUCED FAMINE. I I COULD GO ON HERE. UM, BUT THE POINT IS THAT THESE ATROCITIES WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT FUNDING FROM THE US [00:20:01] AND SOME OF THAT 28 MILLION COMES FROM CAMBRIDGE. FOR THE COUNSELORS WHO KNOW THIS IS A GENOCIDE, DIVESTMENT IS THE ONLY OPTION. FREE THE ONE LINE IN OUR LIFETIME. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ADI PEG, FOLLOWED BY KARA DERMAN, THEN ROTEM SPIELER ADI, PLEASE GO AHEAD. ONE MINUTE. HELLO, MY NAME IS AADE PELEG AND I LIVE AT 43 HIGHLAND AVENUE HERE IN CAMBRIDGE. UH, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT ORDERS ONE NINETY FIVE OH ONE NINETY SIX. UM, MY PARENTS WERE BORN AND RAISED IN MOROCCO, UH, THROUGHOUT THEIR CHILDHOOD. THEY WERE TARGETED FOR BEING JEWISH. UH, THEY WERE HARASSED IN THE STREETS. THEY WERE BARRED FROM ENTERING, UH, UH, MANY PLACES, WHICH WILL PROBABLY HAPPEN HERE AS WE ARE IF IF THIS GOES THROUGH. UH, MY GRANDFATHER WAS NOT ALLOWED TO OWN A BUSINESS BECAUSE HE WAS JEWISH, SO HE HAD TO HAVE HIS NEIGHBOR, HIS MUSLIM AFFAIR, BE THE THE OWNER. HE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO SELL IN SOME MARKETS BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, ANTI-ZIONISTS. UH, ALTHOUGH HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS ZIONISM BACK IN THE DAY, BUT DOESN'T MATTER, UH, HE WAS BEATEN IN OCCASIONALLY AND JUST BECAUSE HE WAS JEWISH, I'M DEEPLY AFRAID THAT THESE ORDERS WILL CREATE THE SAME UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR MY CHILDREN HERE IN CAMBRIDGE. I DON'T WANT MY KIDS TO HIDE THEIR IDENTITY. I DON'T WANT THEM TO BE SINGLED OUT AND HARASSED HERE JUST AS HAPPENING IN OTHER PLACES IN THE WORLD. I IMPLORE YOU TO VOTE NO SO MY KIDS AND OTHER FAMILIES CAN FEEL SAFE IN CAMBRIDGE. THANK YOU ADI. WE'RE GONNA GO ON TO OUR NEXT SPEAKER. WE ARE AT SPEAKER NUMBER 11, CARA SEEDMAN, FOLLOWED BY ROTEM SPIEGLER. CARA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. GOOD EVENING. THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF CAMBRIDGE VOTERS DO NOT WANT THESE RESOLUTIONS PASSED. WHEN WE SAW THE TEXT OF THE PROPOSALS, A GROUP OF CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS CREATED A PETITION TO ASK YOU, THE COUNCIL TO JUST SAY NO. SINCE SATURDAY, ALMOST A 650 PEOPLE WHO LIVE, WORK AND STUDY IN CAMBRIDGE HAVE SIGNED AND WE HAVE, UM, SUBMITTED COPIES OF THE PETITION TO THE COUNCIL FROM THIS MORNING, BUT SINCE THEN, MORE THAN A HUNDRED AND ADDITIONAL PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED. SO YOU CLEARLY HAVE THE SUPPORT IN THE COMMUNITY TO JUST VOTE THIS DOWN. ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ THE COMMUNITIES REASONS IN THE PACKAGE THAT HAS BEEN DELIVERED TO YOU. YOU CAN SEE THAT PEOPLE ARE SCARED AND FEELING PERSONALLY TARGETED. THESE ARE POWERFUL STATEMENTS FROM OLDER PEOPLE, YOUNG ADULTS, STUDENTS, PEOPLE WITH CHILDREN, PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED HERE A LONG TIME, AND PEOPLE WHO ARE NEW. THE PEOPLE WHO SIGNED TO ARE FROM MANY DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS. IN CAMBRIDGE WE HAVE, WE MAY HAVE DIFFERENT OPINIONS ABOUT HOW INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED, BUT WE CARE DEEPLY ABOUT CAMBRIDGE AND URGE YOU TO VOTE. NO THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ROTEM SPIEGLER, FOLLOWED BY SELENA H THEN MELISSA LEVINE ROTEM. UH, I'M ROTEM, UM, FROM OXFORD STREET AND HLI SALA IN THE DAYS AFTER OCTOBER 7TH, WHILE FAMILIES IN ISRAEL WERE STILL RECOVERING THE REMAINS OF THEIR LOVED ONES MURDERED BY HAMAS. PEOPLE HERE AT HOME IN CAMBRIDGE WERE CELEBRATING LIBERATION AND ALREADY ARGUING FOR GENOCIDE. ISRAEL HAS NOT EVEN ENTERED GAZA YET AFTER THAT. THE HOSTILITY MY OWN FAMILY EXPERIENCED HERE IN CAMBRIDGE BECAME SO SEVERE WE HAD TO TRANSFER OUR DAUGHTER FROM CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SINCE IT DID NOT FEEL SAFE. SHE WAS FIVE. NO CHILD, REGARDLESS OF THEIR FAMILY'S ORIGIN SHOULD EXPERIENCE THIS. YET THREE YEARS LATER, I KNOW ONLY OF ONE JEWISH MUSLIM HEALING CIRCLE ORGANIZED IN RESPONSE BY THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. INSTEAD OF IN, IN INVESTING IN DIALOGUE AND HEALING, THIS COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING RESOLUTIONS THAT WOULD TURN HIGHLY DISPUTED ACCUSATIONS OF GENOCIDE AND APARTHEID IN THE OFFICIAL CITY POLICY. CAMBRIDGE CANNOT RESOLVE THE MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT, BUT IT CAN DECIDE WHETHER TO DEEPEN THEIR, THEIR VISION HERE AT HOME OR HELP HEAL IT. REJECT BDS, INVEST IN DIALOGUE, EDUCATION AND HEALING, NOT FURTHER DIVISION. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SELENA H, FOLLOWED BY MELISSA LEVINE, THEN WASIM KADIR, SELENA, ONE MINUTE. MY NAME IS SELENA AND I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF CAMBRIDGE AND CENTRAL SQUARE FOR OVER TWO YEARS. I'M ALSO THE DAUGHTER OF LEBANESE IMMIGRANTS. I WATCH EVERY DAY AS THE PLACE I CALL HOME TODAY THREATENS MY HOME ACROSS THE OCEAN, THE HOME OF MY AUNTS AND UNCLES AND COUSINS OF MY GRANDPARENTS AND THEIR GRANDPARENTS. WE OBJECT TO $28 MILLION BEING INVESTED IN COMPANIES THAT AID ENABLE AND PROFIT FROM UNCONSCIONABLE ACTS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST INNOCENCE IN PALESTINE. THIS VIOLENCE ALSO INFECTS US IN CAMBRIDGE TOO. THESE VERY COMPANIES PROVIDE SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY THAT ICE USES TO TERRORIZE THE RESIDENTS OF CAMBRIDGE. THE SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE OF CAMBRIDGE IS DEEPLY IRREVOCABLY INTERTWINED WITH THE SAFETY OF PEOPLE IN PALESTINE AND WE CANNOT STAND FOR OR ENABLE OUR CITY TO CONTINUE TO ENABLE VIOLENCE HERE OR AFAR. LET CAMBRIDGE BE A CITY THAT LEADS IN THE FIGHT FOR JUSTICE EVERYWHERE. LET'S BE ONE OF THE FIRST US CITIES TO SET AN EXAMPLE AND NAME THE ACCELERATED GENOCIDE IN PALESTINE AND NAME ISRAEL AS THE INSTIGATOR OF THAT GENOCIDE. THANK YOU. THANK [00:25:01] YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MELISSA LEVINE, FOLLOWED BY WASIM KIR, THEN LEH MELISSA ONE MINUTE. I MOVED HERE IN 2021 BECAUSE I BELIEVED THE BIG TENT OF LIBERAL VALUES IN CAMBRIDGE HUMAN RIGHTS, SAFE STREETS, GUN CONTROL, A COMMUNITY WHERE EVERYONE BELONGS. MY MOVE WAS HERE THREE MONTHS BEFORE THE FIRST BDS RESOLUTION. SINCE THEN I'VE LEARNED THAT THIS BIG TENT HAS AN ASTERISK. INCLUSION AND BELONGING DOES NOT EXTEND TO JEWS. THE JOB OF THE COUNCIL IS TO GOVERN, NOT TO USE TIME AND RESOURCES TO TAKE SIDES IN A COMPLEX INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT. ADDRESS LOCAL NEEDS, PROTECT RESIDENTS AND ENSURE THAT OUR CITY VALUES APPLY EQUALLY TO EVERYONE. WE ARE NOT SOLVING ANYTHING TONIGHT BY THIS PERFORMANCE. A RESOLUTION THAT SINGLES OUT ONE COUNTRY WITH NO COMPARABLE STANDARD INCLUDING OUR OWN GOVERNMENT, IS NOT POLICY. IT'S A SELECTIVE POLITICAL POLITICAL TARGETING. CAMBRIDGE'S ENTIRE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM RELIES ON ISRAELI TECHNOLOGY. IF WE'RE UNWILLING TO SPEND MILLIONS REQUIRED TO REPLACE IT, WHAT DOES THIS RESOLUTION ACCOMPLISH? SYMBOLISM IS NOT SOLIDARITY AND POLITICAL THEATER DOES NOT HELP PALESTINIANS REJECT THIS. AGAIN, TURN DOWN THE FLAMES, HEAR US WHEN THINGS GO WRONG AND THEY WILL. THANK YOU. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. PLEASE EMAIL US THE REMAINDER. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS WASIM KIR FOLLOWED BY LEH. THEN ALEX TI. MADAM MAYOR EM YOU. YES, COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. JUST WANNA REMIND PEOPLE AGAIN NOT WITH THE HAND GESTURES, THE THUMBS DOWN, THE ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF. IT'S JUST ANTAGONIZING OTHER PEOPLE AND THEN WE'RE GONNA, THINGS ARE GONNA GO SOUTH. SO PLEASE FOLKS, IF YOU DISAGREE WITH WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING, THAT'S FINE, BUT PLEASE DON'T MAKE ANY HAND GESTURES OR THINGS THAT ARE GONNA INTIMIDATE PEOPLE OR MAKE PEOPLE FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE REGARDLESS OF WHAT SIDE OF THIS ISSUE YOU'RE ON. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS EM KIR WASIM. GIVE US ONE SECOND. WE HAVE A SIREN GOING BY EM. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF ONE MINUTE. MY NAME IS EM KIR. I'VE LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE FOR 20 YEARS AND HAVE TWO GIRLS IN PUBLIC SCHOOL. AS A FATHER, IT PAINED ME TO SEE 2-YEAR-OLD MARY AND WATCH HER MOTHER BURN TO DEATH AFTER ISRAEL BOMBED HER APARTMENT BUILDING LAST WEEK. AS A FORMER LAWYER, I CAN TELL YOU THAT BOMBING APARTMENTS AND TENTS DURING A CEASEFIRE IS WRONG AND I CAN REMIND YOU THAT THE ICJ ALREADY CONCLUDED IN 2024 THAT ISRAEL IS PRACTICING APARTHEID. I DON'T WANT ANY OF MY CITIES TAX DOLLARS, TAX DOLLARS OR INVESTMENTS ENABLING GENOCIDE AND APARTHEID. AND UNLESS YOU BELIEVE IN A HIERARCHY OF HUMAN LIFE BASED ON RELIGION OR SKIN COLOR, I URGE YOU TO DIVEST FROM ISRAEL. WHEN THIS COUNCIL VOTED FOR DIVESTMENT FROM SOUTH AFRICA, SUPPORTERS OF THE APARTHEID SYSTEM NO DOUBT CAME TO YOU WITH THEIR RATIONALIZATIONS AND HURT FEELINGS. THIS COUNCIL WAS BRAVE ENOUGH TO DO THE RIGHT THING THEN AND TODAY IS YOUR TURN. YOUR GRANDCHILDREN AND FUTURE GENERATIONS OF CANTERBURY WILL KNOW HOW YOU ACTED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LEH FOLLOWED BY ALEX TI, THEN GREG HIRSCH. ELLIE, HI, MY NAME IS ELLIE HOOD. I LIVE IN CENTRAL SQUARE RIGHT DOWN THE STREET. UM, I'M HERE AS A YOUNG PERSON, A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT, A STUDENT PUBLIC HEALTH AND A CHILDCARE WORKER AND A BELIEVER IN DOING THE RIGHT THING AS MY JEWISH FAMILY RAISED ME. THIS ISN'T ABOUT ME THOUGH AND HOW I FEEL. THIS ISN'T REALLY ABOUT ANYTHING EXCEPT FOR THE MILLIONS OF LIVES BEING DISPLACED, DESTROYED, AND PERMANENTLY ALTERED. THERE IS NOTHING THAT ANYONE CAN SAY TONIGHT THAT MAKE THESE ATROCITIES ANY LESS REAL. THIS IS AN UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH TO LIVE WITH AND IT EVOKES A LOT OF FEELINGS, BUT IT IS TRUTH AND IT IS ABOUT MORE THAN US IN THIS ROOM. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO WITHHOLD REAL MONEY THAT PREVENTS REAL BOMBS FROM FALLING ON REAL PEOPLE AND CHILDREN. THIS IS TRULY URGENT. YOU MUST VOTE TO DIVEST FROM ISRAEL AND THE GENOCIDE ON PALESTINIANS. THANK YOU. FREE PALESTINE. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ALEX AWADI, FOLLOWED BY GREG HIRSCH. THEN DALIA H ALEX, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD ONE MINUTE. MY NAME IS ALEX SODI. I LIVE IN NORTH CAMBRIDGE AND I'M SPEAKING ON AGENDA ITEM SEVEN AND EIGHT. AS A 19-YEAR-OLD JEWISH AND ISRAELI TRANS MAN, I'VE BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BASED ON NATIONAL ORIGIN MANY TIMES I'M A MEMBER OF A BAND AND AS SOON AS THEY FIND OUT I'M ISRAELI, THEY REFUSE TO BOOK MY PUNK BAND BASED PURELY ON THEIR PERCEPTION THAT MY NATIONAL ORIGIN MEANS I'M SUPPORTER OF GENOCIDE. I HAVE BEEN KICKED OUT OF TRANS SPACES PURELY BECAUSE I'M AN ISRAELI. THESE POLICY ORDERS ARE SINGLING OUT ONE COUNTRY AS UNIQUELY EVIL, WHICH GIVES CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS PERMISSION TO EXCLUDE US, US BASED PURELY ON WHERE WE ARE FROM THESE POLICY ORDERS. SEND THE MESSAGE THAT BEING ISRAELI IS CALLED FOR DISCRIMINATING AGAINST ME. CAMBRIDGE PROVIDES PRIDES ITSELF ON BEING NON-DISCRIMINATORY AND THESE POLICY ORDERS DIRECTLY GO AGAINST THE IDEAL I FEEL UNWELCOME IN CAMBRIDGE. BASED ON MY NATIONAL ORIGIN, I URGE YOU TO VOTE NO. ENCOURAGE CAMBRIDGE TO LIVE UP TO ITS INCLUSIVE IDEALS [00:30:01] AND DO NOT GIVE ANTISEMITES PERMISSION TO DISCRIMINATE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GREG HIRSCH, FOLLOWED BY DALIA H, THEN EMAR TURNER. CHARING GREG, PLEASE GO AHEAD. SHALOM. I'M RABBI GREG HIRSCH AND AROUND A YEAR AGO I FOUNDED VE HAFTA A JUDAISM BEYOND ZIONISM SYNAGOGUE IN CAMBRIDGE. FOR HUNDREDS OF JEWISH PEOPLE HERE BEING PROUDLY JEWISH ENTAILS BEING ANTI-ZIONIST. WE EMBRACE THE TORRAH WISDOM TO NOT MURDER OR STEAL AND WE PURSUE PEACE AND JUSTICE. WE HONOR THE HOLOCAUST BY PROCLAIMING THAT NEVER AGAIN MEANS NEVER AGAIN FOR ANYONE AND THAT NEVER AGAIN IS NOW. GROWING UP, MY PARENTS TAUGHT ME NOT TO BUY GERMAN CARS BECAUSE WHAT THE GERMANS DID TO OUR PEOPLE IS UNFORGIVABLE. HOW WE SPEND OUR MONEY IS AN EXPRESSION OF OUR VALUES TODAY IT IS JEWISH ISRAELIS WHO ARE COMMITTING GENOCIDE BECAUSE THIS COUNCIL REJECTED DIVESTMENT IN 2021. WE ALL CONTRIBUTE TO ISRAEL'S ETHNIC CLEANSING CAMPAIGNS. WE'RE NOT ASKING CAMBRIDGE TO CHANGE FEDERAL POLICY. WE'RE DEMANDING THAT OUR LOCAL TAX DOLLARS HERE IN CAMBRIDGE STOP SUPPORTING COMPANIES THAT ARE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY. CITY COUNCIL, WILL YOU KEEP PALESTINIAN BLOOD ON OUR HANDS OR MAY WE EXTRICATE OUR COMMUNITY FROM COMPLICITY? OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DALIA H, FOLLOWED BY EMAR TURNER TROWING, THEN SOPHIE GILLARD. DALIA, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. MY NAME IS DALIA AND I LIVE AND STUDY IN CAMBRIDGE. I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF POLICY ORDER SEVEN AND EIGHT. I BEAR CONSTANT WITNESS TO US ISRAELI AGGRESSION ON LEBANON THROUGH MY FAMILY'S FIRSTHAND TESTIMONY THROUGH A CONSTANT CYCLE OF FEAR THAT MY LOVED ONE SHOULD FALL VICTIM TO DISPLACEMENT OR DEATH. I'M REPULSED BY THE FACT THAT MY TAX DOLLARS FUND THIS VIOLENT OPPRESSIVE MACHINE THAT HAS ROBBED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF LIVES AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE OF THE RIGHT TO MOVEMENT, TO TRAVEL, TO HEALTHCARE, TO FOOD AND WATER, TO EDUCATION AND TO SELF-DETERMINATION. GENOCIDAL INTENT IS CLEAR TO ALL THOSE WHO ARE PAYING ATTENTION. ON OCTOBER 8TH, THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT DECLARED GENOCIDAL INTENT AGAINST GAZA WHOSE 800,000 INNOCENT CHILDREN THEY CALLED THE CHILDREN OF DARKNESS. THE INTENT WAS CLEAR WHEN AMERICAN SURGEONS RETURNED FROM GAZA AND REPORTED THE MOST COMMON WOUND THEY TREATED WERE SINGLE BULLET WOUNDS TO THE NECKS OF YOUTHS. IT WAS CLEAR WHEN THEY DESTROYED EVERY UNIVERSITY, WHEN THEY TARGETED AND DOUBLE TAB HOSPITAL SCHOOLS, TENTS AND LINES FOR AID. THERE IS LEGAL PRECEDENT AND MORAL CLARITY AND VOTING YES. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS E TAMARA TURNER CHARING, FOLLOWED BY SOPHIE GILLARD. THEN HELEN L WE ARE AT SPEAKER NUMBER 20. EMAR, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. HI, UH, MY NAME IS EMAR TURNER TROWING. I LIVE IN OXFORD STREET SPEAKING ON A POLICY ORDER SEVEN EMAR, IF YOU CAN PULL THE MIC UP. GREW UP IN ISRAEL SO WE CAN HEAR YOU EMAR. SORRY, COULD YOU JUST MOVE THE MIC UP? THANK YOU. UH, HOW'S THIS? OKAY. HI, MY NAME IS IARA TURNER LIVE ON OXFORD STREET. UH, I GREW UP IN ISRAEL. I STILL HAVE FAMILY THERE. UH, MY NIECES AND NEPHEW GREW UP THERE. UH, AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN HOW RACIST THE COUNTRY ISRAEL IS. UH, JEWS AND NON-JEWS CANNOT LEGALLY MARRY THERE. I WENT TO A JEWISH SCHOOL BECAUSE THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS ARE SEGREGATED. THE WEST BANK AS AN APARTHEID SYSTEM HAS JEWS WHO HAVE FULL RIGHTS AND CAN VOTE. SO THERE'S AN ELECTION AND THEY CAN VOTE, BUT THE PALESTINIANS ARE RESTRICTED IN THEIR MOVEMENTS. UH, AND UNFORTUNATELY NONE OF THIS IS GOING TO CHANGE. UH, IN THE NEXT ELECTION ON LIKE TWO, THREE WEEKS, THE PERSON WHO MIGHT REPLACE NETANYAHU WAS PART OF THE FIVE PERSON WAR CABINET THAT RAN THE GENOCIDE. UH, AND HE IS OPPOSED TO PALESTINIAN STATE. HE IS SUPPORTS APARTHEID. SO REGARDLESS OF WHATEVER HAPPENS IN THE ELECTION, THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL AND THE POPULATION WILL CONTINUE TO BE OPPOSED TO PEACE AND SUPPORT GENOCIDE AND, UH, APARTHEID. THE ONLY THING THAT WILL CHANGE IS PUBLIC PRESSURE. UH, YOU CAN READ NEWSPAPER ARTICLES IN ISRAEL ABOUT HOW THEY'RE AFRAID OF, UH, DIVESTMENT, AFRAID OF SANCTIONS. YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO DO A LITTLE BIT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SOPHIE GILLARD, FOLLOWED BY HELEN L THEN RAMI MANBY. SOPHIE. ONE MINUTE. HI, MY NAME IS SOPHIE GILLARD. I LIVE AND WORK IN CAMBRIDGE. CAMBRIDGE HAS $28 MILLION IN INVESTMENTS IN CONTRACTS WITH COMPANIES MOST COMPLICIT IN THE ISRAELI MILITARY OCCUPATION, APARTHEID AND GENOCIDE OF PALESTINE. WHAT OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE FUNDING IS A REGIME OF TERROR AIMED AT PALESTINIANS. WE ARE DIRECTLY INVESTED IN GE AEROSPACE, WHICH MAKES THE ENGINES FOR BOMBERS THAT DESTROY HOSPITALS AND SCHOOLS FULL OF CIVILIANS AND GAZA. WE INVEST IN ELBIT SYSTEMS WHICH MANUFACTURES THE QUADCOPTERS THAT SHOOT WHAT SURVIVORS REMAIN UNDER THE RUBBLE. WE WOULD NEVER ACCEPT IT IF THESE WEAPONS WERE TRAINED AT OUR FAMILIES. WE WOULD NEVER ACCEPT IT IF OUR UNIVERSITIES WERE DESTROYED. OUR HEALTHCARE WORKERS SYSTEMATICALLY MURDERED. OUR FUTURES ROBBED FROM US. WE CAN'T ACCEPT THIS FOR PALESTINIANS. IF THESE POS PASS, WE KNOW IT WON'T STOP THE VIOLENCE AGAINST PALESTINIANS TOMORROW. WHEN CAMBRIDGE DIVESTED FROM SOUTH AFRICA IN 1980, IT DIDN'T END APARTHEID OVERNIGHT, BUT CITY COUNCIL HAS THE CHANCE TO DO SOMETHING POWERFUL AND LEAD THE WAY FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTRY. PLEASE [00:35:01] DIVEST IN BOYCOTT FROM THESE COMPLICIT COMPANIES AND PLEASE NAME ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE OF PALESTINIANS AS THE REASON WHY. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS HELEN L FOLLOWED BY RAMI MANBY, THEN EEV F HELEN. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS HELEN AND I HAVE BEEN A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT FOR OVER FIVE YEARS. I AM OF IRISH AND JEWISH HERITAGE. RECENTLY, A RELATIVE TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE UPSET THAT PEOPLE DID NOT DO MORE TO HELP VICTIMS DURING THE NAZI'S GENOCIDE. AND I ASKED, ARE WE DOING ENOUGH TO FIGHT THIS CURRENT GENOCIDE THAT ISRAEL IS COMMITTING AGAINST PALESTINIANS? SOME SPEAKERS TONIGHT WILL DENY THAT THIS IS A GENOCIDE, BUT HAVING WORKED IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND CONFLICT FOR YEARS, I RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS NOT A CONFLICT. THIS IS A GENOCIDE. THIS HAS BEEN CONFIRMED BY ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING THE UN AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL JEWISH VOICES FOR PEACE AND DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS. IT IS CLEAR WE MUST ALL ACT TO END THIS. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SUPPORT DIVESTMENT AND I WANT TO END BY SAYING WE DO NOT DENY THE TRAUMA THAT OPPRESSORS HAVE EXPERIENCED AT ANY STAGE IN THEIR INDIVIDUAL OR COLLECTIVE LIVES. WE SIMPLY REJECT THE NOTION THAT OTHERS SHOULD BECOME VICTIMS AS A RESULT OF IT. PLEASE VOTE THE MORAL WAY, PLEASE DIVEST. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RAMI MANGO, FOLLOWED BY ELEV F THEN PIPER M RAMI. ONE MINUTE. UH, GOOD EVENING. I AM RAMI MANBY. I LIVE IN NEWTON AND I WORK IN KENDALL SQUARE. THIS IS A ONE-SIDED POLITICAL WEAPON DESIGNED TO SINGLE OUT ISRAEL, THE ONLY JEWISH MAJORITY STATE ON THE PLANET AND THE ONLY DEMOCRACY IN THE MIDDLE EAST. I SPEAK AS A JEWISH REFUGEE FROM EGYPT, MY COMMUNITY, ALONG WITH NEARLY A MILLION JEWS ACROSS THE ARAB WORLD WITH ETHNICALLY CLEANSED AND FORCED TO FLEE. SIX OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS WERE MURDERED IN THE 1948 CAIRO MASSACRES. IN LATE 1960S, MY BROTHER AND MY UNCLE WERE ARBITRARILY IMPRISONED ALONG WITH ALL EGYPTIAN JEWISH MEN IN THE DETENTION CAMPS OF ABBO, ABBA, AND TORAH WHERE THEY WERE TORTURED FOR MORE THAN UH, THREE YEARS. ISRAEL WAS THE ONLY SANCTUARY IN THE REGION THAT, UH, WERE THE ONLY GENRE THAT WELCOME DOES. YET ON OCTOBER SEVEN, SIX DESCENDANTS OF MY CHIRO SYNAGOGUE WERE MURDERED. I URGE YOU TO REJECT THIS RESOLUTION AND TO JOIN THE ARAB REGION. THANK YOU, RAMI. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. PLEASE EMAIL US THE REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENT AND FOR ANYONE WHOSE TIME RUNS OUT AGAIN, CITY COUNCIL@CAMBRIDGEMA.GOV. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS E LEV F, FOLLOWED BY PIPER M, THEN JULIE ALTMAN E. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. ONE MINUTE. MY NAME IS LEV AND I'M A MEMBER OF VIA HAFTA A JUDAISM BEYOND ZIONISM SYNAGOGUE. BASED IN CAMBRIDGE WITH A NETWORK OF OVER 600 SUPPORTERS IN CAMBRIDGE AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, I DON'T WANT THE CITY MY CONGREGATION IS IN TO BE COMPLICIT IN A GENOCIDE WHERE PALESTINIAN CHILDREN ARE FORCED TO WATCH THEIR PARENTS BURN TO DEATH DUE TO ISRAELI AIRSTRIKES. ENSURING JEWISH SAFETY DOES NOT REQUIRE ISRAEL DESTROYING GAZA'S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM RESULTING IN FURTHER PALESTINIAN DEATHS. WHEN I'M IN CAMBRIDGE, I FEEL SAFE PRACTICING MY JUDAISM AND EXISTING AS A JEWISH PERSON, BUT PALESTINIANS CANNOT FREELY PRACTICE THEIR FAITH OR EVEN EXIST BECAUSE THEY ARE BEING MURDERED BY A COUNTRY SUPPORTED BY US. TAX DOLLARS ANTI-ZIONISM IS NOT ANTI-SEMITISM. MY SYNAGOGUE AND ITS MANY MEMBERS HERE IN CAMBRIDGE ARE PROOF OF THAT CITY COUNCIL MUST ACT TO REFLECT THE PEOPLE OF CAMBRIDGE'S VALUES BY PASSING A DIVESTMENT ORDINANCE THAT EXPLICITLY NAMES ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE AND PALESTINE. THANK YOU. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS PIPER M, FOLLOWED BY JULIE ALTMAN. THEN MICHAEL HANSEN PIPER. HI, GOOD EVENING COUNCIL. MY NAME IS PIPER AND I'VE LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE FOR THREE YEARS AND I'M A MEMBER OF CAMBRIDGE'S JEWISH COMMUNITY. I'M HERE TO SHARE MY OPINION, WHICH IS THAT IT IS IMPERATIVE FOR THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE TO DIVEST FROM COMPANIES THAT ARE COMPLICIT IN ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE. IN PALESTINE, OUR TAX DOLLARS SHOULD BE INVESTED LOCALLY, NOT WEAPONIZED GLOBALLY. WE CAN'T AFFORD TO INVEST THEM IN COMPANIES THAT PROFIT FROM BOMBING SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS, AND REFUGEE CAMPS ON A DAILY BASIS IN GAZA. IF YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO IS ON THE FENCE ABOUT THIS, PLEASE KNOW THAT DIVESTING FROM COMPANIES, COMPANIES WHO SUPPORT THIS WAR IS NOT AN ANTI-SEMITIC ACT. IT WILL NOT ALIENATE THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OF CAMBRIDGE. IT WILL ONLY DISPLEASE INDIVIDUALS WHO CONDONE BOMBING CHILDREN IN GAZA. PLEASE MAKE ME AND MY CAMBRIDGE PEERS PROUD BY HONORING YOUR MORAL DUTY AND OBLIGATION TO STAND UP AGAINST GENOCIDE. SET THE RIGHT EXAMPLE. STAND ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JULIE ALTMAN, FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL HANSON. THEN EVAN MCKAY. JULIE JULIE ALTMAN HUBBARD PARK ROAD, CAMBRIDGE. PLEASE [00:40:01] VOTE NO ON POLICY 1 95 AND 1 96. I'VE BEEN CURSED AT, THREATENED WITH VIOLENCE, SEEN HORRIFIC MESSAGES THROUGH GRAFFITI, BEEN APPROACHED BY SCREAMING ACTIVISTS, LITTERING OUR STREET WITH PAMPHLETS AND SHOUTING BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY. WHEN I ASKED THE ACTIVISTS IF WE COULD HAVE A DISCUSSION, I WAS TOLD AND I QUOTE, WELCOME TO CAMBRIDGE. IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, YOU CAN LEAVE. MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE FOR OVER 35 YEARS AND RAISED FOUR CHILDREN HERE. WE'VE BEEN ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY SERVING ON VARIOUS COMMITTEES. WE KNOW RESOLUTIONS LIKE THIS INCREASE ANTISEMITISM PASSING. THIS RESOLUTION IS TELLING ME THAT CAMBRIDGE IS NOT MY HOME. IT ENDORSES THE VERY PEOPLE WHO WANT ME TO LEAVE. I'M REALLY HOPING THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU WANT. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHAEL HANSON, FOLLOWED BY EVAN MACKAY. THEN MALA R MICHAEL. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. ONE MINUTE. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS MICHAEL HANSON, EAST CAMBRIDGE. WHY SINGLE OUT ISRAEL WHILE IGNORING GRAVE HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES ELSEWHERE IN RUSSIA, IRAN, CHINA, MYANMAR, TO NAME A FEW AND ISLAMIST TERRORISM, INCLUDING THE OCTOBER 7TH ATTACKS BY AMASS, WHICH DELIBERATELY TRIGGERED THIS CURRENT CONFLICT. 1200 ISRAELIS WERE MURDERED PROPORTIONATELY. THAT'S EQUIVALENT TO 42 THOUSANDS AMERICANS KILLED IN ONE DAY. THESE DOUBLE STANDARDS RISK LEGITIMIZING ANTISEMITISM, WHICH IS THE REAL DANGER HERE. UNDER THE GUISE OF HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCACY, PEOPLE CAN PROTEST ALL THEY WANT. HOWEVER, THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL IS NOT A COURT OF LAW AND SHOULD NOT BE USED TO PURSUE POLITICAL DISPUTES, IMPORTING FOREIGN CONFLICTS INTO LOCAL GOVERNANCE. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS EVAN MACKAY, FOLLOWED BY MALAC R THEN LAURA COHEN. EVAN, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE PLEASE GO AHEAD. HELLO, MY NAME'S EVAN MCKAY. THEY THEM, THEIRS. I LIVE ON GARDEN AND LINEAN STREET IN NEIGHBORHOOD NINE. SPEAKING IN SOLIDARITY WITH PALESTINE, I AGREE WITH A LOT OF WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID AND I WANT TO ADD CONTEXT TO AN ORGANIZATION MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES IN BOTH POLICY ORDERS, BUT WHAT HASN'T BEEN DISCUSSED TODAY. A FSC IS THE AMERICAN FRIEND SERVICE COMMITTEE AND ORGANIZATION FOUNDED AND GOVERNED BY QUAKERS AND RECIPIENT OF THE 1947 NOBEL PEACE PRIZE. I'M QUAKER. I GO TO FRIENDS MEETING CAMBRIDGE ON LONGFELLOW, QUAKERS AND A FSC SUPPORT BDS BECAUSE WE WANT THERE TO BE MEANINGFUL WAYS TO MAKE AN IMPACT PEACEFULLY RATHER THAN RESORTING TO MORE VIOLENCE. WE WANT NONVIOLENT ECONOMIC PRESSURE. THIS IS NOT ABOUT DIVESTING FROM ALL COMPANIES WITH TIES TO ISRAEL AND IT CERTAINLY IS NOT ABOUT DIVESTING FROM JEWISH OWNED OR JEWISH LED COMPANIES. THIS IS ABOUT COMPANIES IDENTIFIED BY AFSC AS HAVING SEVERE, CONSISTENT AND DIRECT INVOLVEMENT IN THE GENOCIDE, APARTHEID, AND OCCUPATION OF PALESTINE. LEARN MORE AT AFSC.ORG/DIVEST. THANK YOU AND SOLIDARITY FOREVER. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MALACH R, FOLLOWED BY LAURA COHEN. THEN BARRY PERLMAN MALACH. ONE MINUTE PLEASE GO AHEAD. MY NAME IS MALEEK AND I'VE BEEN A CAMBRIDGE CITY EMPLOYEE FOR OVER 15 YEARS. I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF CAMBRIDGE, DIVESTING FROM ISRAELI COMPANIES THAT ARE COMPLICIT IN THE GENOCIDE OF PALESTINIANS. THESE COMPANIES ARE MAKING A PROFIT OUT OF THIS GENOCIDE. THEY SHARE THEIR TECH THAT THEY OPENLY BRAG AS BATTLE TESTED WITH US COMPANIES, WITH THE MILITARY, WITH ICE, WITH COPS, THE SAME COPS WHO KILL AND BRUTALIZE PEOPLE. HERE, THESE COMPANIES ARE DRIPPING WITH BLOOD FROM HEAD TO TOE AND THESE DEALS WHITEWASH ISRAEL'S CRIMES. THIS IS GENOCIDE LAUNDERING. THIS IS NOT JUST A MORAL OBLIGATION. THIS AFFECTS US DIRECTLY HERE AND WE MUST RESIST THIS ECONOMY OF GENOCIDE. WE MUST DISMANTLE THE MATERIAL BASIS OF THE ISRAELI ECONOMIC RELATIONSHIP. NOW, IF WE ARE NOT ACTIVELY AGAINST THIS, THEN WE ARE SUPPORTING IT. THIS IS OUR LIBERATION. THESE ARE THE SAME COMPANIES. THIS IS THE SAME COLONIZATION. OUR STRUGGLE IS ONE. NONE OF US ARE FREE UNTIL ALL OF US ARE FREE. FREE PALESTINE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LAURA COHEN. WE ARE AT SPEAKER NUMBER 30, LAURA COHEN, FOLLOWED BY BARRY PERLMAN. THEN JOEL TI LAUREN, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. HI, I AM LAURA COHEN ROCKINGHAM STREET, BORN AND RAISED IN CAMBRIDGE. NOW RAISING MY KIDS HERE. I LOVE THIS CITY AND I POSE 1 95 AND 1 96. I'M DEEPLY UPSET THAT WE'RE HERE AGAIN. THESE RESOLUTIONS MAKE SWEEPING FALSE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST ISRAEL AND FORCE PEACE-LOVING JEWISH RESIDENTS TO STAND ON TRIAL DEFENDING THEIR PEOPLE IN LESS THAN A MINUTE. PLEASE STOP DOING THIS TO OUR COMMUNITY. ISRAEL'S NOT BEYOND CRITICISM, BUT THIS GOES FAR BEYOND CRITICIZING GOVERNMENT POLICY. IT DEMONIZES AN ENTIRE COUNTRY, REVIVING A DANGEROUS HISTORY [00:45:01] OF SPREADING OUTRAGEOUS ACCUSATIONS AGAINST JEWS AND PORTRAYING THEM AS UNIQUELY EVIL. ISRAEL IS CENTRAL TO JEWISH HISTORY, RELIGION AND IDENTITY. HALF THE WORLD'S JEWS LIVE THERE AND THIS DEMONIZATION FOLLOWS JEWISH AND ISRAELI FAMILIES INTO OUR SCHOOLS, WORKPLACES AND NEIGHBORHOODS. BDS IS NOT A PEACE MOVEMENT. IT'S A PRESSURE CAMPAIGN THAT SEEKS TO ISOLATE AND DISMANTLE ISRAEL, NOT BUILD PEACE THROUGH MUTUAL ACCEPTANCE AND COEXISTENCE. PLEASE DON'T LET CAMBRIDGE BECOME A PAWN IN THIS GLOBAL BDS CAMPAIGN. LET'S BUILD TRUST AND COMMUNITY, NOT TEAR EACH OTHER APART. LET OUR COUNCIL GET BACK TO THE IMPORTANT WORK OF RUNNING OUR CITY. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BARRY PERLMAN, FOLLOWED BY JOEL TI. THEN SHARON KREBS. BARRY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE PLEASE. GO AHEAD. CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN. PLEASE GO AHEAD. MOST PEOPLE WOULD AGREE THAT A GLASS OF COCA-COLA AND A GLASS OF WATER ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT COKE IS 99% WATER. ANTI-ZIONISM AND ANTI-SEMITISM ARE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT, BUT GET REAL ANTI-ZIONISM IS 99% ANTI-SEMITISM. MILLIONS OF BLACK AND BROWN PEOPLE VOTED FOR DONALD TRUMP, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT TRUMP AND THE MAGA MOVEMENT ARE NOT PROFOUNDLY RACIST. SO JEWS PARTICIPATING IN THE ANTI-ZIONIST MOVEMENT PROVES NOTHING. NOW, THERE'S A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CRITICIZING THE COUNTRY'S LEADERS OR ACTIONS AND SAYING THAT THE COUNTRY SHOULDN'T EXIST. ANTI-ZIONISM IS NOT CRITICISM OF ISRAEL IS SAYING ISRAEL SHOULD BE DESTROYED AND IT'S REALLY ANTI-SEMITISM BECAUSE THE ANTI-ZIONISTS DO NOT APPLY ANY SIMILAR LOGIC TO ANY OTHER COUNTRY, LEAST OF ALL, TO THE MANY HORRIFIC REGIMES IN THE MUSLIM ARAB WORLD WHERE GENOCIDAL VIOLENCE AGAINST KURDS, YAZIDI, BAHAI, MIZRAHI, AND OTHER MINORITIES IS COMMON AND WHERE WARS HAVE KILLED, NOT TENS OF THOUSANDS BUT MILLIONS OF PEOPLE. MY CAMBRIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD AND I'VE LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE FOR 50 YEARS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. VERY INSPIRED. PLEASE EMAIL US THE REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENT. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOEL TI, FOLLOWED BY SHARON KREBS. THEN SUSAN HIRSCH. JOEL TI JOEL IS NOT WITH US. WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO SHARON KREBS. SHARON, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI, MY NAME IS SHARON KRABS LEVEL ROAD. THIS ORDER THAT IS UP FOR VOTE IS BASED ON MYTHS, TRUTHS, LIBELS AND HATE. IT IS DRIVEN BY HATRED FOR ISRAEL AND JEWS. THIS IS THE ONLY EXPLANATION FOR SINGLING OUT THE ONLY JEWISH COUNTRY FOR TARGETED CONDEMNATION. IT SCREAMS DISCRIMINATION LOUD AND CLEAR. THE FACT THAT THIS RESOLUTION TO OSTRACIZE AND DEMONIZE ISRAEL IS NOW BEING CARRIED FORWARD BY THE CITY COUNCIL. THE SAME ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO TOOK A PLEDGE TO ENSURE THE EQUAL TREATMENT OF ALL PEOPLE DEMONSTRATES THAT THEY HAVE CAPITULATED TO THE DRIVERS OF THIS HATE MOVEMENT AND A CLIMATE OF RISING VIOLENCE AGAINST JEWS. A YES VOTE ON THIS RESOLUTION WILL EMBOLDEN THESE LOUD VOICES SEEKING TO DESTROY AND DIVIDE. THERE IS NO GENOCIDE. A YES VOTE WILL PROVIDE A CITY SANCTIONED PERMISSION STRUCTURE TO FURTHER MARGINALIZE AND EXCLUDE JEWS, MINIMIZE THEIR CONCERNS, FALSELY, ACCUSE THEM OF COLLECTIVE GUILT AND BRING HARM. I URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO REJECT. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SUSAN HIRSH, FOLLOWED BY PRESTON NEIL. THEN NANCY GOLD. SUSAN, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. THANK YOU SO MUCH MY, I'M SORRY. MY NAME IS SUE HIRSH. I'M A FROM WEST CAMBRIDGE. I'M A FORMER TEACHER AND A PARENT OF EIGHT AND NINE YEAR OLDS. I HAD TO SPEAK TO YOU TODAY AS A MOM, A TEACHER, A CARING CITIZEN. AS A JEWISH PERSON IN MY LIFE, I'VE HAD MONEY THROWN AT ME AND EXPERIENCED ALL KINDS OF HATRED. I JUST WANT TO EXPLAIN THAT IT IS CLEAR FROM THE ANGER IN THIS ROOM AND THE HAND GESTURES AND NEGATIVITY. YOU CAN SEE THE KIND OF NEGATIVITY THAT HAPPENS. THIS IS A PLACE THAT I WANT TO FEEL SAFE. I WANT MY CHILDREN TO FEEL SAFE. I AM PRO-PALESTINIAN, PROJE PROSAFE PRO, EVERYONE FEELING SAFE AND WELCOME. SINCE THE LAST FEW YEARS, I HAVE FELT UNSAFE IN THIS CITY AND THIS RESOLUTION WILL ONLY MAKE IT CONTINUE. PLEASE STOP THE DIVISIVENESS. THIS IS NOT AN ARGUMENT ABOUT GENOCIDE. THIS IS ABOUT EVERYONE FEELING SAFE. PLEASE OPPOSE THESE PROPOSITIONS FOR ME AND MY CHILDREN. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER, WE ARE GONNA GO BACK. UH, MADAM CLERK, WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO JOEL TI, WHO WE JUST CALLED JOEL, PLEASE COME TO THE MIC. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. I'M JOEL TI. I LIVE IN NORTH CAMBRIDGE. I'VE LOST FAMILY IN THE MIDDLE EAST [00:50:01] CONFLICT. IT'S BEEN AN ENORMOUS PART OF MY FAMILY STORIES FOR GENERATIONS. AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF SUFFERING. I CARE DEEPLY. I CAME HERE TO THE US AS A CHILD. I'VE LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE SINCE 1994. I WORK HERE. I LIVE HERE. I RAISED TWO CHILDREN HERE. WE ARE A SAFE AND WELCOMING COMMUNITY. WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON THAT. SO I ASK YOU DON'T IMPORT THE CONFLICT FROM WHERE I CAME FROM HERE. YOU SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING TONIGHT. DON'T MAKE THIS WHAT WE DO HERE IN CAMBRIDGE. THESE POLICY ORDERS CAME OUT ON THURSDAY. ON SATURDAY, A PETITION WAS STARTED ASKING YOU TO JUST VOTE NO MORE THAN 650. PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED IT IN BARELY TWO DAYS AND THEY'RE STILL SIGNING IT AS WE SPEAK. DON'T AMEND IT, DON'T WORDSMITH IT. JUST VOTE NO. MAKE IT CLEAR THIS IS NOT WHO WE ARE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS PRESTON NEIL, FOLLOWED BY NANCY GOLD. THEN MICHAEL LIB LIEB PRESTON. PRESTON, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR, PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI PRESTON NEIL. I LIVE IN PORTER SQUARE IN CAMBRIDGE. SUPPORTERS OF THESE POLICY ORDERS SAY SOME JEWISH RESIDENTS BACK THEM SO THEY CAN'T BE BIASED AGAINST JEWS. IMAGINE TELLING A MEXICAN AMERICAN THAT SOME LATINOS SUPPORT STRICT IMMIGRATION CONTROLS SO HE SHOULDN'T WORRY ABOUT BEING TARGETED BY ICE. LET'S NOT BE NAIVE. THIS ORDER WILL PROVIDE A PERMISSION STRUCTURE TO STIGMATIZE JEWS AND ISRAELIS IN CAMBRIDGE WHO REFUSE TO DISAVOW ISRAEL'S RIGHT TO EXIST. IT WILL ALSO DO NOTHING TO HELP PALESTINIANS AS THE FAR RIGHT PARTIES IN ISRAEL SIMPLY USE BDS CAMPAIGNS TO BOLSTER THEIR OWN STANDING. IT'S NO COINCIDENCE THAT PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU IS FEATURING MOMANI IN HIS REELECTION CAMPAIGN. IF THE COUNCIL WANTS TO SPEND TIME AND MONEY ON THIS TOPIC, A FAR MORE CONSTRUCTIVE APPROACH WOULD BE TO FACILITATE INTERGROUP DIALOGUE AND LEARNING FORUM ON THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT. WE DON'T ALL HAVE TO AGREE, BUT WE DO HAVE TO LIVE TOGETHER. WE NEED TO TURN DOWN THE TEMPERATURE BEFORE IT REACHES A BOILING POINT. VOTE NO ON POLICY ORDERS SEVEN AND EIGHT. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NANCY GOLD, FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL SALIB. THEN DAVID FRIEDMAN. I'M NANCY GOLD. I MOVED TO CAMBRIDGE IN 1998 AS A ZIONIST. I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT PALESTINIANS UNTIL I HEARD AN NPR STORY ABOUT ISRAELIS DESTROYING PALESTINIAN FAMILIES, OLIVE TREES. IN THAT MOMENT, I REALIZED I'VE BEEN ROOTING FOR THE WRONG TEAM MY WHOLE LIFE. TODAY MANY HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS HAVE CONFIRMED THE DEVASTATING KILLINGS IN GAZA AS A GENOCIDE. IN ITS JULY, 2025 REPORT OUR GENOCIDE, BUT SELEM RECOUNTS A SURVIVOR DESCRIBING TENTS FILLED WITH THE BODIES OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN AND THE TERROR OF EXPECTING TO BE BOMBED AND KILLED. CAMBRIDGE MUST NOT INVEST OUR MONEY IN COMPANIES SUPPLYING WEAPONS USED IN THIS ONGOING HORROR, MY HUSBAND PAYS MORE THAN $40,000 A YEAR IN CAMBRIDGE PROPERTY TAXES. HE DOES NOT WANT ONE PENNY OF THAT MONEY SUPPORTING THIS DEVASTATION. CAMBRIDGE MUST TAKE A STAND. DIVEST. THANK YOU. PLEASE EMAIL US THE REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENT. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHAEL LIB, FOLLOWED BY DAVID FRIEDMAN. THEN BEN ROBERTS. MICHAEL, ONE MINUTE PLEASE GO AHEAD. UH, GOOD AFTERNOON. UM, I LIVE IN NORTH CAMBRIDGE. UH, I ALSO WORK IN CAMBRIDGE. UH, I HAVE, I OWN MY HOME HERE. I HAVE TWO CHILDREN. ONE IS A REFUGEE FROM AFGHANISTAN. ONE IS MY BIOLOGICAL SON. UH, I'M AN ARAB AMERICAN AND PRETTY MUCH EVERY DAY I LOOK AT PICTURES OF CHILDREN IN GAZA THAT LOOK IDENTICAL TO MY KIDS. THEY HAVE THE SAME EYES, THE SAME NOSE, THE SAME HAIR, AND THEY ARE GETTING BOMBED AND STARVED TO DEATH BY ISRAEL AND MY CHILDREN ARE SAFE. AND HONESTLY, THE FACT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS MAKES ME FEEL THAT CAMBRIDGE IS NO LONGER A HOME FOR ME. THE FACT THAT MY CHILDREN ARE DEHUMANIZED, THAT I AM DEHUMANIZED BECAUSE LET ME TELL YOU, WE ARE EXACTLY THE SAME AS THOSE PEOPLE IN GAZA, THOSE PEOPLE IN GAZA THAT CAMBRIDGE MONEY GOES TO SUPPORT THE BOMBING AND STARVATION OF. SO I VOTE FOR JUST I URGE DIVESTMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAVID FRIEDMAN, FOLLOWED BY BEN ROBERTS. THEN ROBIN BUCK DAVID ONE MINUTE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DAVID FRIEDMAN. I WAS FIRST ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MASSACHUSETTS AND HAVE SERVED ON THE MASSACHUSETTS SPECIAL COMMISSION ON COMBATING ANTISEMITISM AND I TEACH AT HARVARD LAW SCHOOL. [00:55:01] UNDER THE PREEMINENT DEFINITION OF ANTISEMITISM, IT CAN BE ANTISEMITIC TO APPLY A DOUBLE STANDARD TO ISRAEL, THE WORLD'S ONLY JEWISH STATE. THE PROPOSED POLICY ORDERS ARE FILLED WITH INFLAMMATORY ACCUSATIONS AGAINST ISRAEL THAT AREN'T TRUE. BUT EVEN IF THERE WERE TRUTH TO THESE CLAIMS, THE PROPOSALS COMPLETELY IGNORE. FAR WORSE. ATROCITIES COMMITTED BY ISRAEL'S NEIGHBORS. DO WE NOT CARE ABOUT THE ACTUAL GENOCIDE AND MASS MURDER COMMITTED BY SUDAN, YEMEN, IRAN, RUSSIA, AND GAZA UNDER HAMAS RULE THAN MANY MIDDLE EAST NATIONS PERSECUTE JEWS AND HAVE DRIVEN THEM ALL OUT THAT THESE NATIONS TORTURE AND KILL AND MURDER L-G-B-T-Q PEOPLE AND WOULD TREAT WOMEN AS SECOND CLASS CITIZENS. THE ISSUE BEFORE YOU COMES DOWN TO A VERY SIMPLE QUESTION. WHY WOULD CAMBRIDGE SINGLE OUT THE TINY AND WORLD'S ONLY JEWISH STATE FOR CONDEMNATION AND BDS, BUT DELIBERATELY IGNORE PROVEN ATROCITIES BY ISRAEL'S NEIGHBORS? OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BEN ROBERTS, FOLLOWED BY ROBIN BUCK. THEN JANICE BROADMAN. BEN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. ONE MINUTE. HELLO. UM, MY NAME'S BEN. I'VE LIVED IN AND AROUND CAMBRIDGE FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND I HEAR AGAIN AND AGAIN IN THESE COMMENTS THAT THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THIS FEELING OF BEING UNSAFE IN CAMBRIDGE IF THIS IS VOTED THROUGH. BUT I HEAR AGAIN AND AGAIN TOO ABOUT PEOPLE'S FAMILIES BEING MURDERED, ABOUT PEOPLE BEING SLAUGHTERED BY THESE COMPANIES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DIVEST FROM, THAT WE'RE ASKING TO MOVE AWAY FROM. AND THESE ARE COMPANIES THAT ARE NOT NAMED BECAUSE I DON'T THINK MANY PEOPLE HERE WANT TO GET UP AND SAY, I SUPPORT PALANTIR. I SUPPORT LOCKHEED MARTIN. AND SO IT'S EASY TO TALK AROUND THE ISSUE. IT'S EASY TO SAY, WELL, HERE ARE THE OTHER REASONS WHY NOT. BUT AT THE CORE OF THIS, I DO NOT WANT ANY OF MY TAX DOLLARS, ANY OF MY SUPPORT TO BE GOING TOWARDS THESE COMPANIES THAT DO SUCH AWFUL, BRUTAL THINGS ABROAD HERE, ANYWHERE ELSE. AND I THINK THAT IT'S TELLING AS WELL THAT VERY FEW ANTI RESOLUTION PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO ADMIT WHAT THOSE COMPANIES ACTUALLY ARE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ROBIN BUCK, FOLLOWED BY JANICE BROADMAN, THEN JONAS HANSEN. ROBIN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF. ONE MINUTE. I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE ACTIVISTS WHO BROUGHT POLICY ORDER SEVEN BEFORE THE COUNCIL TONIGHT. I WAS A PART OF THE GROUP THAT BROUGHT BDS POLICY ORDERS BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL IN 2018 AND 21. AND THOSE EXPERIENCES TAUGHT ME AND MY COMRADES A LESSON WE COULD ONLY HAVE LEARNED THROUGH EXPERIENCE THAT WE ARE SO MUCH STRONGER WHEN WE STOP APPEALING TO PEOPLE IN POWER TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND START APPEALING TO THE PEOPLE TO TAKE THE POWER AND DO THE RIGHT THING OURSELVES. AND THAT IS NOT JUST RHETORIC BECAUSE THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE DID IN 2024. THAT SAME GROUP OF PEOPLE FORCED ISRAEL'S LARGEST WEAPONS DEALER ELBIT SYSTEMS OUT OF CAMBRIDGE. AND WE DID IT WITHOUT ASKING A SINGLE THING FROM THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL. AND I SAY THIS NOT AS A CRITICISM OF YOU FOR BRINGING THIS POLICY ORDER BEFORE THE COUNCIL TONIGHT. I SAY IT BECAUSE IF TOMORROW YOU FEEL HEARTBROKEN, I WANT YOU TO KNOW YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT FOR THEM TO END CAMBRIDGE'S SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL. YOU HAVE THE POWER TO END CAMBRIDGE'S SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL YOURSELVES, AND YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO DO SO BECAUSE WHO ARE WE IF WE CANNOT STOP THIS GENOCIDE? OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JANICE BROADMAN, FOLLOWED BY JONAS HANSEN. THEN ZEV MISEL MICHELLE, SORRY. UH, WE ARE AT SPEAKER NUMBER 41. JANICE BROADMAN. JANICE, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF. CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN. PLEASE GO AHEAD. MY NAME'S JANICE BROADMAN. I LIVE IN ARLINGTON, BUT LIVE DECADES IN CAMBRIDGE. I OPPOSE THE NETANYAHU GOVERNMENT. I ALSO OPPOSE THIS MEASURE. THE BDS IGNORES MASSIVE DEMONSTRATIONS BY ISRAELIS AGAINST NETANYAHU AND THEIR WORK FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE. THAT'S COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT AND WE SHOULD NOT COMMIT IT. THE IMPACT'S ALSO BAD HERE. MY BROTHER-IN-LAW GOT, UH, TREATMENT CRUCIAL TREATMENT FOR A STROKE THAT WAS MADE IN ISRAEL. BBDS COULD END ACCESS TO SUCH TREATMENTS FOR EVERYONE TREATED IN ISRAEL AND TREATED IN CAMBRIDGE. A A TEACHER MIGHT NOT EVEN TRY TO BRING ISRAELI AND PALESTINIAN PEACE ACTIVISTS TO SHOW HOW TO TALK ACROSS DEEP DIVIDES. IS THAT THE LESSON WE WANT FOR OUR KIDS? MASSACHUSETTS ALREADY HAS THE FOURTH HIGHEST RATE OF ANTI JEWISH CRIMES IN THE COUNTRY. CAMBRIDGE SHOULD SHOW HOW PEOPLE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO SOLVE PROBLEMS. NOT SHUT OUT. ONE SIDE, PLEASE VOTE NO. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JONAS HANSON, FOLLOWED BY ZEV MICHELLE. THEN JACOB BROWN. JONAS JONAS HAS NOT JOINED US. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO ZEV MICHELLE, THEN JACOB BROWN, THEN FAITH T [01:00:01] JACOB. SORRY, ZEV. DEAR COUNCIL MEMBERS, MY NAME IS ZEV AND I'M A CO-FOUNDER OF MINION ZITE, A CAMBRIDGE AND SOMERVILLE BASED ANTI ZIONIST JEWISH COMMUNITY. WE CHOSE THE NAME ZITE BECAUSE IT'S A WORD SHARED IN BOTH ARABIC AND HEBREW TO EVOKE OLIVES, A SYMBOL OF PALESTINE, SOLIDARITY AND PEACE. OUR COMMUNITY HAS MADE A SPIRITUAL HOME FOR HUNDREDS OF JEWS TO GATHER, TO RESIST THE WEAPONIZATION OF OUR IDENTITIES AND INSIST THAT NEVER AGAIN MEANS WE MUST FIGHT TO END THE GENOCIDE IN GAZA. I'M HERE TO SHARE THAT ANTI-ZIONISM IS NOT ANTI-SEMITIC AND IS AN EXPRESSION OF MY DEEPLY HELD JEWISH VALUES. I'M JOINING OTHERS TODAY TO CALL ON THE CITY COUNCIL TO ENSURE OUR PUBLIC FUNDS DON'T SUPPORT ATROCITIES, AND INSTEAD ARE AN EXPRESSION OF OUR DE OF OUR DEEPEST SPIRITUAL VALUES. THANK YOU. WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO JONAS HANSON, FOLLOWED BY JACOB BROWN. THEN FAITH T JONAS. YOU HAVE THE JONAS, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD. ONE MINUTE. HI, THIS IS JONAS. UH, I LIVE IN EAST CAMBRIDGE AND YEAH, I'M ASKING YOU TO VOTE NO ON THIS POLICY ORDER. UH, THESE, YOU KNOW, ORDERS HAND CONTROL OF CAMBRIDGE'S INVESTMENT AND CONTRACTING DECISIONS TO AN OUTSIDE ADVOCACY GROUP. UM, AND YOU KNOW, THIS COUNCIL DOESN'T WRITE THAT LIST OR APPROVE IT AND IT CAN, YOU KNOW, IT CAN CHANGE WITHOUT A SINGLE PUBLIC VOTE. THAT ALONE SHOULD, YOU KNOW, GIVE YOU PAUSE AND YOU KNOW, I'M ALSO HERE AS JUST A JEWISH RESIDENT. THIS ORDER WOULD PUT OUR CITY ON RECORD ACCUSING, YOU KNOW, ISRAEL OF GENOCIDE AND APARTHEID AND IT SINGLES OUT ISRAEL BONDS BY, BY NAME AND I, AND I'M SURE MANY OTHERS HAVE WATCHED THAT THIS KIND OF RHETORIC SPILL SPILLS VIOLENCE AGAINST JEWISH COMMUNITIES ALL OVER THE WORLD AND, UH, I'M FRIGHTENED OF WHAT IT SIGNALS HERE, UH, IN MY OWN HOME. SO THIS ORDER SAYS IT CONDENSED ANTISEMITISM, SO LET'S PLEASE LISTEN TO THE JEWISH RESIDENTS AND TELLING YOU HOW IT LANDS. SO THANKS. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JACOB BROWN, FOLLOWED BY FAITH T THEN EVAN FONTANA. JACOB, ONE MINUTE PLEASE. GO AHEAD. UH, HI. MY NAME IS JACOB AND I LIVE HERE IN CAMBRIDGE. I'M HERE BECAUSE AS A CONSTITUENT OF CAMBRIDGE, I THINK IT IS MORALLY NECESSARY TO DO OUR PART TO STOP INVESTING IN CONTRACTING WITH COMPANIES COMPLICIT IN ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE APART HIDE AND OCCUPATION OF PALESTINIANS. I'VE BEEN VISITING MY FAMILY IN CAMBRIDGE SINCE I WAS A TODDLER AND LIVED HERE FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS AND TO ME IT'S ALWAYS REPRESENTED A PLACE THAT STRIVES FOR EQUITY AND UNIVERSAL RIGHTS. THAT'S WHY I'M PROUD WHEN I SEE BILLS LIKE OUR SANCTUARY CITY ORDINANCE PASS. IT'S ALSO WHY I'M PROUD WHEN I LOOK AT OUR HISTORY AND SEE THAT IN 1980 CAMBRIDGE DIVESTED FROM APART HEIGHT SOUTH AFRICA AND CALLED OUT THE PRACTICE SPECIFICALLY AS BEING ABHORRENT TO EVERY PRINCIPLE OF HUMAN RIGHTS. WE FACE A SIMILAR DECISION TODAY TIME AND TIME AGAIN WE SEE HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS EXPLICITLY NAME ISRAEL AS APART HA OF PALESTINIANS, INCLUDING THE U-N-H-R-O, THE ICJ AND AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AND EXPLICITLY NAMED GENOCIDE, INCLUDING THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF GENOCIDE SCHOLARS AND PATEL. WE KNOW WE'RE LOOKING AT IN 1980 WHEN WE PASSED THE POLICY ORDER TO DIVEST FROM SOUTH AFRICA. THE BILL READ THAT DIVESTMENT WAS ESSENTIAL, BOTH IN ORDER TO AVOID PARTICIPATION AND INJUSTICE AND IN ORDER TO TAKE SOME, SOME SMALL ACTION TO BEGIN TO END IT. JACOB, I BELIEVE WE HAVE THE POWER RESPONSIBILITY. JACOB, PLEASE EMAIL US THE REMAIN REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENT, YOUR TIME IS EXPIRED. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS FAITH T FOLLOWED BY EVAN FONTANA. THEN LUKE A WHERE AT SPEAKER NUMBER 45. FAITH, PLEASE GO AHEAD ONE MINUTE. HI, MY NAME IS FAITH. I'VE LIVED IN RIVERSIDE FOR NEARLY 13 YEARS. IN THE SPRING OF THIS YEAR, I WOULD WAKE UP EVERY MORNING TO A VOICE NOTE FROM MY AUNT IN LEBANON SAYING THAT THEY WERE OKAY AND NOT TO WORRY ABOUT THE NEWS THAT THE BOMBS WERE CLOSE BUT DIDN'T HIT THEM. WHERE MY FAMILY, WHERE MY FAMILY LIVES IN BEIRUT IS CONSIDERED SAFE, BUT WHAT IS ACTUALLY SAFE ABOUT LIVING NEXT TO A STATE THAT INDISCRIMINATELY BOMBS WHOLE NEIGHBORHOODS INTO OBLIVION. A STATE THAT DELIBERATELY DESTROYS BRIDGES AND WATER INFRASTRUCTURE AND UNLAWFULLY SPRAYS WHITE PHOSPHORUS OVER FARMLAND. WE IN CAMBRIDGE ARE THE ACTUAL SAFE ONES. I LOVE THIS CITY, BUT IT DISTURBS ME THAT I GET TO BE SO COMFORTABLE WHILE MY TAX DOLLARS GO TOWARDS FUNDING THE DESTRUCTION OF MY HOMELAND AND THE GENI GENOCIDE OF PALESTINIANS. WE MUST DO WHAT WE DID DURING SOUTH AFRICA'S APARTHEID. WE MUST NAME ISRAEL AND THE GENOCIDE OF PALESTINIANS AND DIVEST FROM THE WORST OF THE WORST COMPANIES COMPLICIT IN THIS GENOCIDE. DO THE RIGHT THING. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS EVAN FONTANA, FOLLOWED BY LUKE A THEN AARON GABER. EVAN, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE, PLEASE GO AHEAD. GOOD EVENING, EVAN JAMES FONTANA SOMERVILLE, RESIDENT COUNSELORS, YOU MUST VOTE NO ON THESE RESOLUTION SEVEN AND EIGHT. FIRST, YOU HAVE A FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY TO THE CITY. IF YOU BOYCOTT COUNTRIES ACCUSED OF ATROCITIES, WHY SINGLE OUT [01:05:01] ISRAEL? THE ICJ HASN'T RULED ON THE GENOCIDE CHARGE AND THE ICCS HIGH LEVEL MILITARY GROUPS SAID ISRAEL SETS A NEW STANDARD FOR PROTECTING CIVIL CIVILIANS AND WAR. A COUNTRY BENT ON GENOCIDE DOESN'T DELIVER OVER 2 MILLION TONS OF FOOD, VACCINATE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN AGAINST POLIO OR WARN CIVILIANS BEFORE ATTACKING BECAUSE THAT SHOWS THE OPPOSITE OF INTENT. THESE PROTESTORS CLAIM THIS IS FOR MORAL CLARITY BUT ARE SILENT WHEN IRAN KILLS OVER 50,000 OF THEIR OWN PEOPLE IN TWO DAYS SUDAN WITH HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS KILLED ON A TRUE FAMINE IN CHINA WITH THE UYGHURS AMONG COUNTLESS OTHER EXAMPLES. FINALLY, WHEN INEVITABLY A LAWSUIT COMES YOUR WAY, WHO WILL PAY THE COUNSELORS PUSHING THIS OR CAMBRIDGE? OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LUKE A FOLLOWED BY AARON GABER. THEN SOPHIA MERRIWEATHER. LUKE, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. HI, MY NAME IS LUKE. I LIVE ON MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE JUST THREE BLOCKS AWAY FROM HERE. WHILE LIVING IN CAMBRIDGE, I'VE EXPERIENCED INCREDIBLE PASSION FROM SO MANY PEOPLE WHO CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THE GENOCIDE AND PALESTINE. NOW YOU ALL CAN SEE THE QUANTITY OF THAT INDELIBLE PASSION WITH YOUR OWN EYES. IF YOU DECIDED TONIGHT THAT YOU CAN'T, THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO TAKE ACTION, THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO RECOGNIZE AND NAME ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE OF PALESTINIANS, THAT TO ALL OF THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOU BECOME SOMEONE WHO'S OKAY WITH UNIMAGINABLE INHUMANITY THAT YOU HAD A CHANCE TO SAY YOU STAND AGAINST GENOCIDE AND YOU DID NOTHING. PLEASE ASK YOURSELF, IS THAT HOW YOU WANT YOUR CONSTITUENTS TO REMEMBER YOU BY? IS THAT A SHAME? YOU ARE OKAY WITH LIVING WITH? I'D ALSO LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THE LOUD MUSIC YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD COMING THROUGH THE WINDOW DURING THIS MEETING AND THAT IS FROM A GROUP OF THE DIVESTMENT OPPOSITION WHO ARE BLASTING MUSIC. WHILE SUPPORTERS OF THESE POLICY ORDERS TRY TO LISTEN TO THE LIVE STREAM OF THE MEETING. SO JUST I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT IT'S ONE GROUP WHO IS BEING DISRUPTIVE AND AND ESCALATING AND I'D LIKE YOU TO THINK ABOUT WHY. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS AARON GABER, FOLLOWED BY SOPHIA MERRIWEATHER. THEN YOU ALL SPIEGLER. AARON, PLEASE COME TO THE MIC. ONE MINUTE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS RABBI AARON GABER AND I LIVE ON BEACON IN SOMERVILLE AND I REGULARLY SPEND TIME IN CAMBRIDGE ATTENDING SYNAGOGUE SHOPPING, ENJOYING ALL THAT GREAT CITY HAS TO OFFER. AS A RABBI AND A CHAPLAIN, I HAVE DEDICATED MY CAREER TO BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER ACROSS RELIGIOUS, CULTURAL, AND POLITICAL DIFFERENCES. I SUPPORT PALESTINIAN DIGNITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS WHILE AFFIRMING ISRAEL'S RIGHT TO PEACE AND SECURITY. THESE PRINCIPLES ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. I OPPOSE THESE RESOLUTIONS BECAUSE THEY RAISE SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT COMMUNITY, DIVISION AND ECONOMIC RESPONSIBILITY. BOYCOTTS, DEEPEN DIVISIONS INSTEAD OF FOSTERING DIALOGUE, UNDERSTANDING AND RECONCILIATION DECISIONS MADE HERE AFFECT CAMBRIDGE'S JEWISH, MUSLIM, ISRAELI, PALESTINIAN, AND OTHER COMMUNITIES. INSTEAD OF PASSING MEASURES THAT WILL AFFECT NO CHANGE IN THE MIDDLE EAST, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO THINK ABOUT MEASURES WHICH WILL BRING MEANINGFUL, MEANINGFUL. THANK YOU. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. PLEASE EMAIL US THE REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENT. THANK YOU. WE WILL GO TO SOPHIA MERRIWEATHER FOLLOWED BY YUVAL SPIEGLER, THEN DAVID LICHTER SOPHIA, ONE MINUTE. HI, MY NAME IS SOPHIA MERRIWEATHER. I'M A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT AND I WORK AT THE CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ASK THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL TO PASS POLICY ORDER NUMBER SEVEN AND NUMBER EIGHT. IT'S OUR TAX DOLLARS, OUR MONEY HERE IN AMERICA THAT ALLOWS THE ATROCITIES IN PALESTINE TO CONTINUE. IN THIS CASE, IT'S MY PENSION. AS A CITY EMPLOYEE THAT IS BEING INVESTED IN GENOCIDE, I'M HERE TO ASK THE CITY COUNCIL DON'T ALLOW OUR MONEY TO FUND WAR AND TERROR. IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO STAND AGAINST VIOLENCE, AGAINST OPPRESSION AND AGAINST GENOCIDE. WE MUST NAME ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE OF PALESTINIANS. THIS IS NOTHING NEW FOR THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE. CAMBRIDGE DIVESTED FROM SOUTH AFRICA BACK IN 1980. I URGED THE CITY COUNCIL TO LEAN ON THIS HISTORY OF MORAL COURAGE AND TO PASS THESE POLICY ORDERS AND DIVEST OUR MONEY FROM ISRAEL. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SPEAKER NUMBER 50, YUVAL SPIELER, FOLLOWED BY DAVID LICHTER. THEN DANIELLE MULLIGAN. YUVAL, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. HELLO EVERYONE. MY NAME IS YUVAL. I LIVE ON OXYGEN STREET IN CAMBRIDGE AND I OPPOSE THE ORDERS. THE POLICY OPENS BY OPPOSING DISCRIMINATION VIOLENCE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, ANYWHERE REALLY. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY WRITTEN AS AN ISRAELI SPECIFIC BOYCOTT INSTEAD OF A HUMAN RIGHTS STANDARD THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY APPLY BROADLY, YOU INVOKE THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL. CHINA IS ON THAT COUNCIL. EGYPT AND QATAR ON THE ARE ON THAT COUNCIL AS WELL. IN 2022 IT VOTED AGAINST EVEN DEBATING ABUSES AGAINST THE I GORES. THAT IS THE INSTITUTION WHOSE AUTHORITY WE INVOKE TO JUSTIFY THE SELECTIVE OUTRAGE. LOOK, PALESTINIAN SUFFERING DESERVES [01:10:01] OUR CONCERN, BUT IT CANNOT GIVE US A MORAL EXEMPTION FROM BEING CONSISTENT. YOU WANT CAMBRIDGE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHERE ITS MONEY GOES. AWESOME. THEN WRITE A RULE THAT REACHES CHINA TOO AND EGYPT AND SUDAN AND RUSSIA AND PUT IT INTO POLICY AND DO IT TONIGHT BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T, PLEASE SPARE THE SPEECHES ABOUT UNIVERSAL JUSTICE. YOU'VE SINGLED OUT THE ONE AND ONLY JEWISH STATE IN THE WORLD AS A SPECIAL STANDARD AND YOU OWE THE CITY AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAVID LICHTER, FOLLOWED BY DANIELLE MULLIGAN. THEN RICHARD LEEDS. DAVID, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE PLEASE GO AHEAD. MY NAME IS DAVID LICHTER. FOR OVER 20 YEARS I'VE LIVED IN SOMERVILLE AND WORKED AS A SCIENTIST IN CAMBRIDGE. I'M HERE TO OPPOSE THIS HATEFUL ORDINANCE. IF COUNSELORS WANNA SEE WHAT SUPPORTING IT COULD MEAN, LOOK AT US. YOUR NEIGHBORS IN SOMERVILLE, SUPPORTERS OF THE BDS ORDINANCE HERE BRING THEIR ANTI-ISRAEL HATE MOVEMENT AND DEMONIZATION ALL OVER THE CITY. THERE WERE PROTESTORS AT OUR CITY'S HANUKKAH MENORAH LIGHTING, A JOYOUS CELEBRATION FOR CHILDREN. JUST YESTERDAY THERE WAS A MAN WEARING A HAMAS T-SHIRT, WHICH CELEBRATES MURDERING ISRAELIS AT THE CITY'S HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL FOR CHILDREN. WE'VE SEEN ANTISEMITISM AT NEARLY EVERY K THROUGH 12 SCHOOL HERE IN SOMERVILLE, INCLUDING SWASTIKAS AND HAMAS CLOTHING AND I CAN SHARE SPECIFICS WITH ANY OF THE CITY COUNCILORS LATER. THESE ARE NOT ABSTRACT GEOPOLITICAL DISAGREEMENTS. THESE ARE OUR CHILDREN. CAMBRIDGE PRIDES ITSELF ON DIVERSITY INCLUSION. WHY ARE WE SINGLED OUT? WE DON'T WANT SPECIAL TREATMENT. WE JUST WANNA LIVE FREELY WITHOUT HARASSMENT, INTIMIDATION, OR BULLYING. WE JUST WANT TO BE LEFT ALONE. WE DESERVE BETTER. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DANIELLE MULLIGAN, FOLLOWED BY RICHARD LEEDS THAN JODY EMSER ABRAMS. DANIELLE, ONE MINUTE. HI, MY NAME IS DANIELLE MULLIGAN AND I'M A RESIDENT OF CAMBRIDGE. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK IN STRONG SUPPORT OF POLICY ORDERS SEVEN AND EIGHT AND TO DIVEST OUR TAX DOLLARS FROM COMPANIES COMPLICIT IN ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE, APARTHEID AND OCCUPATION OF PALESTINE. THIS IS NOT OUR FIRST TIME TAKING A STAND IN DIVESTING OUR TAX DOLLARS AS YOU ALL WELL KNOW BY NOW, CAMBRIDGE SHOWED MORAL COURAGE AND DECIDED TO DIVEST FROM SOUTH AFRICA IN 1980. FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS WE'VE BEEN WITNESSING A GENOCIDE IN PALESTINE. AROUND 75,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN THIS TIME. THIS NUMBER IS SO ENORMOUS AND HEARTBREAKING. IT'S HARD TO WRAP MY BRAIN AROUND. THAT'S THROUGHOUT AROUND ONE IN 30 PEOPLE, ONE IN 30 PALESTINIANS OR THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF MORE THAN THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF PORTLAND, MAINE KILLED. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE THE ENORMOUS TOLL UM, ON THOSE INJURED AND OUR AMERICAN TAX DOLLARS. OUR CITY'S TAX DOLLARS HAVE FUNDED THIS MURDER. TONIGHT WE HAVE A CHANCE TO MAKE A SMALL BUT EXTREMELY MEANINGFUL SHIFT. WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAND WITH CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND SAY WE ARE NO LONGER COMMIS COMPLICIT. YOU'LL BE HEARING A LOT OF US VERSUS THEM TONIGHT, BUT THIS MOMENT IN HISTORY IS TOO BIG FOR US LONGER. THANK YOU DANIELLE. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RICHARD LEEDS, FOLLOWED BY JODY EMSER ABRAMS. THEN JEREMY BURTON. RICHARD, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD ONE MINUTE. MY NAME IS RICHARD LEEDS. I WANNA GIVE AN ACCURATE CHARACTERIZATION OF THE BDS, THE BDS AGAINST ISRAEL OR MORE ACCURATELY. JEWS IS BASED NOT ON SOUTH AFRICA BUT ON THE GERMAN CRYSTAL SHALL. ISRAEL IS NOT COMMITTING GENOCIDE IN GAZA EVEN THOUGH IT HAS THE CAPABILITY TO DO SO. THE DEATHS OF PEOPLE UNAFFILIATED WITH HAUS ARE THE RESULT OF HAUS USING THE POPULATION AS HUMAN SHIELDS. THERE IS NO APARTHEID IN ISRAEL. WOMEN ALL RELIGIOUS PERSUASIONS AND THE NON-RELIGIOUS HAVE EQUAL RIGHTS. THE UNITED STATES HAS TAKEN THE HEROIC STEP AND MORAL STEP OF STANDING AGAINST THE RACIST INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY OF THE UN ICC AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AND NOBEL REPRISE WINNER NAVI PILL. THE FOCUS OF LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES SHOULD BE LOCAL ISSUES NOT TO GET INVOLVED IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS OF THE US WHEN IT SERVES ISLAMIC TERRORISM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JODY NMR ABRAMS, FOLLOWED BY JEREMY BURTON. THEN ELISA KAHN. JODY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD ONE MINUTE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JODY NMR ABRAHAMS. I LIVE IN SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS. I URGE YOU TO OPPOSE THESE POLICY ORDERS. CAMBRIDGE ASPIRES TO BE A WELCOMING CITY FOR ALL OF ITS RESIDENTS, BUT THIS RESOLUTION WILL ONLY HAVE THE OPPOSITE EFFECT. PASSING THIS RESOLUTION WILL CONTINUE CONTRIBUTE TO AN INCREASINGLY HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT FOR JEWS AND ISRAELIS. I'D LIKE TO SHARE A PERSONAL ANECDOTE OF WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE IN DAY-TO-DAY LIFE. RECENTLY, ONE OF MY CHILDREN BROUGHT HOME A FLYER FROM SCHOOL FOR THE UPCOMING SPIRIT WEEK. THE FIRST DAY OF SPIRIT WEEK WAS A SHARE YOUR PRIDE DAY WHERE STUDENTS WERE ENCOURAGED TO WEAR THE CLOTHING OF THE FLAG OF THEIR COUNTRY OR OTHER SYMBOLS REPRESENTING THEIR IDENTITY. I HELD MY BREATH IN HOPES THAT MY CHILDREN DID HAVE NOT SEEN THE FLYER. MY FAMILY IS JEWISH [01:15:01] AND WE ARE DEEPLY CONNECTED TO ISRAEL, BUT THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO WAY I WAS GOING TO LET MY CHILDREN GO TO SCHOOL. WEARING AN ISRAELI FLAG OR CONSPICUOUS STAR OF DAVID INCLUSION MEANS PROACTIVELY AFFIRMING OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY, ENSURING THAT EVERYONE CAN BE VISIBLY PROUD OF THEIR HERITAGE AND IDENTITY IN WHAT IS ALREADY A CLIMATE OF HEIGHTENED ANTISEMITISM AND ANTI-ISRAEL SENTIMENT. I URGE CITY LEADERSHIP TO FOCUS ITS ENERGY ON MAKING CAMBRIDGE CITY WHERE NO RESIDENT HAS EVER, EVER HAS TO HIDE THEIR IDENTITY FOR FEAR OF SAFETY AND BELONGING. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JEREMY BURTON, FOLLOWED BY ELISA KHAN, THEN MICHAEL GOODMAN. JEREMY ONE MINUTE. GOOD EVENING. AS THE CEO OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY RELATIONS COUNCIL, THE BROADEST COLLECTIVE VOICE OF GREATER BOSTON'S JEWISH COMMUNITY. AS A 15 YEAR RESIDENT OF CAMBRIDGE WHO HAS BEEN HARASSED ON MASS AVENUE FOR THE SINGULAR SIN OF WEARING MY KIPA WHILE COMING OUT OF TARGET AND AS SOMEONE WHO LIKE SO MANY OF US IN CAMBRIDGE LOST PEOPLE WE KNEW AND CARED ABOUT IN THE OCTOBER 7TH ATTACKS OR IN THE VIOLENCE OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS. I ASK YOU TO PUT ASIDE THE ORDER BEFORE YOU TONIGHT AND TO FOCUS ON HOW WE BRING THE PEOPLE OF CAMBRIDGE TOGETHER. WE NEED TO BE A CITY WHERE ALL RESIDENTS BELONG AND ALL OF US ARE WELCOME. WE NEED TO BEHOLD THE PAIN AND THE IDENTITIES OF ALL RESIDENTS AND VALUE THAT AND HONOR THAT WE CAN AND WE MUST DO BETTER THAN THIS. WE NEED TO STOP POLITICIZING EACH OTHER'S TRAUMA IN THESE BATTLES HERE IN THE CITY COUNCIL SESSION AFTER SESSION AND I'VE BEEN HERE I THINK FOUR TIMES OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS AND WE NEED TO FOCUS ON HEALING OUR TRAUMA WITH EACH OTHER HERE IN CAMBRIDGE. PLEASE REJECT EFFORTS THAT ARE CAUSING HARM IN OUR CITY. THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS EXPIRED. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ELISA KHAN, FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL GOODMAN. THEN GALIA ROSSEN WIG ELISA. HI, MY NAME IS ELISA KAHN. I'M A NEARLY 20 YEAR RESIDENT OF CAMBRIDGE. I HAVE TWO KIDS IN THE CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I COME TO YOU TODAY AS A MOM, AS A PEDIATRICIAN, AS A HEALTH EQUITY RESEARCHER AND AS SOMEONE WHO KNOWS ABOUT STATE SPONSORED VIOLENCE. AS SOMEONE WHO WAS BORN IN INDIA, INDIAN OCCUPIED KASHMIR, THROUGH ALL OF THESE IDENTITIES, WHAT I EXPERIENCE RIGHT NOW IS MORAL DISTRESS. THAT MY TAX DOLLARS ARE BEING USED TO SUPPORT KILLING AND MAIMING OF CHILDREN LIKE MY OWN CHILDREN OF HEALTHCARE WORKERS AND HOSPITALS LIKE MY OWN COLLEAGUES AND THE HOSPITALS I WORK AT. AND WE ARE UP HERE LISTENING TO ARGUMENTS ABOUT WHAT ABOUTM, ABOUT DEHUMANIZATION AND UM, AND AND THAT'S OKAY. WE'RE HEARING THAT SOME LIVES DON'T MATTER, THAT SOME CHILDREN'S DON'T LIVES DON'T MATTER THAT ONLY THE ONLY THOSE IN THIS ROOM, THEIR CHILD CHILDREN MATTER. I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT I DON'T CARE JUST ABOUT MY CHILDREN, BUT I CARE ABOUT ALL CHILDREN AROUND THE WORLD AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO VOTE, UM, IN FAVOR OF POLICY ORDER SEVEN AND EIGHT. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHAEL GOODMAN, FOLLOWED BY GALIA WIG, THEN MARYANNE FOX. MICHAEL ONE MINUTE. HI, I AM MIKE. I LIVE AT 2 3 7 FRANKLIN COUPLE BLOCKS THAT WAY. I'M SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF POLICY ORDER SEVEN AND EIGHT ON DIVESTMENT AND BOYCOTT. WE TRIED TO PASS SIMILAR ORDERS IN 20 21, 20 24. I WAS THERE BOTH TIMES SPEAKING OUT IN FAVOR. I DON'T LIKE SPEAKING IN PUBLIC LIKE THIS MAKES ME VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. I'M AUTISTIC. THAT MAKES IT HARD FOR ME, BUT I'M HERE AGAIN 'CAUSE OF HOW IMPORTANT THE ISSUE IS AND THE REALITY IS WE ALL HAVE TO DO HARD THINGS WE DON'T WANT TO DO. IN THE FACE OF THIS ONGOING ATROCITY IN GAZA, I I KNOW VOTING TO PASS THESE ORDERS, CALLING OUT ISRAEL, COMMITTING A GENOCIDE. IT'S A HARD THING FOR A COUNSELOR TO DO. THE PRESSURE TO VOTE NO COULD BE IMMENSE, BUT VOTING YES IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. I THINK AND APPRECIATE THE COUNSELORS THAT HAVE PLEDGED A YES VOTE, BUT OTHERS NEED TO STEP UP BECAUSE THE REALITY IS THE PALESTINE WILL BE FREE IN OUR LIVES. UH, CAMBRIDGE CAN BE A LEADER IN THAT HISTORICAL MOMENT LIKE IT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST WITH SOUTH AFRICAN APARTHEID OR IT CAN JUST CONTINUE TO BE A TOOL FOR THE MONEY TO EAT. I PREFER THE FIRST OPTION SO, UH, PLEASE VOTE FOR THIS ORDER. UNAMENDED. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GALIA WIG FOLLOWED BY MARYANNE FOX, THEN RO HILL, A GALIA GALIA HAS NOT JOINED. WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO MARYANNE FOX. MARYANNE FOX FOLLOWED BY RO HILL A THEN VIRGINIA FISHER. GOOD EVENING. MARYANNE FOX, 35 YEAR CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT. FOR THE PAST YEAR I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH PALESTINIAN FAMILIES BOTH HERE AND IN GAZA AND I HAVE TWO PEOPLE ON MY MIND TONIGHT AS I COME BEFORE YOU. UM, ONE IS A LITTLE 3-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN GAZA WHO HAS ALL OF HER LITTLE LIMBS BLOWN OFF BOTH OF HER ARMS AND HER LEGS WITH HER MOTHER. BESIDE HER PRAYING THAT HER DAUGHTER WOULD DIE, THE OTHER PERSON IS SOMEONE IN CAMBRIDGE IN CENTRAL SQUARE [01:20:01] THAT IS RECENTLY AS SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, WAS STANDING IN THE MIDDLE OF MASSACHUSETTS AVE IN FRONT OF TARGET SCREAMING AT A SIGN THAT SAID FEED GODS OF FAMILIES. THEY'RE ALL HAMAS. THEY'RE ALL HAMAS. EVEN THAT LITTLE GIRL, WHEN I THINK OF HER, I THINK OF WHAT PART OF MY WORK WEEK FUNDED THE BOMBS THAT BLEW OFF HER LITTLE ARMS AND LEGS. WAS IT MY SPREADSHEET? WAS IT MY ZOOM MEETING? GENOCIDE REQUIRES INTENT. YOU HAVE TIKTOK, YOU HAVE GOOGLE, YOU HAVE EYES. THANK YOU. IT'S UP TO YOU TO DECIDE. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RO HILL, A FOLLOWED BY VIRGINIA FISHER. THEN HILLARY F. WE ARE AT SPEAKER NUMBER 60 RO HILL. ONE MINUTE PLEASE GO AHEAD COUNSELORS. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING. MY NAME IS RO HILL AND I'M A GRADUATE STUDENT AT MIT SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF POLICY ORDERS SEVEN AND EIGHT. A CITY'S INVESTMENTS ARE ONE OF THE CLEAREST AND MOST POWERFUL WAYS IT CAN EXPRESS ITS VALUES. INVESTING IN COMPANIES THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN A GENOCIDE RUNS COUNTER TO THE VALUES OF CAMBRIDGE AND ITS PEOPLE. THOUGH CAMBRIDGE HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY WELLBEING THROUGH ITS INVESTMENTS, DEFINING WELLBEING AS SIMPLY OBTAINING THE HIGHEST RATE OF RETURN IS MUCH TOO NARROW. DOING OUR PART TO SUPPORT HUMAN RIGHTS AND GLOBAL STABILITY IS A MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTOR TO THE LONG-TERM WELLBEING OF THE WORLD AND OUR COMMUNITY THEN MAKING AN EXTRA FEW HUNDREDTHS OF A PERCENT IN SHORT TERM RETURNS. AS WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE, WE SHOULD SEE PUBLIC PENSION FUNDS AS A WAY TO FINANCE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN AREAS LIKE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND INFRASTRUCTURE. INSTEAD TONIGHT I ASK THAT YOU CAST A VOTE IN FAVOR OF JUSTICE, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND A BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR ALL PEOPLE FROM CAMBRIDGE TO PALESTINE. I ASK THAT YOU VOTE TO DIVEST. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS VIRGINIA FISHER, FOLLOWED BY HILLARY F, THEN HILL S VIRGINIA. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS VIRGINIA FISHER. I LIVE ON CLINTON STREET IN MID CAMBRIDGE. I'M HERE TO ASK THE COUNCIL TO SUPPORT POLICY ORDER SEVEN AND EIGHT, DIVESTING FROM COMPANIES COMPLICIT IN THE GENOCIDE AND PALESTINE. I'M PROUD TO LIVE HERE AND BE PART OF THIS COMMUNITY WHERE PEOPLE WORK EVERY DAY TO BRING OUR ACTIONS INTO LINE WITH OUR VALUES OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIGNITY. FOR ALL INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS INCLUDING THE UNITED NATIONS, DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS AND MORE HAVE CLEARLY RECOGNIZED THIS IS APARTHEID AND GENOCIDE. WITH THE DIRECT SUPPORT OF THE US GOVERNMENT AS AMERICANS, WE HAVE THE CHOICE TO MAKE EXCUSES OR LOOK AWAY, OR WE CAN CHOOSE TO STAND UP TO TURN OUR HEARTBREAK INTO ACTION, TO DRAW A CLEAR LINE IN EVERY SPHERE WE CAN INFLUENCE AND REFUSE TO ACCEPT THAT OUR CITY CONTINUES TO DO BUSINESS WITH COMPANIES THAT PROFIT FROM ATROCITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS HILLARY F, FOLLOWED BY HILL S HILLARY. ONE MINUTE. MY NAME IS HILLARY. I'M A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT OF 35 YEARS AND MY DAUGHTER ATTENDED VASSAL LANE. MANY OF YOU KNEW CHRIS AFFLECK WHO PASSED AWAY THIS SUMMER. CHRIS WAS A GIFTED CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER FOR 35 YEARS. IN THE LAST YEARS OF HER LIFE, CHRIS FOUGHT TO END GENOCIDE IN GAZA. SHE HELPED TO ORGANIZE THE ALLIANCE FOR WATER JUSTICE IN PALESTINE. CHRIS WOULD BE HORRIFIED TO KNOW THAT CAMBRIDGE HAS 28 MILLION INVESTED IN COMPANIES THAT PROMOTE GENOCIDE. THE CPS HAS CURRENTLY AN ENROLLMENT OF ABOUT 7,000 CHILDREN. THAT'S ABOUT ONE THIRD OF THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN MURDERED AND GAZA SINCE OCTOBER 7 23, WHICH IS OVER 22,000 CHILDREN. HOW ARE THESE CHILDREN LESS WORTHY OF HAPPY, SAFE LIVES THAN OUR CHILDREN? FOR THOSE OF YOU SAYING THIS IS NOT A GENOCIDE, IT IS SIMPLY NOT THE TRUTH. AS A MOTHER AND TEACHER, IT MAKES ME SICK THAT YOU'RE ON THE FENCE ABOUT ANY OF THIS. HOW COULD YOU BE? YOU HAVE THE POWER. WE HAVE TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND PASS THESE ORDINANCES. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS HILL S FOLLOWED BY TALIA KRAKAUER, THEN JUDY SOMBERG HILL. MY NAME IS HILL. I HAVE WORKED FOR THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE AS A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE FOR OVER 10 YEARS AND INVESTED IN THE RETIREMENT PROGRAM WHEN I LEARNED THAT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF RETIREMENT MONEY WERE BEING INVESTED IN ISRAELI COMPANIES THAT PROFIT OFF OF THE GENOCIDE, OCCUPATION AND APARTHEID IN PALESTINE. I WAS APPALLED. THESE HARMFUL INVESTMENTS ARE ANTITHETICAL TO MY VALUES AND TO THE VALUES THIS CITY HAS PURPORTED TO HAVE AS WELL. THIS CITY COUNCIL TOOK A BOLD AND CRUCIAL STEP BY NAMING SOUTH AFRICA AND THEIR DIVESTMENT EFFORTS IN 1980. WHY NOW IS THEIR PAUSE IN NAMING ISRAEL AS THE PERPETRATOR I SPEND EACH AND EVERY DAY WORKING WITH CAMBRIDGE FAMILIES. PERHAPS THE COUNSELORS ARE NOT AWARE OF JUST HOW MANY OF THEIR CONSTITUENTS ARE DEEPLY AND PERSONALLY AFFECTED BY THE GENOCIDE FAMILIES FROM PALESTINE AND LEBANON. TWO NATIONS THAT ARE BEING ETHNICALLY CLEANSED AND OCCUPIED BY ISRAEL ARE LIVING IN EACH CORNER OF CAMBRIDGE. THEIR INTEREST DISMISSED AND VOICES [01:25:01] IGNORED. THESE VOICES MATTER TO ME AS A CITY EMPLOYEE AND I WOULD HOPE THEY MATTER TO YOU AS WELL. AND DIVESTMENTS IS THE FIRST STEP. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TALIA KRAKAUER, FOLLOWED BY JUDY SOMBERG, THEN ARETHA GU TALIA. HELLO, MY NAME IS TALIA. I'M A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT. I'M SPEAKING ABOUT WORD UH, JEDDA, ITEM SEVEN AND EIGHT. I HAVE A CHILD WHO'S AFRAID TO WEAR HIS KIPPAH IN HIS HEAD ONLY IN CAMBRIDGE. I HAVE ANOTHER KID WHO'S AFRAID FOR HIS OWN TEACHER TO KNOW THAT HE'S JEWISH WITH ISRAELI GRANDPARENTS. JEWS ACCOUNT FOR 4% OF THE MASSACHUSETTS POPULATION YET ARE TARGETS OF 83% OF RELIGIOUS HATE CRIMES. IF THE COUNCIL CHOOSES TO VILIFY ISRAEL AND ONLY ISRAEL, IT WILL INFLAME THE HOSTILITY WE ALREADY EXPERIENCE. YOU ALL CAMPAIGNED TO MAKE CAMBRIDGE MORE INCLUSIVE, PLEASE VOTE NO TO SHOW THAT WE ALL BELONG HERE. SHOW MY KIDS THAT THEY BELONG HERE. LET'S BUILD BRIDGES HERE IN CAMBRIDGE. AS I SAID EARLIER, PLEASE NO CLAPPING. SORRY, WE, I, AS I SAID AGAIN, THE GOAL OF TONIGHT IS TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE GETS HEARD AND CLAPPING DOES NOT HELP. SO PLEASE, AS I SAID, I'M, YOU KNOW, I REALLY WANT US TO TAKE THESE RULES OF ORDER SERIOUSLY. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JUDY SOMBERG, FOLLOWED BY ARETHA. GO THEN. EVAN CANTOR JUDY, ONE MINUTE PLEASE GO AHEAD. JUDY SOMBERG 48 ANTRIM STREET FOR OVER 40 YEARS AND A PROUD MEMBER OF BOSTON WORKER CIRCLE, A CENTER FOR JEWISH CULTURE, WHICH IN 2025 CALLED FOR MASSACHUSETTS TO DIVEST ITS PENSION FUNDS FROM COMPANIES PROFITING FOR WAR AND GENOCIDE. THE REASON WE DID THAT, BECAUSE WE HAD AN IMPERATIVE AS JEWS TO SAY NEVER AGAIN AND NOW TODAY I FEEL THAT SAME IMPERATIVE AND ALSO THE REASON WE SINGLE OUT ISRAEL IS BECAUSE OUR US GOVERNMENT IS THE ONE THAT HAS ENABLED THIS GENOCIDE IN ISRAEL WITH REPEATED MILITARY, FINANCIAL AND POLITICAL SUPPORT. EVERY PRESIDENT, REPUBLICAN, DEMOCRAT, UNFORTUNATELY OUR CONGRESS, SO WE HAVE TO TAKE ACTION AT EVERY POSSIBLE LEVEL TO SPEAK OUT TO STOP THIS GENOCIDE. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ARETHA GUO, FOLLOWED BY EVAN CANTOR, THEN JESSE BEARER. HI, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME ADDRESS YOU. MY NAME IS ARETHA GU AND I AM A CAMBRIDGE, UH, SPECIFICALLY KENDALL SQUARE RESIDENT OF FIVE YEARS. UM, OF COURSE I'M ALWAYS PROUD AND SPEAK TO ALL MY RELATIVES AND FRIENDS ABOUT HOW I'M SO PROUD TO BE IN A CITY, UH, THAT PRIORITIZES EDUCATION, COMMUNITY HEALTH, INNOVATION, UH, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND UH, CREATIVITY. WHAT I DO NOT TAKE PRIDE IN AND ACTUALLY FEEL THE GREATEST MORAL SHAME IN IS HOW OUR CITY POURS PUBLIC FUNDS AND WRITES THE COATTAILS OF COMPANIES THAT ARE COMPLICIT IN A MACHINERY OF SURVEILLANCE. APARTHEID, STATE SANCTIONED STARVATION AND ETHNIC CLEANSING. BEING A PART OF THIS MACHINERY, UH, MAKES CAMBRIDGE COMPLICIT AND ACTUALLY TAKES AWAY FROM ITS CREDIBILITY AS A BEACON OF EDUCATION, INNOVATION AND COMMUNITY SECURITY. SO I URGE YOU ALL TO, UM, DIVEST OUR PUBLIC FUNDS FROM GENOCIDE AND COMPANIES THAT ARE COMPLICIT AND INSTEAD FOCUS ON COMMUNITY WELLBEING, UH, FOR THE HEALTH AND ACTUAL SECURITY OF OUR RESIDENTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS EVAN CANTOR, FOLLOWED BY JESSE BEAR, THEN NANCY MNUCHIN. EVAN, PLEASE GO AHEAD. DEBBIE SHEED SHLOMI A MOTHER WRAPS HERSELF AROUND HER SON, HIDES HIM UNDER A BLANKET HIDING FROM BULLETS SHOT AT INNOCENT CIVILIANS. NO MOTHER SHOULD HAVE TO HIDE HER SON LIKE THIS. NOT A MOTHER IN CAMBRIDGE, NOT A MOTHER IN ISRAEL, NOT A MOTHER IN GAZA, BUT THE MOTHER I'M TALKING ABOUT IS DEBBIE SHEED OF ISRAEL. DEBBIE AND HER HUSBAND SHLOMO DIED ON OCTOBER 7TH FROM THE BULLETS SHOT BY HAMAS TERRORISTS AND THEY DIED COVERING THEIR SON WHO SURVIVED THAT DAY TRYING TO SAVE THEIR SON. BUT DEBBIE SHLOMI AND THE THOUSANDS OF OTHER INNOCENT VICTIMS OF OCTOBER 7TH ARE IGNORED BY THIS SHAMEFUL RESOLUTION IGNORED, BUT THEY ARE SURVIVED. DEBBIE AND SHLOMI ARE SURVIVED BY IDINA IDINA RASCO OF NITA MASSACHUSETTS AND THIS RESOLUTION BY YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. PLEASE EMAIL US THE REMAINDER. SHE DOESN'T MATTER. SIR, PLEASE OPPOSE THIS. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED FAMILY MATTER. [01:30:01] YOU NOT SEND US THE REMAINDER. YOUR TIME IS UP. WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SPEAKER PLEASE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JESSE BEARER, FOLLOWED BY NANCY MNUCHIN, THEN JEAN CONNERY. I'M HERE AS A LIFELONG CANTE IAN AND THE PROUD DESCENDANT OF AT LEAST TWO GENERATIONS OF NON AND ANTI-ZIONIST JEWS. AS I'VE TESTIFIED IN THIS VERY CHAMBER EARLIER THIS YEAR, I'M QUITE WORRIED ABOUT ANTISEMITISM. I WISH I COULD DENY THAT I SEE IT GROWING, INCLUDING ON THE LEFT, BUT DENIAL OF PLAIN REALITY NEVER ADDRESSES THE THINGS WE REFUSE TO SEE. OF COURSE, THIS ALSO APPLIES TO THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT'S COMMISSION OF GENOCIDE AND HOW WE CHOOSE TO RESPOND. THE WORST THING YOU CAN DO FOR THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OF CAMBRIDGE IS TO DENY THE PLAIN REALITY THAT ANYONE CAN SEE WITH THEIR EYES AND SAY YOU'RE DOING IT ON BEHALF OF JEWS. AS A SIDE NOTE, IT WAS ONE OF THOSE EARLY PROTESTS THAT SUPPOSEDLY CELEBRATED OCTOBER 7TH THAT BROUGHT ME BACK TO MY JUDAISM AS I BROKE DOWN CRYING, SEEING JEWS STANDING UP TO THE ATROCITY WE ALL SAW COMING DESPITE THE SLANDER YOU'VE HEARD TONIGHT IN MY EXPERIENCE, THIS MOVEMENT REPRESENTS THE BEST OF THE CITY AND I'M PROUD TO STAND WITH IT. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NANCY MNUCHIN, FOLLOWED BY JEAN CONNER CONNEY, THEN KATHY CABRERA. NANCY, PLEASE GO AHEAD. THANK YOU NANCY MNUCHIN NEWTON READING FOR CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS. DR. MARK RESIDENT DR. MARK EISENBERG. HE WRITES, I RECENTLY RETURNED FROM A DELEGATION TO THE WEST BANK. I PASSED THROUGH MULTIPLE CHECK CHECKPOINTS ENABLED BY PALANTIR TECHNOLOGY. I WITNESSED FIRSTHAND TOKARA REFUGEE CAMP WHERE CATERPILLAR TRACTORS DESTROYED HOUSES AND MEDICAL FACILITIES. I MET A PALESTINIAN HEALTHCARE WORKER WHOSE PARTNER WAS SHOT FROM APACHE, FROM AN APACHE HELICOPTER MANUFACTURED BY LOCKHEED MARTIN AS A PHYSICIAN, I'M APPALLED BY THE WANTON DESTRUCTION OF HOSPITALS AND THE TARGETING OF HEALTHCARE WORKERS IN GAZA ENABLED BY OUR TAX DOLLARS. I'M JEWISH. MY FOUR GRANDPARENTS FLED ANTI-SEMITIC POGROMS IN EASTERN EUROPE TO COME HERE. THEY WOULD BE APPALLED THAT THE COUNTRY THEY FLED TO IS NOW ENABLING A POGROM AGAINST ANOTHER PEOPLE. LET'S SET AN EXAMPLE FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTRY AND DIVEST OUR PENSION FUNDS FROM THESE WAR PROFITEERING COMPANIES. AS AN ARMENIAN I SAY GENOCIDE DENIAL IS A CRIME. DON'T BE COMPLICIT MADAM CLERK. WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO AN EARLIER SKIPPED NAME. UM, WE WILL GO TO GALIA SWIG THEN THAT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY JEAN CONNERY. THEN KATHY CABRERA GALIA, PLEASE GO AHEAD. UH, HI, UH, MY NAME IS GUY ROSENSWEIG. I LIVE IN THE NORTH CAMBRIDGE AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK, UM, ON THE AGENDA ITEM NUMBER SEVEN AND I WANNA URGE YOU, UH, TO REJECT BOTH POLICY ORDERS 1 95 AND 1 96. UM, WE'VE HEARD A LOT FROM UM, JEWS LEAVING, UH, IN CITY IN CAMBRIDGE AND AROUND THAT FEEL VERY SAFE BECAUSE THEY'RE THE RIGHT KIND OF JEWS AND THEY SUPPORT, UM, THEIR PRO PALESTINIAN MOVEMENT AND THEY'RE AGAINST, UH, UH, THE STATE OF ISRAEL AND ISLAND ZIONISTS. UM, AND AS THE WRONG KIND OF JEW, I WANNA SAY THAT NOT ALL OF US FEEL SAFE IN THE CITY. AND I WANNA ASK YOU, WHEN YOU WEIGH THIS DECISION AND TRY TO THINK LIKE ANY OTHER DECISION IN LIFE, WHAT ARE THE COSTS AND WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? HOW MANY PALESTINIAN LIVES ARE GONNA BE SAVED BY VOTING YES ON THIS RESOLUTION? I DO NOT DENY THAT THERE'S A WAR IN THE REGION. I DO NOT DENY THAT THERE'S SUFFERING, BUT HOW MANY LIVES ARE GONNA BE SAVED VERSUS HOW MUCH HARM IS BEING DONE HERE TO MY CHILDREN WHO GO TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND FEEL, UH, HOST HOSTILITY THERE TO US WALKING ON THE STREET AND FEEL OUR WELCOME IN THE CITY. SO PLEASE WEIGH THESE TWO WHEN YOU MAKE THE DECISION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE ARE GONNA MOVE ON TO SPEAKER NUMBER 70, JEAN CONNERY, FOLLOWED BY KATHY CABRERA, THEN ELI GERON. JEAN, ONE MINUTE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JEANNIE NERNEY. I'M A GRAD STUDENT AT HARVARD. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY IN FAVOR OF DIVESTMENT AND BOYCOTT POLICY ORDERS SEVEN AND EIGHT. AS SOMEONE WITH TWO DEGREES IN PHILOSOPHY WHO IS NOW STUDYING RELIGION, I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE ETHICS OF THIS PROPOSAL. THE DALAI LAMA SAYS SIMPLY, IF YOU CAN DO GOOD, IF YOU CANNOT DO GOOD, AT LEAST DO NO HARM. AND YET THESE INVESTMENTS ARE DOING GRAVE HARM BY FUNDING THE MASS SLAUGHTER OF PALESTINIANS AND THE ATTEMPTED ERASURE OF AN ENTIRE CIVILIZATION. IDEALLY, CAMBRIDGE WOULD DO GOOD BY INVESTING THIS $28 MILLION IN COMPANIES THAT IMPROVE HUMAN LIVES RATHER THAN ENDING THEM. IF YOU CANNOT DO THAT IMMEDIATELY, HOWEVER, I URGE YOU TO FIND NEUTRAL COMPANIES IN WHICH TO INVEST. JUST PLEASE DIVEST FROM MURDER AND DO NO HARM. IT'S THE LEAST OUR CITY COULD DO DURING A GENOCIDE. THANK YOU, FREE PALESTINE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KATHY CABRERA, FOLLOWED BY ELI ZA. THEN ANNA R KATHY. ONE MINUTE. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS KATHY CABRERA. [01:35:01] I LIVE ON REED STREET TERRACE IN NORTH CAMBRIDGE. I'VE LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE OVER 25 YEARS. I'M SPEAKING TODAY TO ASK THE CITY COUNCIL TO VOTE NO ON POLICY ORDERS 1 9 5 AND 1 9 6. THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE SHOULD NOT HAVE A FOREIGN POLICY AND IF IT DOES CHOOSE TO HAVE A FOREIGN POLICY, IT SHOULD BE FAIR AND OBJECTIVE IN CALLING OUT THE INTERNATIONAL CONFLICTS IN WHICH IT OPPOSES, WHY SELECT ONLY THIS CONFLICT IN ISRAEL AND GAZA TO FOCUS ON? WAS THERE A FORMAL DECISION PROCESS? I DON'T THINK SO. I THINK MORE LIKELY THIS CONFLICT ROSE ABOVE ALL OTHER CONFLICTS BECAUSE JEWISH PEOPLE WERE INVOLVED AS A JEWISH PERSON LIVING IN CAMBRIDGE, I FEEL SINGLED OUT AND LESS SAFE IN THE COMMUNITY JUST BECAUSE THIS POLICY ORDER WAS SUBMITTED. IF IT PASSES, I'LL FEEL EVEN LESS SAFE. CAMBRIDGE CAN DO BETTER IF WE WANNA TACKLE COMPLEX FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES. WE CAN DO THAT IN WAYS TO HIGHLIGHT THE BEST OF OUR CITY RATHER THAN THIS PERFORMATIVE POLICY ORDER THAT WHEN WE DIVIDE OUR COMMUNITY AND CREATE NEW PROBLEMS FOR THE CITY TO SOLVE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ELI GERON, FOLLOWED BY ANNA R, THEN LISA LEVINE COBOS. HELLO, UH, MY NAME IS ELLIE GERON. UM, I LIVE IN ARLINGTON BUT I'VE LIVED AND WORKED IN CAMBRIDGE OFF AND ON FOR FOR DECADES. UM, I'M A MEMBER OF JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE. WE ARE THE LARGEST ANTI-ZIONIST ORGANIZATION IN THE WORLD. I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST OF AMERICA, THE LARGEST SOCIALIST ORGANIZATION IN MASS IN UH, US HISTORY. UM, I GREW UP HEARING STORIES OF JUST HOW INCREDIBLY LUCKY MY DUTCH JEWISH GRANDFATHER WAS TO SURVIVE THE HOLOCAUST, RIGHT? AND OVER 40 MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY WERE NOT LUCKY AND WERE KILLED. UM, THAT TYPE OF RACIST VIOLENCE INSPIRES ME TO TAKE A STAND AGAINST RACIST VIOLENCE. UM, THE IDEA THAT PEOPLE USE THE TRAUMA OF FAMILIES LIKE MINE AS AN EXCUSE TO INFLICT A GENOCIDE ON THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE IS DISGUSTING TO ME AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL STAND ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY AND VOTE TO OPPOSE THIS GENOCIDE AND SUPPORT DIVESTMENT. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANNA R, FOLLOWED BY LISA LEVINE COBOS, THEN SHARON COLEMAN. HELLO, MY NAME IS ANNA. I LIVE AND WORK IN CAMBRIDGE. I'M A CAMBRIDGE CITY WORKER AND THE PENSION FUND FOR CAMBRIDGE CITY WORKERS IS CURRENTLY INVESTED IN MANY COMPANIES THAT PROFIT BY ENABLING THE GENOCIDE AND OCCUPATION IN PALESTINE. AMONG THESE GENOCIDE PROFITEERS THAT OUR CITY IS CURRENTLY INVESTED IN IS PALANTIR A COMPANY WHICH PROVIDES TECHNOLOGY TO ISRAEL'S MILITARY THAT IS USED TO BOMB PALESTINIANS, AS WELL AS TECHNOLOGY THAT'S USED BY ICE TO TERRORIZE PEOPLE HERE IN THE US OUR INVESTMENT IN THIS SORT OF COMPANY POWERS THE GENOCIDE WE MUST DIVEST TO END THE CITY'S COMPLICITY WITH ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE AND OCCUPATION. AND IN DOING SO, WE'LL ALSO BE CUTTING TIES WITH COMPANIES THAT PROFIT FROM OPPRESSION AND INJUSTICE ALL OVER THE WORLD, INCLUDING IN OUR OWN COMMUNITIES. I'M A CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY WORKER AND I DON'T WANT MY RETIREMENT FUND TO DEPEND ON THE SUCCESS OF COMPANIES THAT MAKE LIFE UNLIVABLE FOR OPPRESSED PEOPLE. I URGE CITY COUNSELORS TO VOTE TONIGHT IN FAVOR OF THE DIVESTMENT POLICY ORDER. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LISA LEVINE COBOS, FOLLOWED BY SHARON COLEMAN, THEN ALANA BLOOMFIELD. LISA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. ONE MINUTE. HELLO, MY NAME IS LISA LEVINE COBOS AND I'M LIVE IN NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS. I'M ADDRESSING THIS COUNCIL BECAUSE THE PROPOSALS TO BOYCOTT AND DIVEST FROM ISRAELI COMPANIES ARE ROOTED IN FALSE AND DEEPLY DAMAGING ACCUSATIONS OF GENOCIDE AND APARTHEID. THESE ACCUSATIONS ARE PART OF A DELIBERATE PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGN TO DELEGITIMIZE ISRAEL, DEMONIZE JEWS AND STOKE ANTISEMITISM WORLDWIDE. THESE PROPOSALS IGNORE THE BRUTAL OCTOBER SEVEN ATTACK ON ISRAEL THAT PRECIPITATED THE WAR IN GAZA. MEANWHILE, THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE CONTINUE TO SUFFER UNDER HAMAS' OPPRESSIVE RULE. THESE BOYCOTTS DO NOTHING TO HELP THEM OR ADDRESS THE VIOLENCE AND REPRESSION THEY ENDURE. IT IS DEEPLY TROUBLING THAT SUCH A HIGHLY EDUCATED COMMUNITY LIKE CAMBRIDGE WOULD LEND ITS AUTHORITY TO A DELIBERATE CAMPAIGN TO VILIFY ISRAEL AND FUEL ANTISEMITISM, PARTICULARLY AT A TIME OF ALARMING VIOLENCE AND HATRED DIRECTED AT JEWS WORLDWIDE. I URGE THIS COUNCIL TO QUESTION THE NARRATIVES IT IS ENDORSING AND CONSIDER THE HARM THESE DIVISIVE POLICIES INFLICT ON MY COMMUNITY. VOTE NO ON THESE POLICY ORDERS. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SHARON COLEMAN, FOLLOWED BY ALANA BLOOMFIELD, THE NARU KABIR. SHARON, ONE MINUTE. GOOD EVENING. SHARON COLEMAN. I'M A RESIDENT OF CAMBRIDGE. I'M SPEAKING AGAINST AGENDA ITEM SEVEN AND EIGHT. THREE MONTHS AGO MY THEN 13-YEAR-OLD SON WHO WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE IN CAMBRIDGE WAS PLAYING WITH HIS FRIENDS, WAS CALLED A JEW BY TWO OF HIS FRIENDS OVER AN ORDINARY SOCCER HANGOUT. THERE WERE OTHER JEWISH KIDS PRESENT, SO THE TWO FRIENDS KEPT ON SAYING, YEAH, BUT YOU ARE THE WORST KIND OF JEW BECAUSE YOU ARE HALF ISRAELI. MY SON FELT ALONE, HORRIFIED, SHOCKED, HURT, REJECTED AND CONFUSED. [01:40:01] THESE ARE HIS FRIENDS, ANTI-SEMITIC MEDICAID IS ALREADY HERE IN OUR HOMES IN OUR PLAYGROUND. IT IS HARMING OUR COMMUNITY AT LARGE, INCLUDING MY SON AND HIS FRIENDS THAT WILL LIVE WITH THE HATEFUL THINGS THEY SAID. I URGE YOU TO VOTE AGAINST. THANK YOU. SHARON. PLEASE EMAIL US THE REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENT. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON TO SPEAKER NUMBER 76 ALANA BLOOMFIELD, FOLLOWED BY NARU KABI, THEN NISAN PELEG ALANA, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI, MY NAME IS ALANA BLOOMFIELD. I'M A SOMERVILLE RESIDENT, A PHYSICIAN WHO WORKS IN CAMBRIDGE AND A JEWISH MOTHER, AND I'M SPEAKING AGAINST POLICY NUMBER SEVEN AT THE SOMERVILLE CITY HALL COUNCIL MEETING. WHEN BDS WAS PRESENTED IN THE PAST YEAR, MY CHILDREN WERE SURROUNDED AS THEY WALKED BY ON THEIR WAY OUT AFTER EXPERIENCING THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS AND THEY WALKED THROUGH MASS PROTESTORS, SCREAMING AND JEERING AT US. THEY BECAME FRIGHTENED AND STARTED CRYING. POLICE ULTIMATELY HAD TO ESCORT US OUT OF THE BUILDING AND ONTO THE STREET. MANY OF THOSE PROTESTORS CARRIED SIGNS REPORTEDLY ADVOCATING FOR CHILDREN IN GAZA AND YET THE FRIGHTENED CHILDREN DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THEM SEEMED UNWORTHY OF COMPASSION. WE SHOULD BE DEEPLY SUSPICIOUS OF MOVEMENTS THAT DIVIDE THE WORLD SO CONFIDENTLY INTO GOOD AND EVIL, THAT ORDINARY BOUNDARIES OF DECENCY DISAPPEAR. THIS IS NOT A ZERO SUM GAME AND BDS IS A MOVEMENT THAT UNDERMINES OUR HOPE FOR LASTING PEACE. THERE IS PROFOUND IRONY IN CONSIDERING THIS ORDINANCE ETHICAL. PLEASE EMAIL US THE REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENT, NAOMI. UM, WE'RE GONNA GO TO COUNCILOR ZUI REALLY QUICKLY. KOR ZUI. UM, I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE A MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND ALLOW REPRESENTATIVE CONLEY TO SPEAK. SO COUNCILLOR ZUZI, UH, HAS UH, MADE A MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ALLOW REP CONLEY TO SPEAK OUT OF ORDER ON THAT MOTION WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZI? YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN? YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI? YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER, CONNELLEY WHO HAS ONE MINUTE AND THEN WE'LL GO TO UH, AL KARE. WELL THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL FOR TAKING ME OUTTA TURN. UH, MY NAME'S MIKE CONLEY. I HAVE THE HONOR OF REPRESENTING CAMBRIDGE AND SOMERVILLE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON TWO ITEMS THIS EVENING. UH, FIRST I ENCOURAGE YOU TO PROHIBIT CITY INVESTMENTS AND CONTRACTS WITH COMPANIES THAT SUSTAIN ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE, APARTHEID AND ILLEGAL OCCUPATION OF PALESTINE. LAST YEAR, SOMERVILLE VOTERS EXPRESSED STRONG SUPPORT FOR THIS POLICY AND I HOPE WE CAN WORK TOGETHER HERE IN CAMBRIDGE TO TAKE THIS MEANINGFUL STAND AS WELL. SECOND, I WANT TO UPLIFT THE POLICY ORDER ON COMBINED SEWER OVERFLOWS AT MAGAZINE BEACH. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR ZZI FOR YOUR LONGTIME LEADERSHIP ON THIS TOPIC. FOR MY PART, I HAVE BEEN CLEAR THAT WE WILL NEVER SACRIFICE OUR CITY'S SECOND LARGEST PARK FOR A WATER STORAGE TANK. I CAN SAY THAT DCR SENATOR D DOMINICO, THE CITY MANAGER AND NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS ALL AGREE ON THIS POINT AND ON THURSDAY I'VE ORGANIZED A MEETING WITH THE MWRA TO REITERATE THIS POINT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE WILL RESUME WITH THE LIST. THANK YOU FOR HOLDING. WE ARE NOW AT SPEAKER NUMBER 77 NA KABI, FOLLOWED BY NISAN PELEG, THEN CHARLES GLICK NRU. ONE MINUTE. GOOD EVENING COUNCIL MEMBERS. I AM NRU AND HAVE BEEN LIVING IN CAMBRIDGE FOR OVER 30 YEARS. MY THREE CHILDREN WERE BORN HERE. WE ALL FIVE VOTE HERE. AS MY CHILDREN PASSED THROUGH RAHMAN PARKS AND CAMBRIDGE REGION LATIN, WE ARE PROUD OF THE VALUES THE CURRICULUM TAUGHT. THERE WAS AN ESSAY THAT MY DAUGHTER DISCUSSED WITH ME IN HER FIFTH GRADE BY US LEWIN ABOUT THE TOWN WHERE ALL THE PEOPLE WERE SUPREMELY HAPPY EXCEPT THAT THE TEAR OFF REST RESTED ON THE PERPETUAL MISERY OF A SINGLE CHILD IMPRISONED IN A DARK BASEMENT CLOSET. THE PEOPLE OF PALESTINE IS THE CHILD OF LEGO AND STORY. THE CAUTION WE CONFRONT TODAY IS WHERE ARE THE VALUES WE TRY TO IMPORT, IMPORT TO OUR CHILDREN WITHOUT CONTINUING INVESTMENT IN COMPANIES COMPLICIT IN THE GENOCIDE OF PALESTINE PEOPLE BY THE STATE OF ISRAEL. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NISAN PELEG, FOLLOWED BY [01:45:01] CHARLES GLICK. THEN MICHAEL CANTOR NISAN. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE PLEASE GO AHEAD. MY NAME IS NATAN PELEG, UH, AND I'VE LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE FOR 13 YEARS. I'M HERE TO URGE YOU TO REJECT POLICY ORDERS 1 95, 1 96. FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS I'VE BEEN FEELING UNSAFE IN A CITY I USED TO LOVE CALLING HOME. WE'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING REGULAR ATTEMPTS TO EXCLUDE AND ISOLATE A VERY SPECIFIC GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT IS SINGLED OUT BASED ON ETHNICITY AND NATIONALITY. YOU MAY THINK THIS IS NOT ABOUT ANTI-SEMITISM, BUT IT IS. PEOPLE ARE ALREADY ON EDGE. WE HAVE ALREADY DOCUMENTED VIOLENT INCIDENTS TARGETING JEWS ALL OVER THE CITY. SWASTIKAS IN SIERRA LS AREN'T AN ABNORMAL THING. I'VE HAD TO ACTIVELY AVOID PLACES IN THE CITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN I'M WITH MY YOUNG KIDS. THESE POLICY ORDERS WILL NOT ONLY DO NOTHING TO HELP THE SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND THEY WILL DO EVERYTHING TO FAN A FLAMES HERE IN CAMBRIDGE. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A WELCOMING CITY AND THAT SHOULD MEAN FOR EVERYONE. STOP DIVIDING ON COMMUNITY AND START DEALING WITH THE VERY REAL PROBLEMS. THANK YOU AGAIN. AS A REMINDER FOR FOLKS WHOSE TIME EXPIRES, PLEASE EMAIL US THE REMAINDER OR ALL OF YOUR COMMENT AT CITY COUNCIL@CAMBRIDGEMA.GOV. WE'RE GONNA MOVE RIGHT ALONG TO SPEAKER NUMBER 79 CHARLES GLICK, FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL CANTOR. THEN LAURA GERMANIST. CHARLES, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF. ONE MINUTE. HI, MY NAME IS CHARLES GLICK. I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF CAMBRIDGE FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS AND I'VE DEVOTED MY PROFESSIONAL LIFE TO HELPING GIVE VOICE TO SOME OF THE MOST DISAFFECTED VOICES IN MASSACHUSETTS AS THE LEAD LOBBYIST FOR MANY PROGRESSIVE ISSUES AND CAUSES. I'M ALSO A PROUD JEW AND A ZIONIST AND I CAN HOLD ALL THOSE IDENTITIES AND STILL WANT TO SEE PEACE AND SECURITY FOR PALESTINIANS AND EVEN TAKE ISSUE WITH THE DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED GOVERNMENT IN ISRAEL. THESE POLICY ORDERS, HOWEVER, SINGLE OUT ONE COUNTRY, THE REGIONS ONLY DEMOCRACY AND CONTRIBUTE TO AN ATMOSPHERE IN WHICH JEWISH AND ISRAELI RESIDENTS FEEL ISOLATED, UNWELCOME, OR UNSAFE IN THEIR OWN CITY. AND AS A PREVIOUS SPEAKER SAID, IT ACTS AS COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT TO AN ENTIRE COUNTRY, INCLUDING MILLIONS WHO HAVE PROTESTED THE CURRENT GOVERNMENT. THE INEVITABLE OUTCOME OF THIS POLICY ORDER THAT WOULD CREATE MORE DIVISIVENESS AND HATRED AND ANTISEMITISM RUNS COUNTER TO THE VERY WORDING OF THE POLICY ORDER, WHICH LEADS BY THE STATEMENT SAYING THAT THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE IS WELCOMING AND DOES NOT SUPPORT DISCRIMINATION ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD EXCEPT I GUESS HERE IN CAMBRIDGE. LIKE OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHAEL CANTOR, FOLLOWED BY LAURA GERMANIST. THEN ALEX G MICHAEL MICHAEL IS ON ZOOM. MICHAEL, UM, I WILL UNMUTE YOU. PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MICHAEL CANTERA. I AM A HARVARD LAW STUDENT CURRENTLY LIVING IN THE CAMBRIDGE AREA. I WANNA TALK ABOUT HOW DANGEROUS THIS ACTUALLY MAKES IT FOR JEWISH STUDENTS AT HARVARD AND MIT. THESE ORDERS ARE NOT JUST ABOUT THE PROCUREMENT OFFICE. WHEN A CITY ADOPTS BDS FRAMING THAT LABELS ISRAEL, THE ONLY JEWISH STATE IN THE WORLD, A QUOTE GENOCIDAL APARTHEID STATE IT HANDS CAMP ACTIVISTS THAT ALREADY ACTIVELY WANT TO HARM JEWS. AN OFFICIAL SCRIPT. THE SCRIPT IS ALREADY BEING USED AT HARVARD AND MIT TO TREAT JEWISH STUDENTS AS LEGITIMATE TARGETS IF THEY SIMPLY SUPPORT ISRAEL'S EXISTENCE WHERE MANY OF THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS ARE FROM OR IF THEY REFUSE TO DISAVOW ZIONISM OR SIMPLY SHOW UP TO CAMPUS SPACES AS JEWS. THE RESULT IS CONCRETE. JEWISH STUDENTS ALREADY FACE DOXING EVENTS SHUT DOWN, SOCIAL EXCLUSION AND PHYSICAL INTIMIDATION. CITY ENDORSEMENT OF THESE MEASURES SIGNALS THEIR CONCERNS ARE SECONDARY AND THAT THE UNDERLYING NARRATIVES ARE APPROVED BY THE CITY ITSELF. THIS OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LAURA GERUS, FOLLOWED BY ALEX G, THEN NANCY MURRAY. LAURA, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE PLEASE GO AHEAD. MY NAME IS LAURA JNI. I AM AN INSTRUCTOR AT HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL AND A PHYSICIAN PRACTICING IN CAMBRIDGE. I SUPPORT DIVESTMENT. I AM LEBANESE AND PALESTINIAN AND MY FAMILY HAS SUFFERED ISRAELI VIOLENCE FOR DECADES. I ALSO PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED SEVERE BULLYING AS A CHILD GROWING UP IN MEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS. BUT BULLYING AND RACISM AGAINST ARABS IS SO NORMALIZED THAT NO ONE TALKED ABOUT IT OR RECOGNIZED IT. RACISM UNDERPINS GENOCIDE AND THE ONGOING ERASURE OF OUR PEOPLE AND OUR STORIES. HARVARD HAS ELIMINATED NEARLY ALL PROGRAMS AND DEPARTMENTS WHICH TEACH ABOUT PALESTINE. THE REASON THIS IS TOLERATED IS RACISM. AND SO I BEG COUNSEL NOT TO BE MISLED BY TESTIMONY THAT ODDLY SUGGESTS THAT CONTINUING [01:50:01] TO INVEST IN WEAPONS COMPANIES WILL PROTECT ANY SINGLE RELIGIOUS GROUP. I KEEP WONDERING, DO ARABS AND PALESTINIANS MATTER? DO OUR FELLOW CITIZENS THINK WE DESERVE TO HAVE, CONTINUE TO HAVE OUR LOVED ONES MASSACRED IN THE NAME OF KEEPING SO-CALLED PEACE CAMBRIDGE'S COMPLICIT IN GENOCIDE? YOU MAY. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ALEX G, FOLLOWED BY NANCY MURRAY, THEN HARVEY CAMBRIDGE. ALEX, PLEASE GO AHEAD ONE MINUTE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ALEX GREENWALD. I'M A RESIDENT OF AREA EIGHT. I'M HERE TO URGE THE COUNCIL TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF POLICY ORDER SEVEN AND EIGHT TO SIMPLY DIVEST FROM COMPANIES COMPLICIT IN THE EXPLICITLY NAMED ISRAELI GENOCIDE OF PALESTINIANS. THIS IS ONE SMALL PART IN PROTECTING BOTH PALESTINIANS AND OUR OWN CITIZENS OF CAMBRIDGE. IF YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT ANTISEMITISM, THEN KNOW THIS. AS A JEWISH AMERICAN, I HAVE NEVER NEEDED A FOREIGN NUCLEAR ARMED NATION TO REPRESENT ME. THIS IS MY HOME POLISM FOR ISRAEL'S GENOCIDAL ACTIONS PRIMARILY SERVES TO ATTACH THE PERPETRATION OF GENOCIDE TO J JEWISHNESS. MY STATUS AS A JEW MAY GIVE ME A LOT TO TALK ABOUT REGARDING THE IDEA OF ISRAEL, BUT MY STATUS AS A HUMAN BEING MAKES IT OBVIOUS THAT WE MUST DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO COMBAT THE ATROCITIES THAT ISRAEL AND THE MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS, THESE POLICY ORDERS ACTUALLY CONCERN ARE ENACTING ON PALESTINIANS. EVERY DOLLAR WE SPEND THAT GOES TO COMPANIES THAT PROFIT FROM GENOCIDE IS A VOTE TO CONTINUE GENOCIDE. WE HAVE THE POWER AND THE RESPONSIBILITY TO DO BETTER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NANCY MURRAY, FOLLOWED BY HARVEY CAMBRIDGE. THEN JUDE G NANCY. YEAH. MY NAME IS NANCY MURRAY. I'VE LIVED FOR 30 YEARS ON ERIE STREET IN CAMBRIDGE. FOR ME, DIVESTING FROM THE GENOCIDE IN GAZA IS NOT JUST A MATTER OF CONSCIENCE BUT DEEPLY PERSONAL. I HAVE MADE A DOZEN TRIPS TO THE GAZA STRIP SINCE 1988 AND GOT TO KNOW THE PLACE AND THE PEOPLE THAT DEFY THE DEHUMANIZING IMAGES CONVEYED BY ISRAEL AND THE MAINSTREAM US MEDIA. I HAVE FRIENDS THERE WHO HAVE LOST ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING INCLUDING THEIR CHILDREN. OVER THE LAST YEAR, ISRAEL HAS SLAUGHTERED ONE AND A HALF THOUSAND GAZA RESIDENTS MAKING A MOCKERY OF THE TERM CEASEFIRE, WHICH IS SUPPOSEDLY IN PLACE AND AS WE SPEAK, IT HAS AGAIN SLAMMED THE DOOR SHUT ON THE DELIVERY OF HUMANITARIAN AID. WHO ON THIS COUNCIL WANTS TO BE COMPLICIT IN THE OBLITERATION OF PEOPLE AND THE TRASHING OF INTERNATIONAL LAW? DIVEST NOW. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS HARVEY CAMBRIDGE. OKAY, GOOD EVENING. I'M HARVEY. I'VE BEEN A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT FOR OVER 18 YEARS. PLEASE VOTE NO ON THE BDS POLICY ORDERS. THESE ORDERS STATE A MODERN DAY BLOOD LIBEL AS FACT. THEY HAND CITY DECISIONS TO AN UNELECTED ACTIVIST GROUP AND ASK CAMBRIDGE TO ILLEGALLY DISCRIMINATE AGAINST ANYONE DEEMED COMPLICIT THROUGH EXTRAJUDICIAL ACCUSATIONS. OUT OF EVERY COUNTRY ON EARTH, THEY SINGLE OUT THE HOME TO NEARLY HALF THE WORLD'S JEWS BY EFFECTS, IF NOT INTENT, THEY ARE FUNDAMENTALLY ANTISEMITIC. I GREW UP IN THE UK AND AUSTRALIA AND I'VE SEEN WHERE INCITEMENT LIKE THIS LEADS. IT'S MANCHESTER ON YOM KIPPUR AND BONDI HANUKAH. IT'S BOULDER, WASHINGTON, MICHIGAN. FALSE ACCUSATIONS OF GENOCIDE AND APARTHEID TURNS VIOLENCE AND JEWS ARE MURDERED IN CITIES LIKE CAMBRIDGE. AS A RESULT FOR JEWS, OUR CONNECTION TO ISRAEL IS PART OF WHO WE ARE. THESE ORDERS TELL CAMBRIDGE JEWS WE'RE NOT WELCOME. ONLY IF WE HI. WE'RE ONLY WELCOME ONLY IF WE HIDE AND RENOUNCE OUR IDENTITY. I WON'T DO THIS AND NOBODY IN THE CITY SHOULD VOTE. NO THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JUDE G FOLLOWED BY MARY ACKERSON, THEN DARA MANIC. JUDE. HI EVERYONE. I HATE PUBLIC SPEAKING. MY NAME IS JUDE GELMAN. I'M A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT. UH, MY FATHER LEFT PALESTINE IN 1947 TO COME STUDY IN THE US FOR GENERATIONS. HIS JEWISH FAMILY LIVED IN PALESTINE ALONGSIDE PEOPLE OF MANY FAITHS AND ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS WITHIN A PREDOMINANTLY ARAB SOCIETY. BEFORE ZIONISM, A EUROPEAN POLITICAL IDEOLOGY DESTROYED THIS COEXISTENCE URGE YOU NOT TO ACCEPT THE FALSE CLAIM THAT BEING ANTI-ZIONIST IS ANTI-SEMITIC AND THAT CLAIM MUST NOT BE USED AS AN EXCUSE TO SHIRK OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO STOP THE ONGOING GENOCIDE AND ETHNIC CLEANSING OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE. I URGE THE COUNCIL TO ACT WITH COURAGE AND PRINCIPLE AND DIVEST FROM THESE DESTRUCTIVE COMPANIES THAT ARE COMPLICIT IN GENOCIDE, APARTHEID AND OCCUPATION. CAMBRIDGE MUST STAND FOR THE RULE OF LAW AND INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS. WE STOOD FOR THESE PRINCIPLES IN THE PAST AND WE MUST STAND FOR THEM NOW. THANKS. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARY ACKERSON, FOLLOWED BY DARA IC THEN ALEX K [01:55:01] MARY. ONE MINUTE. MY NAME IS MARY AKERSON. I LIVE ON FAYETTE STREET AND HAVE LIVED IN MID CAMBRIDGE FOR 50 YEARS. MY HUSBAND STEVE COHEN AND I RAISED THREE CHILDREN AND NOW FIVE GRANDCHILDREN. I'M A PROUD JEWISH AND AMERICAN AND SPEAKING IN STRONG OPPOSITION TO POLICY ORDER 1 95 AND 1 96 PASSING. THESE RESOLUTIONS WILL DO NOTHING TO SOLVE ANY CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST. BDO IS NOT A PEACE MOVEMENT. ITS CAMPAIGNS ARE NOT DESIGNED TO ADVANCE MUTUAL ACCEPTANCE, COEXISTENCE, OR RECONCILIATION BETWEEN ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS. ITS STRATEGY IS TO ISOLATE AND DELEGITIMIZE ISRAEL THROUGH COORDINATED POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL PRESSURE. WHATEVER THE SINCERE HUMANITARIAN MOTIVATIONS OF INDIVIDUAL SUPPORTERS, THE BROADER CAMPAIGN IS NOT A CONSTRUCTIVE PATH TOWARDS PEACE. THESE POLICY ORDERS GIVE A PLATFORM TO PEOPLE WHO ATE ISRAEL IN ISRAEL, LIVE HALF OF THE WORLD'S JEWS. THESE POLICIES WOULD DEMONIZE THEM AND THE REST OF THE DIASPORA. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DARA IC, FOLLOWED BY, SORRY, ALEX K THEN TONY SAGER DARA. HI, I AM DARA IC. I'VE BEEN A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT FOR OVER 40 YEARS AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST POLICY ORDERS 1 95 AND 1 96. AND WHEN I TOLD MY DAUGHTER THAT I WOULD BE DOING THIS, HER RESPONSE WAS, MOM, PLEASE BE SAFE. I THINK THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES. SINCE THE PROGRAM OF OCTOBER 7TH, THERE'S BEEN A GUARD OUTSIDE THE ENTRANCE TO MY SYNAGOGUE. AND WHENEVER I GO TO A JEWISH EVENT, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I DO IS VISUALLY LOCATE THE EXITS. OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, WE'VE HEARD, WE'VE HEARD OF NUMEROUS INSTANCES OF ANGER AGAINST ISRAEL BEING DISPLACED IN THE FORMS OF ACTS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST AMERICAN JEWS. ALONG WITH EVERYTHING ELSE THAT IS MORALLY REPUGNANT AND PRAGMATICALLY WRONG. WITH THESE RESOLUTIONS, I FEAR THEY WILL FURTHER DIVIDE OUR COMMUNITY AND INCITE VIOLENCE AGAINST JEWS AND ISRAELIS. I DON'T WANT CAMBRIDGE TO BE THE NEXT NEWS HEADLINE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ALEX K, FOLLOWED BY TONY SAGER. THEN HILLARY F ALEX. HELLO, MY NAME'S ALEX COREY. I WAS BORN HERE IN CAMBRIDGE AND I LIVE HERE NOW IN INMAN SQUARE. I'M LEBANESE ON MY DAD'S SIDE AND I'M JEWISH ON MY MOM'S SIDE. AND GROWING UP HERE IN THE EARLY TWO THOUSANDS, I USED TO WONDER HOW HIGH YOU WOULD HAVE TO STACK ARAB BODIES ON MY DAD'S SIDE BEFORE THEY WOULD COUNT AS MUCH AS THE FAMILIES AND THE PEOPLE ON MY MOM'S SIDE IN 2026. WE'VE REACHED THAT NUMBER. WE HAVE RESIDENTS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE HERE BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN HUMAN RIGHTS BECAUSE WE ARE SHOCKED BY WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THE PEOPLE OF PALESTINE BECAUSE WE OPPOSE GENOCIDE AND WE HAVE A SIMPLE ASK THAT WE PLEASE STOP PARTICIPATING IN THAT GENOCIDE. THE ONLY QUESTION IS, WILL YOU DO THE RIGHT THING? WILL YOU DO THE MORAL THING? WILL YOU TAKE OUR CITY FUNDS OUT OF GENOCIDE? THANK YOU. HER NEXT SPEAKER IS TONY SAGER, FOLLOWED BY BRETT COMMON THEN YUVAL M TONY. ONE MINUTE. YEAH. MY NAME IS TONY SAGER AND I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT AND VOTER IN CAMBRIDGE SINCE, UH, WALTER SULLIVAN WAS MAYOR. UH, MY GRANDCHILDREN WENT TO A PRESCHOOL WHICH HAD TO HAVE AN ARMED GUARD AT THE ENTRANCE DESK BECAUSE IT WAS A JEWISH SCHOOL. I GO TO SERVICES AT A SYNAGOGUE WHICH HAD TO REPLACE ITS CENTURY OLD WOODEN DOORS WITH METAL SECURITY DOORS AND IT HAS TO USE A VIDEO CAMERA BEFORE OPENING THEM. THE RHETORIC AND PRESUMPTIONS IN BOTH THESE RESOLUTIONS INFLAME EMOTIONS AND FUEL ZEALOTRY. THIS RHETORIC WILL BE TAKEN AS A JUSTIFICATION JUST AS IT HAS BEEN ELSEWHERE FOR TARGETING JEWISH PEOPLE IN SCHOOLS, STORES ON THE STREETS HERE IN CAMBRIDGE, TARGETING THEM FOR STRE, FOR THREATS, INTIMIDATION, HARASSMENT AND ASSAULTS. AND GOD FORBID, POSSIBLY WORSE. IT CAN HAPPEN HERE. THESE RESOLUTIONS ARE ACCELERANTS AND THEY'RE INTENDED TO BE THAT. IF YOU WANNA MAKE CAMBRIDGE A CITY THAT'S WELCOMING TO ANSWER, SIR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. PLEASE EMAIL US THE REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENT. WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON. UM, HILLARY F WE ALREADY HEARD FROM MADAM CLERK. WE CAN GO NEXT TO BRETT COMMON, FOLLOWED BY YUVAL M THEN JOSHUA. FRIEND BRETT, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE PLEASE. GO AHEAD. HI, CAN [02:00:01] YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN. PLEASE GO AHEAD. MY NAME'S BRETT. I'M A JEWISH NEIGHBOR TO MANY OF YOU IN CAMBRIDGE PORT, UH, ATTENDING OVER ZOOM AND SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF POS SEVEN AND EIGHT. UH, IF CAMBRIDGE CONTINUES TO INVEST TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO THE INDUSTRIAL MILITARY COMPLEX, THEN WE AS TAXPAYERS ARE COMPLICIT IN THIS ONGOING GENOCIDE AND APARTHEID OF PALESTINIANS. BUT I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT HOW INVESTING INTO PALANTIR AND ELBIT AND GE ISN'T KEEPING JEWS SAFE EITHER. AND I SPEAK TONIGHT THINKING OF HEIDI LEVINE, THE BELOVED AUNT OF ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS, WHO IS ALSO A JEWISH JOURNALIST WHO WAS BORN AND RAISED IN BOSTON AND HAS SINCE RAISED A FAMILY IN JERUSALEM IN FOR DECADES. THIS PAST FRIDAY WHILE COVERING THE PALESTINIAN OLIVE HARVEST, SHE WAS BEATEN BY DOZENS OF MASS ISRAELI SETTLERS WHO CLUBBED HER, RIPPED OFF HER PRESS JACKET AND KICKED HER UNTIL THEY FRACTURED FOUR OF HER VERTEBRAE WHILE SHE BEGGED THEM TO LET HER DIE. ID. F SOLDIERS STOOD BY WITH NO CONCERNS HOLDING WEAPONS BANKROLLED BY CAPE AMERICAN FUNDS. NOT A SINGLE DIME OF CAMBRIDGE'S MONEY SHOULD GO TOWARDS THESE WEAPONS, THIS APARTHEID OR THIS HATE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS YUVAL M, FOLLOWED BY JOSHUA FRE FREAL. THEN MOHAMED MOHAMMED YUVAL. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD. ONE MINUTE. HELLO, MY NAME IS YUVAL. CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN. PLEASE GO AHEAD. MY NAME IS YUVAL. I LIVE IN CAMBRIDGE. I'M AN AMERICAN CITIZEN. I'M A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT FOR THE PAST DECADE THAT MY CHILDREN ARE AMERICAN CITIZENS AND THEY ATTEND PUBLIC SCHOOL IN CAMBRIDGE. THE DAY MY KID, AN INVITATION CULTURE AT THEIR SCHOOL, I, I KNEW THAT WE WOULD PROBABLY JUST HAVE TO MISS IT BECAUSE THEY, IF THEY WOULD BRING FOOD THAT REPRESENTS THEIR JEWISH OR ISRAELI CULTURAL BACKGROUND, THEY RISK BEING TARGETED BY THEIR SCHOOL STAFF OR THEIR SCHOOL FRIENDS. I JUST HEARD MY, ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES SAY CAMBRIDGE IS THE WORST CITY TO RAISE CHILDREN IF YOU'RE JEWISH. CAMBRIDGE LOVES TO TALK ABOUT DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION, SO PLEASE LET MY KIDS BE INCLUDED AS WELL. PLEASE VOTE NO TO ADDING MORE HATE TO OUR CITY. IT'S OKAY TO HAVE CRITICISM TO ISRAELI GOVERNMENT. GOD KNOWS I DO, BUT YOUR VOTE WON'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE THERE. IT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE HERE IN CAMBRIDGE. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOSHUA F FRIEND, FOLLOWED BY MOHAMMED. MOHAMMED, THEN STEWART AL. JOSHUA. JOSHUA HAS NOT JOINED US. WE ARE GONNA MOVE TO SPEAKER NUMBER 94 HAM. HAM FOLLOWED BY STEWART GAL MOHAMED, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. ONE MINUTE. MOHAMED, YOU NEED TO UNMUTE YOURSELF. HELLO? UH, CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN. PLEASE GO AHEAD. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS MOHAMED. I LIVE AND WORK IN THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE. I'M HERE TO URGE YOU TO SUPPORT AND DIVEST CITY FUNDS FROM COMPANIES COMPLICIT IN THE GENOCIDE, APARTHEID AND OCCUPATION OF PALESTINIANS. OUR MONEY IS INVESTMENT OF OUR VALUES. CAMBRIDGE ALREADY REFUSES TO INFA INVEST IN FOSSIL FUELS AND PRIVATE PRISONS BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT PUBLIC DOLLARS FINANCING HARM. AND THE SAME PRINCIPLE APPLIES HERE. LEADING HUMAN RIGHT ORGANIZATIONS FROM AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL TO ISRAEL'S OWN BED SU HAVE DOCUMENTED APARTHEID AND GREAT ABUSES AGAINST PALESTINIANS AND THE COMPANIES THAT SUPPLY WEAPONS, SURVEILLANCE AND EQUIPMENTS USING THOSE ABUSES SHOULD NOT BE PROFITING FROM CAMBRIDGE TAXPAYERS. OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE ALREADY ACTING MET FOR PASSED A HUMAN RIGHT DIVESTMENT ORDINANCE AND SUMMARY. BOTH VOTERS APPROVED THE INVESTMENT IN THE BALLOT BOX. CAMBRIDGE IS ALWAYS AIMED TO LEAD ON HUMAN RIGHTS. PLEASE LET OUR INVESTMENTS REFLECT WHO WE ARE. HINDSIGHT IS ALWAYS 2020. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS STEWART GAL, FOLLOWED BY C SMITH. THEN SAANA S STEWART. STUART, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE PLEASE GO AHEAD. I'M STUART GOODELL. I'M FROM NORTH CAMBRIDGE. I OPPOSE, PLEASE OPPOSE. POLICY ORDERS THAT REQUIRE THE CITY TO REFUSE TO PURCHASE FROM OR BE INVESTED IN ISRAELI BUSINESS. WORRY ABOUT THE EFFECTS OF REPEATEDLY BRINGING BDS RELATED MEASURES BEFORE THIS COUNCIL. THESE RECURRING BATTLES MAKE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY FEEL SINGLED OUT, INCONSISTENT WITH THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO BEING INCLUSIVE BASE INVESTMENT AND PURCHASING DECISIONS ON MUNICIPAL CONSIDERATIONS, COST, QUALITY, QUALIFICATIONS AND THE LAW. MASS GENERAL LAW PROTECTS MASS BUSINESSES FROM BOYCOTTS. IT WAS THAT ARE BEGUN BY INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS. GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER ONE 30 LISTS PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES FOR BOYCOTTERS. YOU SHOULDN'T USE PURCHASING AND INVESTING TO CONDUCT A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN. THANK YOU MR. GOODALL. THAT WAS YOUR TIME. PLEASE EMAIL US THE REMAINDER. [02:05:01] OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS C SMITH, FOLLOWED BY SAUNA S. THEN DAN EISNER C. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. ONE MINUTE. SEE IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR? YEP. HERE I AM. MY NAME IS C SMITH. CAN YOU HEAR ME? MY NAME IS C SMITH. I CAN HEAR YOU. THANK YOU. I LIVE IN CAMBRIDGE AND I'M DESCENDED FROM JEWS WHO ESCAPE THE HOLOCAUST AND THAT IS WHY I'M SPEAKING TODAY AGAINST THE GENOCIDE AND GAZA AND IN SUPPORT OF DIVESTMENT, CAMBRIDGE HAVE 10 HAS TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INVESTED IN WEAPONS MANUFACTURERS AND IT SHOULD ABSOLUTELY NOT BE NORMAL. THESE ARE CORPORATIONS THAT MAKE MONEY, MAKE PROFIT OFF MURDERING PEOPLE. THEY'RE PURCHASED BY THE ISRAELI MILITARY OR JUST GIVEN TO THEM FOR FREE BY OUR GOVERNMENT WHO USE THEM TO MURDER PEOPLE. RIGHT NOW IN GAZA, THEY, THEY HAVE THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF CHILD AMPUTEES PER CAPITA IN THE WORLD. PERSONALLY, I AM HORRIFIED THAT THAT'S EVEN A STATISTIC THAT EXISTS. THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE TO KEEP TRACK OF AND THE BEST ARGUMENT THAT OPPONENTS OF VESTMENT CAN SAY IS THERE HAVE BEEN INSTANCES OF BULLYING AND GRAFFITI IN CAMBRIDGE SCHOOLS THAT THEY FEEL UNSAFE ABSTRACTLY TO PUT THOSE ISSUES FOR ONE SECOND ON THE SAME LEVEL AS BOMBING AND STARVATION IS UNREAL. IT IS SHAMELESS BULLYING CAN BE DEALT WITH AND IT'S MUCH EASIER TO DEAL WITH THAN REATTACHING THE LIMBS TO CHILDREN WHO HAVE HAD THEIR LIMBS BLOWN OFF BY THE SAME COMPANIES THAT WE INVEST OUR TAX DOLLARS IN. THIS IS A LOCAL ISSUE. THESE ARE OUR TEXTS. THANK YOU. C PLEASE EMAIL US THE REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENT. FOR EVERYONE WHOSE TIME EXPIRES AGAIN, EMAIL US AT CITY COUNCIL@CAMBRIDGEMA.GOV. WE WILL GO ON TO ANA S FOLLOWED BY DAN EISNER, THEN DANIEL ENGEL SAANA. ONE MINUTE. MY NAME IS ANA. I'M A BOSTON RESIDENT AND ORGANIZER WITH MUSLIM JUSTICE LEAGUE. WE WORK WITH THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY IN CAMBRIDGE TO ADDRESS SURVEILLANCE AND POLICING CONCERNS. IT IS OUR BELIEF THAT CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL MUST VOTE TO DIVEST FROM ISRAELI APARTHEID. I'M A PAKISTANI AMERICAN. PAKISTAN WAS DECOLONIZED FROM THE UK IN 1947. UNLIKE PAKISTAN, PALESTINE NEVER RECEIVED THE DECOLONIZATION. IT WAS PROMISED BY THE BRITISH. RATHER, IT WAS PASSED FROM ONE COLONIZER TO ANOTHER AND AS A RESULT FACES APARTHEID AND GENOCIDE. TODAY YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TODAY TO AFFIRM PALESTINIANS RIGHT TO LIFE BY MOVING TAXPAYER MONEY AWAY FROM COMPANIES PROFITING OFF OF PALESTINIAN DEATH. IF YOU DO, HISTORY WILL BE ON YOUR SIDE. THANK, THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAN EISNER, FOLLOWED BY DANIEL ENGEL, THEN SARAH BINNEY. DAN. UM, FOR THOSE OF US WHO SUPPORT SELF-DETERMINATION FOR THE JEWISH PEOPLE, WE MUST RECOGNIZE THAT THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT'S TREATMENT OF THE PALESTINIANS HAS GREATLY UNDERMINED SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL. PRESSURE MUST BE PUT ON ISRAEL TO RECOGNIZE THE DIGNITY AND HUMANITY OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE AND RE-EMBRACE THE TWO STATE SOLUTION. BUT THESE ARE NOT THE GOALS OF THIS POLICY. ORDER BDS IS PART OF A MOVEMENT THAT WANTS TO DISMANTLE ISRAEL. THEY HAVE NO INTEREST IN COMPROMISE OR COEXISTENCE. AT A PRO HAMAS RALLY IN FRONT OF THIS BUILDING ON OCTOBER 9TH, 2023, I HEARD A SPEAKER TELL THE CHEERING CROWD THIS WEEKEND THE PALESTINIAN RESISTANCE TAUGHT A GLOBAL LESSON ABOUT WHAT DECOLONIZING LAND LOOKS LIKE. BDS HAS ALIGNED ITSELF WITH A MOVEMENT THAT CELEBRATES THE SLAUGHTER AND RAPE OF OVER A THOUSAND JEWS. I IMPLORE YOU TO REJECT THIS POLICY ORDER. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DANIEL ENGLE, FOLLOWED BY SARAH BINNEY, THEN DANIEL PINCUS. DANIEL ENGLE, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. ONE MINUTE. THANK YOU. UH, MY NAME IS DANIEL ENGEL AND I LIVE IN SOMERVILLE. I'M AN AMERICAN ISRAELI WITH MOROCCAN YEMENITE AND LITHUANIAN HERITAGE MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY LEFT EACH OF THOSE COUNTRIES IN THE FACE OF OVERWHELMING ANTISEMITISM AND WE'RE SEEING THE SAME RUMBLINGS HERE. I OPPOSE POLICY ORDERS SEVEN AND EIGHT AND YOU SHOULD TOO. I WANNA REMIND EVERYONE AGAIN THAT EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED IN GAZA IS DIRECTLY A RESULT OF THE WORST MASS MURDER OF JEWS SINCE THE HOLOCAUST ON OCTOBER 7TH, 2023. AND BY OCTOBER 9TH, CAN IANS WERE CALLING ISRAEL'S LACK OF A RESPONSE, A GENOCIDE AND PROTESTING THE VICTIMS OUTSIDE OF CITY HALL. WAR IS AWFUL, BUT BILLS LIKE THIS REMOVE AGENCY FROM THOSE DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATHS OF REAL PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS WAR. HAMAS, HEZBOLLAH, IRAN, AND THE HOUTHIS. WHILE MAKING ME FEEL LESS SAFE IN CAMBRIDGE, I'VE BEEN PHYSICALLY ATTACKED AND VERBALLY ASSAULTED FOR SUPPORTING ISRAEL AND SOMERVILLE AND I HIDE MY STAR OF DAVID AND MY KIPPAH. THESE POLICY PROPOSALS CONTINUE THE SAME VILE ANTI-SEMITIC THREAT IN CAMBRIDGE. ANY COUNSELOR SUPPORTING THESE POLICY ORDERS SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF SUPPORTING TERRORISM AGAINST JEWS AND OVERRIDING THE PENSION BOARD'S FIDUCIARY DUTIES. OPPOSE THESE POLICY ORDERS AND SPEND YOUR TIME AND RESOURCES CONTINUING TO MAKE THE CITY. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SARAH BINNY, FOLLOWED BY DANIEL [02:10:01] PINUS. THEN LEXI P SARAH, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. AND FOR ALL OF US, WE ARE AT SPEAKER 100. SARAH, PLEASE GO AHEAD. UM, MY NAME'S SARAH. I'M A PART OF CAMBRIDGE'S JEWISH COMMUNITY. I'M A MEMBER OF THE TREMONT STREET SHOUL, WHICH IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER FROM CITY HALL AND I WORK AS A JEWISH NONPROFIT PROFESSIONAL, AND I WOULD LIKE TO VOICE MY STRONG SUPPORT FOR POLICY ORDERS SEVEN AND EIGHT. MANY OF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN USING CAMBRIDGE'S JEWISH COMMUNITY AS A COVER FOR REFUSAL TO DIVEST TO THAT. I SAY NOT IN OUR NAME AND NOT WITH OUR TAX DOLLARS. WE REFUSE TO BE USED AS AN EXCUSE FOR CONTINUING COMPLACENCY WITH GENOCIDE. DIVESTMENT IS ONE OF THE MOST TANGIBLE WAYS THAT WE CAN DO OUR PART TO PREVENT FURTHER SLA SLAUGHTER. UM, DIVESTMENT IS NOT ANTI-SEMITIC AND ONE DAY AS WE'LL HAVE SEEN WITH EFFORTS WITH THE PAST EFFORTS TO DIVEST FROM APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA, HISTORY WILL SHINE FAVORABLY ON THOSE LEADERS WHO STAND FOR LIBERATION. DIVEST NOW. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DANIEL PINCUS, FOLLOWED BY LEXI P, THEN MARCUS A DANIEL. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF ONE MINUTE. UH, HELLO. UH, MY NAME IS DANIEL PINCUS AND, UH, I'M A PROUD, YET FEARFUL JEWISH RESIDENT OF CAMBRIDGE, BUT UNLIKE WHAT OTHERS MIGHT HAVE SAID TONIGHT, MY FEAR COMES NOT FROM THE SUPPOSED ANTISEMITISM OF THE ANTI GENOCIDE MOVEMENT IN OUR CITY AND COUNTRY, BUT RATHER FROM THE CONSTANT AND EAGER CONFLATION OF MY FAITH AND MY PEOPLE WITH AN IDEOLOGY THAT HAS MANIFESTED ITSELF INTO A GENOCIDAL APARTHEID REGIME. AS DETERMINED BY THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY'S LEGAL AND GENOCIDE SCHOLARS, IT PAINS AND HORRIFIES ME THAT NOT ONLY IS SUCH A VILE REGIME CONDUCTING SUCH ATROCITIES THAT IT IS DOING SO WITH EAGER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM AMERICAN COMMUNITIES LIKE CAMBRIDGE. AND ANY CRITIQUE IS SLANDERED AS BIGOTRY IN ORDER TO AVOID THE FUNDAMENTAL REALITY THAT CAMBRIDGE AND AMERICAN DOLLARS ARE DIRECTLY FUNDING A GENOCIDE IN THE NAME OF PROTECTING ME AND MY PEOPLE. AND WE MUST DIVEST FROM THIS GENOCIDE IMMEDIATELY IN LINE WITH JEWISH VALUES THAT ONE MUST ALWAYS DISTANCE ONESELF FROM SIN AND EVIL. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LEXI P, FOLLOWED BY MARCUS A THEN SIVAN MCDONOUGH LEXIE. ONE MINUTE. I AM LEXI. I LIVE IN CAMBRIDGE, SO YOU REPRESENT ME. UH, CAMBRIDGE HAS $28 MILLION INVESTED IN COMPANIES THAT SERVE ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE EFFORTS. I DON'T WANT MY TAX DOLLARS GOING TO ISRAEL. 59% OF AMERICAN SUPPORT US RECOGNITION OF A PALESTINIAN STATE. FIND OUT WHAT THAT PERCENTILE WOULD BE FOR CAMBRIDGE BEFORE CONTINUING TO SUPPORT ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE OF PALESTINIANS. AND ON A PERSONAL NOTE, DON'T BE COMPLICIT IN GENOCIDE. AS COUNCIL MEMBERS OF CAMBRIDGE, YOUR JOB IS TO UPHOLD FAIR AND MORAL STANDARDS IN THE SERVICES YOU PROVIDE. THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO DO UNLESS YOU USE YOUR POSITION TO PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE OF PALESTINIANS, PARTICULARLY IN GAZA. I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE TRAPPED BY AN ABUSER FOR YEARS WHO TELLS YOU NO ONE IS COMING TO SAVE YOU. NO ONE EVEN KNOWS OR CARES YOU'RE HERE. YOU WILL NEVER BE FREE. AND TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE RIGHT, THERE IS NO ONE IN CAMBRIDGE. YOU ARE HELPING UNTIL YOU TALK ABOUT THIS GENOCIDE AND ADDRESS IT IN YOUR JOB. WE ALL NEED HELP SOMETIMES HONOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS BY HELPING THOSE WHO ARE TRAPPED. THANK YOU, LEXI. THAT'S YOUR TIME. PLEASE EMAIL US THE REMAINDER. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARCUS, A FOLLOWED BY SIOBHAN MCDONOUGH, THEN HEDAYA SHAJI MARCUS. ONE MINUTE COUNSELORS. MY NAME IS MARCUS. I LIVE IN CENTRAL SQUARE AND I SUPPORT POLICY ORDERS SEVEN AND EIGHT. FIVE YEARS AGO, THE CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO REVIEW CITY CONTRACTS FOR HUMAN RIGHT ABUSES. IT SET ZERO STANDARDS. TODAY THE CITY CONTRACTS WITH MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS, WHICH THE UN LISTS FOR SUPPLYING ISRAEL'S ILLEGAL SETTLEMENTS. THE CITY'S PENSION INVESTS THROUGH ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE OF THE PALESTINIANS THROUGH PALANTIR AND LOCKHEED MARTIN, AMONGST OTHER COMPANIES THAT DEAL AND WEAPONS, I AM ASKING THE COUNCIL TO MOVE AWAY FROM WORDS AND INTO ACTION. THESE ORDERS SIMPLY SET THAT STANDARD. FINISH WHAT YOU STARTED. PASS THESE ORDERS. UNAMENDED. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SHAVAN MCDONOUGH, FOLLOWED BY HEDAYA SJI. THEN RICHARD MAIDMAN SHAVONNE SHAVONNE MCDONOUGH. I LIVE ON ELLERY STREET. I'M HERE AS A MASSACHUSETTS UAW MEMBER URGING THE COUNCIL TO DIVEST FROM GENOCIDE. UH, ALL THE COUNSELORS HERE HAVE HAD IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER THAT THEY SUPPORT LABOR. UM, AND THE LABOR MOVEMENT UNDERSTANDS THAT SOLIDARITY IS IMPORTANT AND THE WE HAVE, WE PLACE IMPORTANCE IN TREATING EVERYONE EQUALLY. MANY OF US FIGHT OUR BOSSES FOR PROTECTIONS FROM HARASSMENT AND DISCRIMINATION, AND THAT'S WHY UAW DIVESTED FROM [02:15:01] APARTHEID OCCUPATION AND GENOCIDE AND WHY WE STAND WITH PALESTINIAN TRADE UNIONS. IN ASKING CAMBRIDGE TO DIVEST CAMBRIDGE FUNDS SHOULD NOT SUPPORT ISRAEL'S TWO-TIERED LEGAL SYSTEM THAT VIOLENTLY DISPLACES PALESTINIANS FROM THEIR HOMES AND THEIR HOMELAND. PLEASE VOTE TO DIVEST OUR CITY FROM THE PERPETRATORS OF GENOCIDE AND PALESTINE. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS HADA SJI, FOLLOWED BY RICHARD MAIDMAN, THEN MARYAM AHMAD HADA. MY NAME IS HEDAYA. I'M SYRIAN. I LIVED IN THE US FOR 11 YEARS. AS A CHILD, I LIVED IN A WAR ZONE. I KNEW WHAT IT FELT LIKE TO LIVE UNDER BOMBS, NOT KNOWING IF MY FAMILY AND I WILL SURVIVE TODAY IN CAMBRIDGE. AS I WALK ALONG CHARLES RIVERS BANKS, I THINK ABOUT CHILDREN IN GAZA AND FAMILIES WHO'S, WHO'S A HUMAN RIGHTS ARE VIOLATED AND HOW OUR MONEY, OUR TAX CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR SUFFERING. TODAY, I'M HERE TO SAY IT'S, IT'S THE TIME TO STOP SUPPORTING GENOCIDE. IF CAMBRIDGE DIVEST OTHER CITIES, WILL OTHER STATES WILL, NAMING THE HARM IS HOW DIVESTMENT WORKS AND DIVESTMENT IS THE ONLY SOLUTION. TO STOP THIS, THANK YOU. PLEASE EMAIL US THE REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENT. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RICHARD MAIDMAN, FOLLOWED BY MARYAM AHAD. THEN EVAN HAAS. RICHARD RICHARD HAS NOT JOINED US. WE WILL GO TO MARYAM AHMAD, FOLLOWED BY EVAN HAAS, THEN IV ROSE MARYAM. MY NAME IS MIRIAM AND I'VE LIVED AND WORKED IN CAMBRIDGE FOR SIX YEARS AND I PLAN TO STAY. I WAS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHEN NINE 11 HAPPENED AND PERSONALLY FACED RACIST AND ISLAMOPHOBIC ATTACKS, BUT I'M PRETTY SURE IN 2001 YOU WOULD'VE STILL CONDEMNED THE PERPETRATORS OF NINE 11 REGARDLESS AND WOULD TELL ME THAT THE PERPETRATORS WERE NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF ME OR MY MUSLIM VALUES. ON OCTOBER 15TH, 2023, I WAS SITTING AT THE SMITH CENTER AT HARVARD TAKING A BREAK WHEN A STRANGER CAME UP TO ME AND ASKED ME, DID YOU MURDER YOUR WAY INTO THE UNIVERSITY, THE WAY HAMAS MURDERED THEIR WAY INTO ISRAEL? THEY THEN TOLD ME, IF I EVER WENT TO A PALESTINE RALLY, I WOULD BE SHOT JUST BECAUSE I'M BROWN. I KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO FEEL UNSAFE AND I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO FEEL UNSAFE, BUT THIS IS NOT ABOUT ME. THIS IS ABOUT THE THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN BEING TORN TO SHREDS ON GAZA. GENOCIDE IS NOT A QUESTION OF BEING JEWISH OR ARAB OR MUSLIM. THIS IS A QUESTION OF YOUR HUMANITY. THE ORDERS ON THE AGENDA TALK ABOUT SPECIFIC COMPANIES WHOSE EXISTENCE DEPENDS ON THIS GENOCIDE. GENOCIDE REPRESENTS NO RELIGION AND I URGE YOU TO TAKE OUR MONEY OUT OF IT. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS EVAN HAAS, FOLLOWED BY RAVI ROSE, THE AMAN. EVAN EVAN HAS NOT JOINED US. WE WILL MOVE ON TO RAVI ROSE, FOLLOWED BY T AMMAN, THEN EMMY LINDER. RAVI, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR ONE MINUTE. MY NAME IS RAVI ROSE AND I AM A JEWISH SUPPORTER OF THIS RESOLUTION AND A MEMBER OF TEMPLE BETH SHALOM IN CAMBRIDGE. I'VE SPENT TIME ON THE GROUND IN ISRAEL AND IN PALESTINE, AND I'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE WAY THAT TOOLS OF WAR ARE WEAPONIZED AGAINST PALESTINIAN PEOPLE AND IT BREAKS MY HEART TO HEAR JEWISH MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY COME HERE TODAY TO WEAPONIZE THEIR IDENTITY, TO SUPPORT THEIR INDIVIDUAL AGENDAS AND POLITICAL CONVICTIONS. I THINK THAT BDS IS, UM, AN IMPORTANT LEGAL FRAMEWORK AND, UH, ETHICAL AND IMPERATIVE AND THE DRIVING VALUES BEHIND THIS, I, I SUPPORT AS A JEWISH RESIDENT AND I URGE THE CITY TO PASS THIS RESOLUTION WITHOUT AMENDMENT. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS OT AMMAN, FOLLOWED BY EMMY LINDER, THEN MARILYN FRANKENSTEIN OT. ONE MINUTE PLEASE. GOOD EVENING, CAMBER CITY COUNCIL AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. MY NAME IS TAH AMMAN AND I'M A SECOND YEAR MEDICAL STUDENT AT HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL. IN FACT, IT IS PARTLY BECAUSE I AM A MEDICAL STUDENT THAT I STRONGLY SUPPORT THIS DIVESTMENT POLICY ORDER. LIKE MANY, I CAME INTO THIS PROFESSION TO PROTECT HUMAN LIFE AND SO OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, MY CLASSMATES AND I HAVE OFTEN FELT HELPLESS. WE HAVE SEEN ISRAEL KIDNAP AND TORTURE PALESTINIAN DOCTORS LIKE HUSAM, GUS [02:20:01] SOPHIA BURN PATIENTS ALIVE IN HOSPITALS AND MAKE DOZEN LAND UNHA UNINHABITABLE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. MEDICAL STUDENTS LIKE MYSELF WITH THE DREAMS OF HEALING, OTHERS HAVE BEEN WIPED OUT, BUT TODAY I DO NOT FEEL HELPLESS. PUBLIC OPINION HAS CHANGED AND EVERYDAY PEOPLE DO NOT WANT OUR TAX DOLLARS TO CONTINUE FUNDING ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE AND GAZA. JUST AS CAMBRIDGE DIVESTED FROM APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA, MY MEDICAL COLLEAGUES AND I CALL ON YOU TO DIVEST AGAIN, HISTORY WILL THANK YOU FREE PALESTINE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS EMMY LINDER, FOLLOWED BY MARILYN FRANKENSTEIN. THEN MAYA BICKEL EMMY. PLEASE GO AHEAD. MY NAME IS EMMY LINDER. I'M AN ISRAELI AMERICAN AND CAMBRIDGE HAS BEEN MY HOME FOR OVER 18 YEARS. THREE YEARS AGO AFTER TEN SEVEN, WHEN MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER WAS SEVEN YEARS OLD, SHE WAS SINGLED OUT BY CLASSMATES BECAUSE SHE WAS ISRAELI AND JEWISH. THE HOSTILITY AND EXCLUSION BECAME SO SERIOUS THAT WE HAD TO MOVE HER TO ANOTHER CLASSROOM IN THE MIDDLE OF FIRST GRADE AND EXTREME MEASURE, WHICH WAS FULLY SUPPORTED BY HER PUBLIC SCHOOL. SHE'S STILL CAUTIOUS ABOUT TELLING PEOPLE WHERE HER FAMILY IS FROM EVEN THOUGH SHE'S PROUD OF IT. LAST YEAR WHEN MY OLDER DAUGHTER WAS 13, SHE WAS ASKED, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU THINK WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOU? HER RESPONSE WAS, MY PARENTS ARE ISRAELI AND I JUST THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE. WHY DO OUR CHILDREN FEEL THE NEED TO EXPLAIN OR DEFEND THEIR IDENTITIES? ONE DAUGHTER HAS LEARNED TO BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT REVEALING WHERE HER FAMILY IS FROM AND THE OTHER FEELS THE NEED TO ANNOUNCE IT. WHY WOULD CAMBRIDGE DEEPEN THESE DIVISIONS BY BRINGING THE CONFLICT INTO OUR MUNICIPAL POLICIES? IN ONLY TWO DAYS, 650 PEOPLE SIGNED A PETITION URGING YOU TO VOTE NO. PLEASE READ THEIR COMMENTS. YOU HAVE THEIR SUPPORT. PLEASE VOTE NO. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARILYN FRANKENSTEIN, FOLLOWED BY MAYA BICKEL, THEN KATHY ROBERTS. MARILYN, PLEASE GO AHEAD ONE MINUTE. 40 YEAR CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT, BROOKLYN JEW IN 2023. THE A DL STATED, BEING JEWISH DOES NOT EXEMPT AN ORGANIZATION OR A PERSON FROM BEING ANTI-SEMITIC, BUT BEING JEWISH SHOULD EXEMPT US FROM SUPPORTING THE GENOCIDE. ISRAEL CONTINUES TO REIGN DOWN ON THE PALESTINIANS. REMEMBERING ALL THE LIES TOLD ABOUT US WHEN WE WERE GENOCIDE BY THE EUROPEANS SHOULD EXEMPT US FROM SWALLOWING THE ADL'S. MISLEADING ANTISEMITISM STATISTICS. I'M PROUD THAT OVER 50% OF THE WHITES ACTIVE IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT WERE JEWS WHILE WE WERE ONLY 3% OF THE COUNTRY. I'M HORRIFIED THAT THERE IS A SINGLE JEWISH PERSON WHO SUPPORTS ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE, THE PALESTINIANS. I'M HORRIFIED THAT ANY JEW WOULD NOT DO WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO END ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE. THE PALESTINIANS, I'M URGING MY CITY COUNCIL TO DO WHAT YOU CAN DO DIVEST OUR NEXT SPEAKER. WE ARE AT SPEAKER NUMBER ONE 13 IS MAYA BICKLE, FOLLOWED BY KATHY ROBERTS, THE NATHAN SITARAMAN MAYA. ONE MINUTE. HI. I'M A CO-FOUNDER OF MINAN ZITE, WHICH IS A JEWISH COMMUNITY THAT SERVES OVER 100 CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS. I'M DEDICATING THESE COMMENTS IN HONOR OF MY FRIEND ADA HALENE. ONE YEAR AGO HE WAS MURDERED BY AN ISRAELI SETTLER IN THE PRESENCE OF DOZENS OF SOLDIERS IN THE OCCUPIED WEST BANK. THE SETTLER HAS STILL NOT BEEN HELD ACCOUNTABLE. I MET HIM FIVE YEARS AGO WHEN HE WAS MY AGE AND ALREADY A LEADER IN HIS COMMUNITY AND IN HIS REGION'S RESISTANCE TO THE ISRAELI OCCUPATION AND GENOCIDE. A MAJOR PART OF HIS AND HIS COMMUNITY'S SURVIVAL STRATEGY IS TO APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY ACTIVISTS LIKE MYSELF AND IMPLORE US TO SHARE THEIR STORY AND HELP BRING INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE, ONE OF THE ONLY MECHANISMS AVAILABLE TO ENG THE MILITARY OCCUPATION AND APARTHEID POLICIES THAT DENY THEM WATER, HOUSING, DIGNITY, AND THE ABILITY TO LIVE THEIR LIVES AND FREEDOM AND FREE FROM VIOLENCE. I AM HERE TO AMPLIFY HIS VOICE AND LEGACY AND CALL ON YOU TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO STOP OUR TAX DOLLARS FROM FUNDING WEAPONS COMPANIES THAT ARE COMPLICIT IN A SYSTEM THAT PROTECTS HIS MURDERER WHILE DEMOLISHING HIS COMMUNITY'S HOMES. THESE ORDERS DO NOT HARM JEWISH RESIDENTS OF CAMBRIDGE. THEY ARE IMPORTANT ACTS OF SOLIDARITY. THANK YOU, MADAME CLERK. WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO AN EARLIER SKIPPED, UM, RICHARD MAIDMAN, FOLLOWED BY KATHY ROBERTS. THEN WE WILL GO TO NATHAN SITARAMAN. RICHARD, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE PLEASE. GO AHEAD RICHARD. YOU NEED TO UNMUTE YOURSELF. THERE YOU GO. MY NAME IS RICHARD MAIDMAN. I LIVE AT 18TH STERLING STREET IN SOMERVILLE AND I'M SPEAKING ON POLICY ORDERS 20 26, 1 95 AND 1 96. AS GROUPS IN SOMERVILLE HAVE PUSHED BDS HERE OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, I'VE WATCHED THE HOSTILITY TOWARDS JEWS LIKE ME GROW IN WAYS I NEVER EXPECTED. LEMME TELL YOU WHAT THAT'S LOOKED LIKE IN 2025, AL SOMERVILLE FOR PALESTINE WAS PROMOTING ITS BALLOT MEASURE. MY HOME WAS VANDALIZED. SOMEONE STUCK A MILITANT ANTI-ISRAEL STICKER ON IT. WE HAVE A SIGN AT OUR HOUSE THAT SAYS BOSTON STANDS AGAINST ANTISEMITISM. THAT WAS THE RESPONSE LAST YEAR, A FRIEND'S CHILD WAS TOLD BY A PEER THAT THEY COULD NOT BE FRIENDS BECAUSE [02:25:01] HE WAS JEWISH. IN MARCH, 2025, BDS WAS UP AT CITY HALL HERE. AFTER THE MEETING, A MOB OF MASS PEOPLE SCREAMED AT OUR KIDS. AS WE WALKED OUT. OUR CHILDREN SOBBED ON THE STREET BEHIND CITY HALL FOR MINUTES. THEY NEVER WANT TO COME BACK TO CITY HALL AND FEEL THAT HATRED AGAIN. LET ME TELL YOU, FROM EXPERIENCE BDS WILL ONLY BRING MORE HATRED AND ANTISEMITISM TO CAMBRIDGE. I RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU TO REJECT BDS FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KATHY ROBERTS, FOLLOWED BY NATHAN SITARAMAN, THEN ANDY NASH. KATHY, ONE MINUTE PLEASE GO AHEAD. MY NAME IS KATHY ROBERTS. I LIVE IN WEST CAMBRIDGE RUN AVENUE AS AN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR IN CAMBRIDGE. FOR OVER 50 YEARS, I WILL FOCUS ON CHILDREN. ACCORDING TO THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, GAZA NOW HAS THE LARGEST GROUP OF CHILD AMPUTEES IN MODERN HISTORY, OVER 22,000 CHILDREN HAVE BEEN KILLED AND THOUSANDS MORE OFTEN. THE DEFINITION OF GENOCIDE FROM THE UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MUSEUM IS, AND I QUOTE, THE INTENTIONAL ACTION TO DESTROY ON WHOLE OR PART A NATIONAL, ETHNIC, RACIAL, OR RELIGIOUS GROUP. THERE ARE MANY OTHER COUNTRIES TO INVEST IN FOR GOOD OUTCOMES FOR TEACHERS. PEN PENSIONS DIVEST NOW FROM THE COMPANIES THAT PRODUCE THE BOMBS AND WEAPONS TO MAKE GENOCIDE POSSIBLE. NELSON MANDELA CAME TO, CAME TO BOSTON FIRST TO HONOR THE MOVEMENT HERE IN CAMBRIDGE TO END. THANK YOU KATHY. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. PLEASE SEND US THE REST. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NATHAN SITARAMAN, FOLLOWED BY ANDY NASH, THEN DYLAN CALLAHAN. WE'RE AT SPEAKER ONE 15. HI MY NATHAN. MY NAME IS NATHAN RAHMAN. I, I LIVE AT 100 MEMORIAL DRIVE HERE IN CAMBRIDGE AND I ALSO WORK HERE IN CAMBRIDGE. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON POLICY ORDER SEVEN IN FAVOR OF DIVESTMENT. WHEN IT COMES TO CRIMES AS SERIOUS AS APARTHEID AND GENOCIDE. WITH TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PUBLIC MONEY INVOLVED, WE SIMPLY CANNOT AFFORD TO MAKE EXCEPTIONS BASED ON RACE, RELIGION, OR NATIONALITY. IF I ASKED YOU, UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS WOULD YOU SUPPORT APARTHEID FOR THE PEOPLE OF CAMBRIDGE, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU WOULD SWEAR UP AND DOWN THAT UNDER NO CONDITIONS WOULD YOU VOTE FOR APARTHEID FOR THE PEOPLE OF CAMBRIDGE. IF IT'S NOT OKAY HERE, WHY MAKE AN EXCEPTION FOR ISRAEL? FOR EVERY SPEAKER AT PUBLIC COMMENT TODAY, 200 PALESTINIANS ARE DEAD. FOR EVERY SPEAKER TODAY, 20,000 PALESTINIANS ARE LIVING IN FEAR. PLEASE LET US WATCH, WASH OUR HANDS OF THIS SIN AND BLOODSHED. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANDY NASH, FOLLOWED BY DYLAN CALLAHAN. THEN KATIE WETZ. ANDY, PLEASE GO AHEAD. GOOD EVENING. ANDY NASH. I'M A JEWISH CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT AND VOTER SINCE 1980. I'M ALSO A COORDINATOR OF CAMBRIDGE LUE, THE IMMIGRANT DEFENSE GROUP THAT INCLUDES ALMOST 400 CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS. WE HAVE SIGNED ONTO THE DIVESTMENT SUPPORT LETTER BECAUSE THE VERY COMPANIES THAT ARE ENABLING WELL-DOCUMENTED LAND THEFT, ETHNIC CLEANSING AND MASS SURVEILLANCE IN PALESTINE ARE BUILDING THE SURVEILLANCE STATE THAT IS BEING USED TO HUNT DOWN OUR IMMIGRANT NEIGHBORS RIGHT HERE. ARGUMENTS THAT WE SHOULD NOT SINGLE OUT ISRAEL ARE TODAY'S VERSION OF, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BLACK LIVES MATTER? DON'T ALL LIVES MATTER? YES, ALL LIVES MATTER AND HUMAN RIGHTS EVERYWHERE MATTER, BUT TODAY WE'RE FOCUSED ON A GENOCIDE, WHICH WITHOUT US COMPLICITY WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE. WHATEVER YOUR PERSONAL VIEW IS, A GROWING NUMBER OF CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS AND WORKERS, YOUR CONSTITUENTS WANT OUR MONEY OUT NOW. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DYLAN CALLAHAN, FOLLOWED BY KATIE WIRTZ, THEN AISHA HODA DYLAN. HI, GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS DYLAN, I'M FROM SOMERVILLE. I WANT TO ADDRESS THREE ISSUES, UH, THAT YOU AS COUNSELORS MIGHT REASONABLY, UH, GIVE YOU PAUSE, BUT PASSING THESE ORDERS, WHICH I WHOLEHEARTEDLY SUPPORT. UM, THE FIRST IS THAT PASSING THEM WILL IN SOME WAY INCREASE DIVISION IN CAMBRIDGE. I, I, I DON'T THINK THIS IS TRUE. THOSE WHO OPPOSE OR APOLOGIZE FOR THE GENOCIDE AND GAZA WILL STILL EXIST, EXIST NOW AND WILL BE HERE IN NO MATTER HOW YOU VOTE TONIGHT. UH, THAT THIS IS NON-LOCAL. UH, WE ARE ASKING YOU NOT TO DICTATE FOREIGN PA POLICY, BUT UH, TO, UH, STEWARD OUR TAX DOLLARS, OUR CAMBRIDGE TAX DOLLARS IN A MORE ETHICAL WAY AND THAT IS A VERY LOCAL ISSUE. AND FINALLY, THAT THIS IS IN SOME WAY ILLEGAL AND I AM NOT A LAWYER, UH, BUT I KNOW THAT IN AMERICA ANYONE CAN SUE ANYONE FOR ANY REASON. UH, SO THAT DOES NOT MAKE THE CITY MORE OR LESS VULNERABLE TO LAWSUITS. UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. PLEASE PASS THESE POLICY [02:30:01] ORDERS. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KATIE WIRTZ, FOLLOWED BY AISHA HODA. THEN PHILIP KRIEGER. KATIE, KATIE IS NOT WITH US. WE WILL MOVE ON TO AISHA. HODA. AISHA, ONE MINUTE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS AISHA HODA. I'M A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT AND I'M IN FAVOR OF POLICY ORDER NUMBER SEVEN. AS SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN TO PALESTINE MULTIPLE TIMES AND SEEN APARTHEID AND OPPRESSION FIRSTHAND, AND AS SOMEONE WHO IS AN EDUCATOR IN CAMBRIDGE AND MOTHER OF KIDS THAT ATTEND CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, IT HURTS ME TO THINK THAT MY TAX DOLLARS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MURDERING OR TAKING AWAY THE PARENTS OF ANYONE'S BABIES. I SPOKE RIGHT HERE WHEN WE WERE ASKING CAMBRIDGE TO PASS THE CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION AND THE BIGGEST PUSHBACK WAS WHY IS CAMBRIDGE VOTING ON SOMETHING INTERNATIONAL THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR CITY? WELL, HERE'S YOUR ANSWER. WE, OUR CITY ARE CONTRIBUTING TO THIS BLOODSHED AND SO WE HAVE EVERY MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE OUR CITY'S MONEY DOESN'T CONTRIBUTE. I KNOW THE BIGGEST FEAR IS THAT BY VOTING FOR THIS, THERE WILL BE PUSHBACK THAT YOU ARE SOMEHOW SUPPORTING ANTISEMITISM. I IMPLORE YOU TO CONSIDER THAT THE MORE WE CONFLATE ANTISEMITISM WITH CRITICIZING ISRAEL'S ACTIONS, THE MORE DANGEROUS IT IS FOR JEWS. VIOLENCE FUELS MORE PAIN AND ANGER, WHICH LEADS TO MORE VIOLENCE BY DIVESTING FROM COMPANIES THAT PROFIT, FROM THIS DESTRUCTION, WE CAN CHOOSE ACCOUNTABILITY OVER COMPLICITY AND TAKE A VITAL STEP TOWARDS LASTING PEACE FOR ALL PEOPLE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO KATIE WETZ. KATIE, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. OKAY, THANK YOU. CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN. PLEASE GO AHEAD. OKAY. AGAIN, MY NAME IS KATIE WITZ. MY HUSBAND CURRENTLY WORKS IN CAMBRIDGE AND I WORK SIDE BY SIDE WITH MANY JEWISH PEOPLE TO ADVOCATE FOR THE END OF GENOCIDE OF THE GENOCIDE. AND I ENCOURAGE THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE TO VOTE YES TO DEVICE. THE LIES OF OTHERS ARE NOT MORE IMPORTANT THAN OUR COMFORT. EVERYONE SPEAKING HERE TODAY IS DIRECTLY IMPLICATED IN THIS GENOCIDE THROUGH OUR TAX DOLLARS. LAST YEAR, MY HUSBAND HAD TO FIND A NEW JOB AND AT AN INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW WITH A DEFENSE TECH COMPANY IN THIS AREA, HE WAS ASKED, DO YOU HAVE ANY MORAL OBJECTIONS TO WORKING HERE? THE GENOCIDE ON PALESTINIANS AND GAZA CAN ONLY HAPPEN THROUGH THE US' POLITICAL COMPLICITY, CORPORATE STRUCTURES, AND ENORMOUS AIDS. SINCE THE START OF THE ISRAELI GENOCIDE AGAS IN 2023, THE LIFE EXPECTANCY HAS GONE ON BY 35 YEARS, 90% OF THE WATER PURIFICATION DESALINATION IN SEWAGE TREATMENT FACILITIES ARE DAMAGED OR KNOCKED OUT. 1.3 MILLION PEOPLE ONLY HAVE ACCESS TO SIX LITERS OF CLEAN WATER PER DAY. 90% OF THE 36 HOSPITALS ARE OUT OF SERVICE DUE TO STRUCTURAL DAMAGES. THANK YOU, KATIE. PLEASE SEND US THE REST VIA EMAIL. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS PHILIP KREGER. WE ARE AT SPEAKER NUMBER ONE 20 PHILLIP KREGER, FOLLOWED BY AMANI DEANI, THEN LIZA BARRETT. PHILLIP, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD ONE MINUTE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS PHIL KREGER AND I'VE LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE FOR 11 YEARS AND MY WIFE AND I ARE RAISING OUR TWO KIDS HERE. I'M PRO-PALESTINIAN, PRO-ISRAEL AND ANTI BDS. THESE POSITIONS ARE NOT CONTRADICTORY. I URGE YOU TO REJECT POLICY ORDERS 1 95 AND 1 96. BDS IS NOT A MOVEMENT FOR JUSTICE OR PEACE. IT OFFERS NO SOLUTIONS FOR PEACE AND EVEN CALLS FOR BOYCOTTING INITIATIVES THAT SEEK TO BRING ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS TOGETHER. BDS IS A GLOBAL CAMPAIGN TO DELEGITIMIZE AND ULTIMATELY ELIMINATE ISRAEL THE WORLD'S ONLY JEWISH STATE. THESE POLICY ORDERS IMPORT A DIVISIVE INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT INTO OUR CITY, DEEPENING DIVISIONS HERE AT HOME AND RUNNING COUNTER TO CAMBRIDGE'S LONGSTANDING VALUES OF WELCOMING PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT FACE AND VIEWPOINTS. OUR CITY HAS REAL CHALLENGES AND OUR RESIDENTS DESERVE YOUR ATTENTION. LET'S FOCUS ON WHAT WE CAN ACTUALLY CHANGE RATHER THAN DIVIDE OUR COMMUNITY OVER WHAT WE CANNOT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS AMANI ANI, FOLLOWED BY LIZA BARRETT, THEN JARED COHEN. AMANI. AMANI HAS NOT JOINED US. WE WILL MOVE TO LIZA BARRETT, FOLLOWED BY JARED COHEN, THEN MILA HALLGREN. LIZA PLEASE. ONE MINUTE. MY NAME IS LIZA AND I'M A FORMER BOARD MEMBER OF THE BOSTON WORKERS CIRCLE, ONE OF THE OLDEST JEWISH INSTITUTIONS IN MASSACHUSETTS AND WE PROUDLY ENDORSE POLICY ORDERS SEVEN AND EIGHT. WE'VE LONG SUPPORTED PALESTINIAN RIGHTS, BUT THIS IS OUR FIRST TIME FULLY ENDORSING A LOCAL BOYCOTT AND DIVESTMENT CAMPAIGN ALONG WITH HUNDREDS OF NON ZIONIST JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS NATIONWIDE. BWC IS RAPIDLY GROWING. THE ZIONIST ORGANIZATIONS HERE TODAY TELLING YOU TO CONTINUE FUNDING GENOCIDE CANNOT SAY THE SAME. THEY ARE OPENLY PANICKING ABOUT THEIR SUSTAINABILITY GIVEN THAT YOUNG JEWS AND FAMILIES ARE INCREASINGLY REJECTING [02:35:01] A JUDAISM BASED IN FEAR. COUNCILOR NOLAN AS A MEMBER OF BOSTON WORKERS CIRCLE WITH ME. I HOPE YOU MAKE YOUR JEWISH COMMUNITY PROUD TONIGHT BY JOINING US IN VOTING FOR A SHARED VISION OF JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU. THAT'S YOUR TIME. AS A REMINDER, PER THE MAYOR'S EARLIER STATEMENT, PLEASE ADDRESS YOUR COMMENTS TO THE CHAIR. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JARED COHEN, FOLLOWED BY MILA HALLGREN. THEN KAREN GREENBAUM. MILA. HELLO, MY NAME IS MILA HORE. I HAVE LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE FOR A DECADE AND I HAVE A PHD FROM MIT. YOU MUST NAME AND DIVEST FROM ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE. SOME HAVE CLAIMED THAT BY DIVESTING, UM, CAMBRIDGE IS INVOLVING ITSELF INTO QUOTE COMPLEX INTERNATIONAL CONFLICTS, BUT CAMBRIDGE IS ALREADY PARTICIPATING IN THIS CONFLICT, BUT STRICTLY ON ISRAEL'S SIDE. ON TOP OF OUR PUBLIC INVESTMENTS, CAMBRIDGE COMPANIES BUILT COMBAT SIMULATORS AND SURVEILLANCE EQUIPMENT FOR THE ISRAELI MILITARY. HARVARD AND MIT RESEARCHED DRONE SWARMS AND MISSILE GUIDANCE PAID FOR AND SUPERVISED BY THE IDF. WHEN I WAS A STUDENT AT MITI WATCHED ARAB MUSLIM STUDENTS BULLIED AND HARASSED BY THE VERY ADMINISTRATORS WORKING WITH ISRAEL'S MILITARY TO HURT THEIR FAMILIES AND LOVED ONES MAYOR SIDIKI, YOU SAID EARLIER, WE MUST WORK TO MAKE THIS SPACE FEEL WELCOMING FOR EVERYONE AND I COULDN'T AGREE MORE, BUT HOW COULD ANYONE IN CAMBRIDGE WHO HAS WATCHED OR BEEN HARMED BY THIS GENOCIDE FEEL WELCOME IN THESE CHAMBERS OR THIS CITY AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE ISRAELI MILITARY AND INVEST IN THEM? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO JARED COHEN, FOLLOWED BY KAREN GREENBAUM, THEN JAKE WBA. JARED, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS JARED COHEN AND I'M A SOMERVILLE RESIDENT, BUT I GREW UP IN CAMBRIDGE AND LIVED THERE FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND HAVE A DOZEN FAMILY MEMBERS STILL LIVING AND WORKING IN CAMBRIDGE. I'M ASKING THE COUNCIL TO OPPOSE THESE POLICY ORDERS BECAUSE THEY DO NOTHING TO AFFECT THE TRAGIC SITUATION IN ISRAEL AND PALESTINE, BUT WILL ONLY CREATE ADMINISTRATIVE, FINANCIAL AND LEGAL PROBLEMS FOR THE CITY WHILE FURTHER SOWING DIVISION AND DISTRACTING CAMBRIDGE FROM THE REAL AND URGENT CHALLENGES OF CITY GOVERNANCE. AND I THINK WE'RE SEEING THAT HERE TONIGHT. THESE POLICY ORDERS ARE DIVISIVE, DISCRIMINATORY, COUNTERPRODUCTIVE. AND I'M ASKING YOU TO VOTE NO. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KAREN GREENBAUM. KAREN, IF YOU'RE ABLE TO PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND IN THE ZOOM. THERE'S A NAME, BUT IT'S A DIFFERENT LAST NAME. OKAY, THEN I DON'T SEE KAREN GREENBAUM. WE'RE GONNA GO TO JAKE WBA. WE'RE FOLLOWED BY LYNDON JENKINS. JAKE, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI, UM, MY NAME IS JAKE. UM, I'M A MEMBER OF THE CAMBRIDGE JEWISH COMMUNITY AND I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF DIVESTMENT. UM, I WAS INVOLVED IN PROTECTIVE PRESENCE ACTIVISM IN THE OCCUPIED WEST BANK WHERE I SAW FIRSTHAND HOW LITTLE RECOURSE PALESTINIAN COMMUNITIES FACING SETTLER VIOLENCE HAVE. THEY CAN'T PROTECT THEMSELVES OR THEY'LL BE ARRESTED OR KILLED BY THE ISRAELI ARMY OR UM, POLICE. AND THAT SAME ARMY AND POLICE WILL NOT PROTECT THEM FROM SETTLERS. THAT'S ONE REASON WHY INTERNATIONAL PRESSURE LIKE THIS PROPOSAL IS SO IMPORTANT. IT'S ONE OF THE FEW WAYS WE CAN CONSTRAIN, UM, THE VIOLENCE SETTLERS. I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT THIS IS NOT, IT'S NOT ABOUT JEWS. UM, IT'S ABOUT A VIOLENT PROGRAM OF ETHNIC CLEANSING AND PEOPLE RESISTING THAT PROGRAM AND IT'S THAT SIMPLE. IT'S NOT ANTISEMITIC. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO KAREN GREENBAUM, FOLLOWED BY LYNDON JENKINS. KAREN, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. ONE MINUTE. KAREN, IF YOU COULD UNMUTE YOURSELF. HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN. PLEASE GO AHEAD. OKAY, THANKS. HI, I'M KAREN GREENBAUM, A RESIDENT OF CAMBRIDGE FOR 16 YEARS, AND I'M OPPOSED TO POLICY ORDER NUMBER SEVEN. UH, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S SOME LANGUAGE IN THE POLICY ORDER OF [02:40:01] NOT WANTING TO BE INVOLVED WITH COMPANIES THAT CREATE WEAPONRY OR SURVEILLANCE, IF THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE POLICY. I'M NOT SURE WHY THE ONLY JEWISH COUNTRY IN THE WORLD IS THE ONE SINGLED OUT HERE. IF THE GOAL IS TO BOYCOTT ISRAEL, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME ACTUALLY NOT UTILIZING ANY COMPANIES THAT ARE INVOLVED WITH ISRAEL. WE CAN DEBATE THE DEFINITIONS OF THE ACTIONS OF THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT, WHICH INCLUDE USING SOME OF THESE COMPANIES FOR SELF-DEFENSE. CONSIDERING THAT MANY ISRAELIS AND JEWS BOTH HERE AND IN ISRAEL OPPOSED MANY ACTIONS OF THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT, IT SEEMS LIKE THE PRIMARY EFFECT OF THIS ORDER WILL BE TO ALIENATE ISRAELIS AND JEWS CONSIDERING THE RISE OF ANTI-SEMITISM IN THE WORLD. I WOULD HOPE THAT SUPPORTING THE RESIDENTS OF CAMBRIDGE IS A HIGHER PRIORITY OF OUR CITY COUNCIL THAN COMPLEX INTERNATIONAL POLITICS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON TO SPEAKER NUMBER 1 27 LYNDON JENKINS. LYNDON, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. ONE MINUTE. YES, THANK YOU. UM, MAYOR SIDIKI, UM, I HAVE LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE FOR 13 YEARS. I LIVE IN CAMBRIDGE PORT RIGHT NOW, AND IN 2024 I SPENT THREE MONTHS VOLUNTEERING WITH BIL, THE, UH, PALESTINIAN LIBERATION THEOLOGY CENTER IN EAST JERUSALEM, BOARDING WITH A CHRISTIAN, A CATHOLIC PALESTINIAN WOMAN. THERE ARE MANY REASONS WHY THE BDS UM, POLICY ORDER SHOULD BE APPROVED. UH, I'M VERY, UM, ACTUALLY I'M ANGRY. I WILL SAY WITH RESPECT THAT WE ARE HERE FOR A THIRD TIME TO TRY TO ACCOMPLISH THIS. UM, AND THERE, AS I SAY, THERE ARE MANY REASONS WHY THIS SHOULD HAPPEN. I WILL EMAIL THOSE TO YOU, BUT I WANT TO SPEAK TO ONE THAT I HAVEN'T HEARD MENTIONED THIS EVENING AND THAT IS THAT THESE COMPANIES AND OTHERS LIKE THEM ARE AMONG THE PRIMARY POLLUTERS IN THE WORLD AND IT'S A FISCALLY IRRESPONSIBLE TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN THESE COMPANIES BECAUSE WE ARE COMMITTING SIDE. THANKS LONDON. THAT'S YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. PLEASE EMAIL US THE REST. WE ARE MOVING ON TO SPEAKER NUMBER 1 28 AIDEN SCH MAMAN, FOLLOWED BY BRIAN BURKE, THEN ILHAM EL UH, EL SORRY, AIDEN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD. ONE MINUTE. UH, HI. UH, MY NAME IS AEN SCH MAMAN. UH, I'VE LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE FOR 18 YEARS AND I'M AGAINST POLICY ORDERS 1 95 AND 96. UM, HONESTLY THAT THESE POLICY ORDERS ARE EVEN PROPOSED AS DISHEARTENING. IT'S, IT'S BAD FOR CAMBRIDGE. WE FEEL EVERYWHERE IN OUR POLITICAL CLIMATE SENSE OF DIVISIVENESS AND THE PAIN IT BRINGS. SO WHY ARE WE BRINGING FOREIGN AFFAIRS INTO CAMBRIDGE CITY POLITICS? DON'T WE HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO? 1 95 BY ITS OWN ADMISSION IMPACTS LESS THAN 1% OF INVESTMENTS. SO THIS IS JUST A STATEMENT TO ALIENATE MANY CANTER BRIDGET, BUT 1 95 AND 1 96. ALSO HAND OVER CONTROL OF WHO DOES BUSINESS WITH CAMBRIDGE WITH A THIRD PARTY ORGANIZATION SO THEY CAN JACK THAT NUMBER UP TO 20% OR 50% IT WILL IN 2023. AND, UH, FOR BEING VISIBLY JEWISH AND CAMBRIDGE WAS NOT SAFE. WALKING NEAR HARVARD OR THROUGH MIT WAS UNSAFE AND ALL WE GOT FROM THE CITY COUNCILS IN 20 20 18, 20 21, 20 23 WAS MORE OPINING ON INTERNATIONAL POLITICS AND AGGRAVATING TENSIONS. HERE, SEND A MESSAGE THAT CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL HANDLES LOCAL ISSUES MAY BE HANDLED COMCAST BROAD, PLEASE EMAIL US THE REST. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BRIAN BURKE, FOLLOWED BY ILHAM RIE, THEN JONATHAN HELLER. BRIAN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD RYAN, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THERE YOU GO. GOOD EVENING, COUNSELORS. MY NAME IS BRIAN BURKE. I'M AN IRISH CATHOLIC LIVING IN DAYTON, OHIO. SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MY JEWISH FRIENDS IN CAMBRIDGE, I URGE YOU TO REJECT 1 95 AND 1 96. BOTH ORDERS HAND CITY DECISIONS TO ONE OUTSIDE ADVOCACY GROUPS LIST. CAMBRIDGE SHOULD OUTSOURCE ITS PURCHASING OR ITS INVESTMENTS TO ANY ACTIVIST ORGANIZATION. 1 96 WOULD MAKE TAXPAYERS PAY UP TO 10% MORE ON CONTRACTS AND REQUIRE VENDORS TO SIGN PERJURY STATEMENTS 1 95 ASKS THE TRUSTEES OF OUR, OF YOUR TEACHERS, FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS PENSIONS TO PUT POLITICS AHEAD OF THEIR DUTIES TO RETIREES. IT NAMES ISRAEL BONDS DEBT ISSUED BY THE COUNTRY ITSELF. SO THIS ISN'T ABOUT CORPORATE CONDUCT. IN 2021, YOU ADOPTED A NEUTRAL HUMAN RIGHTS STANDARD THAT APPLIES TO EVERY COUNTRY EQUALLY. THAT WAS FAIR THEN AND FAIR. NOW, JEWISH FAMILIES IN CAMBRIDGE, INCLUDING MY FRIENDS, HEAR THESE ORDERS AS SAYING THEY DON'T BELONG. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ILHAM RI, FOLLOWED BY JONATHAN HELLER. THEN SOPHIA L ILHAM. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. [02:45:01] MY NAME IS ILHAM LADI. I'M A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT OF 10 YEARS AT GRADUATE OF CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOL, A FORMER CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATOR AND A MOTHER. IN 2024, I HAD A PRIVILEGE OF MEETING HIBA, A MOTHER OF THREE FROM REZA THROUGH AN ORGANIZATION CALLED HEAL HIBA. ARRIVED WITH EIGHT MONTH OLD SON WHO DESPERATELY NEEDED EMERGENCY BRAIN SURGERY AFTER HIS SURGERY AND PHYSICAL THERAPY, HIBA AND HER BABY RETURNED TO EGYPT WHERE THEY WAITED FOR THE BORDERS TO REOPEN SO THEY COULD REUNITE WITH THEIR FAMILY. A MONTH AGO, HIBA FINALLY RETURNED TO REZA KNOWING THAT SHE AND HER CHILDREN COULD BECOME ANOTHER NUMBER ON THE DEATH POLE. BUT HIBA IS NOT A NUMBER. SHE IS A MOTHER. HER CHILDREN HAVE NAMES, DREAMS AND FUTURES, AND HERS IS ONE OF COUNTLESS STORIES. I REFUSE TO REMAIN SILENT. WHILE PUBLIC FUNDS CONTRIBUTE TO THE DESTRUCTION OF FAMILIES LIKE HIPAA, THIS COUNCIL CREATES RULES AND EXPECTS RESIDENTS TO FOLLOW THEM. YOU ESTABLISH STANDARDS OF ACCOUNTABILITY FOR OUR SCHOOLS, OUR STREETS, AND OUR COMMUNITY. SO I ASK YOU, WHO HOLDS THIS COUNCIL ACCOUNTABLE? WHEN IS THIS INVESTMENT CONTRADICTS? THE VERY VALUES THAT EXPECTS TO UPHOLD CAMBRIDGE PRIDES ITSELF ON JUSTICE, EDUCATION AND HUMANITY. THOSE PRINCIPLES MUST EXTEND TO HOW WE INVEST IN PUBLIC FUNDS. THANK YOU. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JONATHAN HELLER, FOLLOWED BY SOPHIA L. THEN JONATHAN DOVE, JONATHAN HELLER. JONATHAN HAS NOT JOINED. WE'LL GO TO SOPHIA L FOLLOWED BY JONATHAN DOVE, THEN ADA BUKA. MY NAME IS SOPHIA LEBAR AND I'M A JEWISH RESIDENT OF EAST CAMBRIDGE AND A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF THE BOSTON AREA. IT IS NOT IN SPITE OF BUT RATHER PART AND PARCEL WITH MY JUDAISM THAT I ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORT, BOYCOTTING AND DIVESTING FROM COMPANIES THAT ENABLE ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE OF PALESTINIANS. I WAS RAISED TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE MUST NEVER AGAIN TURN A BLIND EYE TO GENOCIDE. SO IT HORRIFIES ME THAT THE CITY I LIVE IN AND LOVE IS SUBSIDIZING ISRAEL'S SYSTEMATIC CAMPAIGN OF OCCUPATION, ETHNIC CLEANSING AND GENOCIDE OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE. AND LET ME BE VERY CLEAR, IT IS NOT ANTISEMITIC TO OPPOSE ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE. FUNDING. AMERICAN WEAPONS COMPANIES DOES NOT SUPPORT JEWS IN CAMBRIDGE NOR KEEP US SAFE. PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF ALL THE JEWS WHO HAVE SPOKEN UP IN SUPPORT OF PALESTINE. WE REFUSE TO BE THE CITY'S SCAPEGOATS FOR ITS SUPPORT OF ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE. I CALL ON THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL TO VOTE YES ON POLICY ORDERS SEVEN AND EIGHT. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JONATHAN DOVE, FOLLOWED BY RAG BHA. THEN NATE S JONATHAN. JONATHAN HAS NOT, EXCUSE ME ONE SECOND. JONATHAN, IF YOU ARE ON THE IPHONE, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE WE CAN HEAR YOU. WE CAN HEAR YOU. PLEASE GO AHEAD. UH, I AM A JEWISH RESIDENT IN SOMERVILLE. UM, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. VDS DOES NOT PROMOTE PEACE. IN FACT, IT TURNS THE OPENING STATEMENT THAT CAMBRIDGE IS A WELCOMING COMMUNITY THAT DOES NOT SUPPORT DISCRIMINATION OR VIOLENCE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD ON ITS HEAD. THERE ARE DOUBLE STANDARDS HERE. RUSSIA INVADED UKRAINE, CHINA SUPPRESSED MINORITIES, IRAN PERSECUTES DISSIDENTS, YET ONLY ISRAEL IS MENTIONED. IN FACT, 14 TIMES THE ORDER SEEKS TO ISOLATE ISRAEL, THE HOMELAND OF HALF THE WORLD'S REMAINING JEWS. WORLDWIDE, WE SEE ATTACKS ON JEWISH COMMUNITIES AND HOSTILITY TOWARDS ISRAEL. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED IT HERE IN SOMERVILLE. THIS ORDINANCE WILL EMBOLDEN ANTISEMITISM AND DEEPENED DIVISIONS IN CAMBRIDGE, WHETHER PROMOTED BY NON-JEWS OR BY JEWS WHO VOTE JEWISH HOLIDAYS TO OPPOSE ISRAEL, BOTH SINGLE OUT ISRAELIS AND JEWS WHO SEE ISRAEL AND ZIONISM AS INTEGRAL TO THE IDENTITY MAKING THEM TARGETS OF HATRED. I URGE YOU TO REJECT THESE POLICIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RAHA BU KHALID. I DO NOT SEE ADA ON THE ZOOM. WE WILL GO TO KEEGAN JAMES, FOLLOWED BY KAYLA GOODA, THEN NICK C KEEGAN, NUMBER 1 35. PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI THERE, MY NAME IS KEEGAN. I'VE LIVED NEAR HARVARD SQUARE FOR THREE YEARS AND I'VE SPENT MOST OF MY UM, CAREER WORKING IN CAMBRIDGE. UM, I AM ALSO A PUBLIC SERVANT WORKING AT LOCAL GOVERNMENT. UM, AND I WANNA REITERATE THAT THIS IS A LOCAL ISSUE. UM, I WAKE UP EVERY MORNING TO DIFFERENT NEWS, PICTURES AND VIDEOS OF PALESTINIANS BEING VICTIMS OF OCCUPATION AND GENOCIDE BY ISRAEL AND THE MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX THAT PROPS THE ZIONIST ENTITY UP. [02:50:01] I HAVE SEEN THE OCCUPATIONS BRUTAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE WEST BANK WITH MY OWN TWO EYES. UM, AS A PUBLIC SERVANT THAT IS SET TO BENEFIT FROM THESE OPEP FUNDS. MY FU MY FUTURE FINANCIAL WELLBEING IS DIRECTLY TIED TO WAR PROFITEERING AND WEAPONS BEING USED BY THE GENOCIDAL ISRAELI GOVERNMENT. THIS DOES NOT HAVE TO BE THE CASE. I IMPLORE THE CITY COUNCIL TO ACT AND DIVEST FROM WEAPONS COMPANIES THAT PROP UP ISRAEL AND THEIR GENOCIDE OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE. MY RETIREMENT MUST NOT BE TIED TO GENOCIDE. MY HUMANITY AND YOUR HUMANITY IS AT STATE. THANK YOU. WE ARE GONNA CALL NATE S FOLLOWED BY KAYLA GOODA. THEN NICK C NATE, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. HI, MY NAME IS NATE. I'M A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT AND ONE OF THE MANY JEWS WHO ARE HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF THE TWO MOTIONS UNDER CONSIDERATION. THE CONFLATION OF SUPPORT FOR PALESTINE WITH ANTISEMITISM THAT WE HAVE HEARD FROM OPPONENTS OF THE RESOLUTIONS IS A CENTRAL AND SHAMEFUL TACTIC OF ISRAEL AND ITS SUPPORTERS. IT MISREPRESENTS THE PRINCIPLED STRUGGLE OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE FOR LIBERATION AND CHEAPENS, REAL INCIDENTS OF ANTISEMITISM WHEN THEY OCCUR. I WANT TO REMIND THE CHAIR OF THE RACISM, SEPARATISM AND DEHUMANIZATION THAT IS BAKED INTO DAILY LIFE IN THE STATE OF ISRAEL. FOR DECADES, ISRAEL HAS KILLED, MAIMED, DISPOSSESSED, FRAGMENTED, AND HUMILIATED PALESTINIANS IN THE NAME OF JEWISH SAFETY. YOU HAVE HEARD FROM COUNTLESS MEMBERS OF YOUR COMMUNITY TONIGHT WHO WANT TO ENSURE THAT NO ONE IS SUBJECTED TO HATRED AND HARM FROM CAMBRIDGE TO PALESTINE. BOYCOTT AND DIVESTMENT ARE EFFECTIVE TOOLS AND I WOULD ADD THE BARE MINIMUM THAT WE CAN USE HERE IN CAMBRIDGE TO WITHDRAW OUR TAX DOLLARS FROM GENOCIDE AND COLONIAL DISPOSSESSION IN PALESTINE JUST AS THIS COUNCIL DIVESTED FROM APARTHEID RULE IN SOUTH AFRICA. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KAYLA GOODELL, FOLLOWED BY NICK C THEN SARAH BAYER. KAYLA, ONE MINUTE. HELLO. THANK YOU. UM, HI EVERYONE. MY NAME IS KAYLA. UM, I'M A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT OVER IN INMAN AND A REGULAR AT PUBLIC COMMENTS, SO IT'S NICE TO SEE Y'ALL . UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF POLICY ORDER THREE AND SIX THROUGH 12 BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT. UM, BUT SPECIFICALLY ABOUT SEVEN AND EIGHT, UM, AND ACTUALLY 11. UM, AND SO SEVEN AND EIGHT. I WANNA TALK ABOUT, UM, THE FACT THAT YOU'VE HEARD OVER AND OVER AGAIN TONIGHT, WHICH IS THAT THIS CITY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DIVEST FROM GENOCIDE THIS EVENING OR MORE LIKELY TOMORROW MORNING. THIS CITY HAS A LONG HISTORY OF STANDING UP AGAINST APARTHEID AND I HOPE THAT CONTINUES TO TONIGHT AND I LIKE IMPLORE THE CITY COUNCIL TO FOLLOW THROUGH ON THAT. ALSO, UH, THE MWRA SHOULD RECONSIDER RIPPING UP MAGAZINE BEACH. UM, THERE ARE OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN EXPLORE IN ORDER TO SAVE THAT PARK. UM, IT'S MY FAVORITE PLACE IN THE CITY AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT SAVE. THANKS KAYLA, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NICK C FOLLOWED BY SARAH BAYER. THEN MAYA G NICK, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD. HELLO. UM, MY NAME IS NICK. UM, I LIVE IN EAST CAMBRIDGE AND I'M A PROUD JEWISH CAMBRIDGE EDUCATOR AND I'M SPEAKING OUT IN FAVOR OF POLICY ORDER SEVEN AND EIGHT. ONE OF THE HARDEST UNITS I TEACH, UM, IS MY UNIT ON THE RISE OF FASCISM AND THE HOLOCAUST. AND ONE OF THE MAIN THEMES THAT WE FOCUS ON IN THE CLASSROOM IS ON DEHUMANIZATION AND THE KIND OF ACTIONS OR LACK OF ACTIONS THAT MANY EVERYDAY PEOPLE TOOK IN THE FACE OF UNRELENTING HORROR THAT JEWISH PEOPLE FACED, WHICH IS WHY I AM SO TERRIFIED AND UPSET BY A COUNTRY THAT SUPPOSEDLY REPRESENTS ME, THAT USES DEHUMANIZING LANGUAGE. AND I REALLY FEEL IT'S A VITAL IMPORTANCE FOR US TO REALLY TAKE A STAND AGAINST THIS, WHICH IS WHY I AM SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF, UM, BOTH POLY POLICY ORDERS SEVEN AND EIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SARAH BAYER, FOLLOWED BY MAYA G THEN CAROLYN MAGID. WE'RE AT SPEAKER NUMBER 1 38. SARAH SARAH, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN. OKAY. MY NAME IS SARAH BYER, UM, AND I LIVE IN CAMBRIDGE PORT. I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF CAMBRIDGE FOR 36 YEARS AND I'M HERE IN STRONG SUPPORT OF POLICY ORDER SEVEN AND EIGHT. I COMMEND CAMBRIDGE FOR PALESTINE FOR RESEARCHING, INVESTIGATING AND CREATING THIS VALUABLE REPORT AND POLICY ORDERS THAT OFFERS THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE A WAY TO TAKE A STAND AGAINST THE HORRIFIC GENOCIDE AND ONGOING APARTHEID OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE. AS A TAXPAYER M SICKENED THAT MY [02:55:01] TAX DOLLARS ARE FUNDING THESE ATROCITIES TO CONTINUE, IF THESE HORRORS DON'T PROPEL THE CITY TO TAKE ACTION, WHAT WILL, HOW HAVE WE ALLOWED OURSELVES TO LET INVESTMENTS SUCH AS THESE PROVIDE THE FOUNDATION TO A GENOCIDAL APARTHEID STATE? OVER AND OVER, THE NUMBERS KILLED OR COUNTED AND REPORTED, COUNTED AND REPORTED. THE NUMBERS ARE CLEAR. LOCKHEED MARTIN, PALANTIR, GEO AEROSPACE, ELBIT SYSTEMS, AXON, MOTOROLA, THESE ARE REAL COMPANIES THAT CREATE REAL KILLING MACHINES THAT HAVE WIPED OUT ENTIRE FAMILY. PLEASE EMAIL US THE REMAINDER. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MAYA G FOLLOWED BY CAROLYN MAGID, THEN KATHY WATKINS MAYA. MY NAME IS MAYA AND I'M AN ORGANIZER WITH MINION ZA, A JEWISH COMMUNITY IN CAMBRIDGE THAT ENDORSES THESE POLICY MEASURES. I WAS ALSO BORN IN ISRAEL AND MY FAMILY LIVES THERE, INCLUDING MY 96-YEAR-OLD GRANDMOTHER WHO IS A HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR ACROSS THE GREEN LINE IN THE WEST BANK. I HAVE OTHER LOVED ONES, PALESTINIAN FRIENDS WHO FACE THE VIOLENT UNMITIGATED REALITY OF ISRAELI OCCUPATION EVERY DAY. MY FRIEND SUGE, A MOTHER OF FOUR MY AGE WATCHES HER NEIGHBORS HOUSES BE DEMOLISHED BY CATERPILLAR EQUIPMENT, ONE OF THE COMPLICIT CORPORATIONS SUPPORTED BY OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS. SPECIFICALLY NAMING ISRAEL IS NOT ANTISEMITIC. IT'S THE ONLY WAY I KNOW HOW TO HELP MY LOVED ONES ACROSS THAT LAND. BY DIVESTING FROM AND BOYCOTTING ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE, APARTHEID, AND THE OCCUPATION OF PALESTINE, WE WOULD BE TAKING A CRITICAL TIME TESTED STEP TOWARDS SHARED SAFETY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CAROLYN MAGID, FOLLOWED BY KATHY WATKINS. THEN TALI DOTAN SHOHAM. CAROLYN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN PLEASE HEAR ME. WE CAN HEAR YOU. PLEASE GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. UM, CAROLYN MAG 71 REED STREET. WHAT CAN YOU HEAR IN A SEA OF COMMENTS? I HOPE THIS, THIS SHOULD BE VERY SIMPLE. ISRAEL HAS KILLED MORE THAN 22,000 PALESTINIAN CHILDREN SINCE OCTOBER, 2023. IF YOU BELIEVE IN HUMAN RIGHTS AS I DO, YOU KNOW THERE CAN BE NO EXCUSE FOR THAT. THIS GENOCIDE OF CHILDREN AND EVERYONE ELSE IS A BLOT ON HUMANITY. UNLIKE ANYTHING ELSE I'VE SEEN IN MY LONG LIFETIME. THE TIDE IN THE US IS TURNING. THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WANT THE US TO STOP SUPPORTING THE GENOCIDE BECAUSE THE CHANCE TO OPPOSE THE GENOCIDE IN A WAY THAT MATTERS. BY JOINING THE DIVESTMENT MOVEMENT, WE URGE YOU TO STEP UP AND BE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY ONE DAY. EVERYONE WILL HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AGAINST THIS. THANKS. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KATHY WATKINS, FOLLOWED BY TALI DOIN SHOHAM. THEN JAMES C KATHY IS NOT ON. WE WILL GO TO TALI DOIN SHOHAN FOLLOWED BY JAMES C THEN SARNIA LAZAR TALI, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR PLEASE GO AHEAD. HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN HEAR. WE CAN HEAR YOU. PLEASE GO AHEAD. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ALI DOTAN. UH, I'VE BEEN A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT FOR OVER THREE YEARS NOW AND I'M ALSO AN ISRAELI CITIZEN. I URGE YOU ALL TO REJECT POLICY ORDERS, NOT 1 95 AND 1 96 REGARDLESS OF YOUR INDIVIDUAL OPINIONS ON THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT. I SPEAK HERE TODAY, UM, TO TALK ABOUT THE COST OF BRINGING THESE ISSUES INTO OUR CITY. I'M A SCIENTIST WHO CAME HERE FOR MY ACADEMIC PURSUIT, UH, BECAUSE CAMBRIDGE IS AN ACADEMIC LEADER. MY TWO CHILDREN ATTEND THE CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOL AND WE ARE ALL PROUD TO BE A PART OF THE CAMBRIDGE COMMUNITY. THESE TARGETED AND SELECTIVE ORDERS SINGLE US OUT AS JEWISH PEOPLE, AS WELL AS ISRAELIS. WITHOUT AN ACTUAL GAIN. PLEASE FOCUS ON BRINGING OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER, NOT DIVIDING IT AND REJECT THESE POLICY ORDERS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JAMES CI DON'T SEE JAMES IN THE ZOOM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SARNIA LAZAR. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. HI, I'M SARAH. I LIVE IN CAMBRIDGE. I GREW UP HERE, RAISED MY CHILD HERE AND HAVE TAUGHT IN CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS. IF AN ACTIVE SHOOTER SITUATION HAPPENED IN MY SCHOOL, I WOULD DO ANYTHING TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN IN MY CARE. AN ACTIVE SHOOTER SITUATION HAS BEEN TAKING PLACE IN GAZA FOR MORE THAN THREE YEARS [03:00:01] AND THE WORLD HAS TURNED ITS BACK. MY GUIDING LIGHT AS AN EDUCATOR IS REFLECTED IN THE QUOTE BY JAMES BALDWIN. THE CHILDREN ARE ALWAYS OURS, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM ALL OVER THE GLOBE. THE MURDERED CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AND PALESTINE HAUNT ME KNOWING THAT MY PENSION FUNDS ARE INVESTED IN ENTITIES THAT PROFIT FROM OCCUPATION, APARTHEID AND GENOCIDE HAUNTS ME. IT MAY FEEL LIKE A POLITICAL RISK TO VOTE YES, BUT I IMPLORE YOU TO VOTE TONIGHT, NOT AS A POLITICIAN. VOTE AS IF YOUR CHILDREN WERE IN PALESTINE BECAUSE THEY ARE. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS EL CANNON MOSSEL, FOLLOWED BY JOJO CALELLO AND ELIZABETH BALDWIN. HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, GO AHEAD. UH, MY NAME IS EL. I AM A RESIDENT OF CAMBRIDGE. FOR MORE THAN 10 YEARS, BOTH OF MY CHILDREN WERE BORN HERE AND I'M SPEAKING AGAINST THE ORDER AS, AS YOU HELP FROM OTHER DISORDERS, SINGLES OUT ISRAELIS AND THE JEWS. AND I THINK IN CAMBRIDGE IT WOULD REQUIRE CO COURAGE TO, UH, SPEAK AGAINST, AGAINST THE NON MASK WHO DISMANTLE USAID AND THEY INVEST FROM COMPANIES SUCH AS TWITTER OR TESLA. IT WOULD REQUIRE COURAGE TO DIVEST FROM RUSSIA, SEEING ITS COWARD TO SINGLE CO. ITS COWARDLY ACT TO SINGLE OUT THE JEWS AND THE ISRAELIS. AND WHILE I FIND MANY OF THE POLICIES OF THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENTS VERY OBJECTABLE, I THINK THIS UH, SUGGESTED, UH, POLICY, WE JUST, UH, INCREASE THE DIVISION IN THE CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOJO CALVIO. OOPS. HELLO, MY NAME IS JOJO. UH, I LIVE IN SOMERVILLE. I PREVIOUSLY WORKED AT A CAMBRIDGE HOMELESS SHELTER AND I CURRENTLY WORK FOR THE SECOND MIDDLESEX STATE SENATOR ELECT. I SUPPORT THESE PROPOSED BOYCOTT AND DIVESTMENT ORDERS. MY PARTNER IS PALESTINIAN. HER FAMILY WAS DISPLACED FROM JERUSALEM IN 1948 BY ISRAELI MILITIAN, LIVED IN EXILE SENSE BEING PROHIBITED TO RETURN TO THE STATE OF ISRAEL. OTHER FAMILIES SHE HAS WERE DISPLACED THE GAZA, WHERE SOME WERE KILLED DURING THIS GENOCIDE AND OTHERS ARE STILL SURVIVING. THE REST OF HER FAMILY REMAINS IN WEST BANK WHERE THEY LIVE IN ILLEGAL OCCUPATION AMONG ISRAELI SETTLERS. HER ARE BURNING PALESTINIAN HOMES AND ATTACKING PALESTINIANS. ULTIMATELY CAMBRIDGE BOYCOTTED AND DIVESTED FROM APARTHEID IN SOUTH AFRICA IN THE 1980S AND NOW HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THIS AGAIN. I ASKED YOU THUR, THAT YOU ENSURE THESE ORDERS NAMED ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE OF PALESTINIANS AND ENSURE THE AMERICAN FRIEND SERVICE COMMITTEE LIST WHICH IDENTIFIES THE MOST COMPLICIT MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES, THE SUSTAIN ISRAEL'S APART GENOCIDE AND ILLEGAL OCCUPATION OF PALESTINE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. FREE PALESTINE. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ELIZABETH BALDWIN, FOLLOWED BY ZACHARY SARDI SANTOS AND MARY SABA. UM, I'M ELIZABETH BALDWIN, LIVE ON MASS AV ON POLICY ORDER SEVEN. I'VE BEEN A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT SINCE 2008. I'VE BEEN A CAMBRIDGE ACTIVE COMMUNITY MEMBER SITTING ON NONPROFIT BOARDS, WORKED ON CITY ISSUES INCLUDING BIKE SAFETY AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING. TODAY I URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO DIVEST FROM THESE ISRAELI WEAPONS MANUFACTURERS. I DON'T WANT MY TAX DOLLARS FUNDING GENOCIDE. NAMING ISRAEL AND CALLING IT A GENOCIDE IS CRUCIAL. I BELIEVE THIS WILL BE REMEMBERED IN THE SAME WAY THAT THE HOLOCAUST IS REMEMBERED. WE'LL ALL BE JUDGED BY WHAT WE DID DURING THE WORLD'S FIRST LIVESTREAM GENOCIDE. YOU ALL HERE HAVE A VERY SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY TO HELP OUR FAMOUS CITY TAKE A STAND AGAINST THIS GENOCIDE. THIS IS THE GREATEST HUMANITARIAN CRIME HAPPENING IN THE WORLD RIGHT NOW AND IT IS DIRECTLY FUNDED BY OUR US TAX DOLLARS. WE MUST DO OUR PART AS A CITY AND DIVEST. THANK YOU. YOU THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ZACHARY SARDI SANTOS. HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME? MY NAME IS ZACHARY SARDI SANTOS. I'M A HARVARD COLLEGE ALUMNI AND TEACHER, AND I'M SPEAKING TODAY TO EXPOSE THE HATEFUL AND IGNORANT GOALS OF POLICY ORDER NUMBER SEVEN. IT'S EXTREMELY SHAMEFUL THAT A BDS RESOLUTION IS EVEN BEING CONSIDERED IN THE CITY, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THAT TERRORISTS AND JIHADIST GROUPS LIKE HAMAS AND PALESTINIAN ISLAMIC JIHAD SOCIALLY AND FINANCIALLY SUPPORT SUCH A HATEFUL CAUSE. IT'S ALSO ABSURD THAT MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL BRANDISHED ME TOO OR BLM HASHTAGS, BUT ARE COMPLETELY SILENT WHEN INNOCENT ISRAELI WOMEN ARE RAPED AND SLAUGHTERED AND GAZEN FORCED AFRO PALESTINIANS INTO GHETTOS CALLED HA ALBI, LITERALLY TRANSLATING TO SLAVE QUARTERS. LET ME BE CLEAR, THERE IS NO INTERSECTIONALITY HERE. THESE BIES TERRORISTS, THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT CIVIL RIGHTS. THEY WANT TOTAL DIVESTMENT FROM THE JEWISH HOMELAND. THEY WANT THE IRON DOME THAT SAVES JEWISH MUSLIM CHRISTIAN IN MY LIFE DESTROYED. THEY WANT [03:05:01] TO SEE THE JEWISH HOMELAND BURN AND THEY WANT TO KILL JEWS, AND THAT'S ALL THEY ARE AND WILL EVER BE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M ISRAEL HIGH. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARY SABA, FOLLOWED BY ROBIN GOLDSTEIN. I DON'T SEE MARY IN THE ZOOM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ROBIN GOLDSTEIN, FOLLOWED BY KATIE CONLEY AND S CAMBRIDGE. MARY IS ALSO NOT IN THE ZOOM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ROBIN GOLDSTEIN. ROBIN IS ALSO NOT IN THE ZOOM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KATIE CONLEY, FOLLOWED BY S CAMBRIDGE. HI, MY NAME IS KATIE AND I AM DEEPLY CONNECTED TO CAMBRIDGE THROUGH THE WORK I'VE DONE THE PAST EIGHT YEARS, AND AS A PATRON OF MANY LOCAL BUSINESSES. AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER HERE IN CAMBRIDGE AND A RESIDENT OF NEIGHBORING SOMERVILLE, I AM DEEPLY DISTURBED THAT OUR CITY DOLLARS ARE BEING USED TO FUND ISRAEL'S ONGOING GENOCIDE OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE. WE PROFESS TO HAVE PRO PROGRESSIVE VALUES HERE IN CAMBRIDGE, BUT WE REFUSE TO STAND UP AND TAKE BOLD ACTION WHEN IT MATTERS THE MOST. THE ACCELERATED GENOCIDE OF PALESTINIANS FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, WHICH HAS OR ORIGINS THAT BEGAN 78 YEARS AGO WILL GO DOWN IN HISTORY AS ONE OF THE GREATEST ATROCITIES OF OUR TIME. WHEN WE LOOK BACK, WE WILL WONDER WHY NO ONE DID ANYTHING TO STOP IT. BEFORE MORE THAN 74,000 PALESTINIANS WERE MASS MURDERED. OVER 90% OF SCHOOLS AND CULTURAL SITES IN GAZA WERE DESTROYED BEFORE AN ENTIRE POPULATION WAS LEFT HOMELESS IN THEIR OWN LAND. WE CANNOT, UM, THE VERY LEAST WE CAN DO IS STOP FUNDING THIS ONGOING GENOCIDE SO THAT IT CANNOT CONTINUE ANY LONGER. THAT'S WHY I SUPPORT DIVESTING CAMBRIDGE PENSION FUNDS. AND THANK YOU, KATIE. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. PLEASE EMAIL THE REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENTS. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS S CAMBRIDGE, FOLLOWED BY ERIC HUNTLEY. S CAMBRIDGE IS NOT IN THE ZOOM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ERIC HUNTLEY. OH, I'M SORRY. SOMEONE RAISED THEIR HAND. WE WILL GO TO S CAMBRIDGE. YOU'RE, YOU'RE UNMUTED. GO AHEAD. UH, MY NAME IS SAM. I'M A PROUD, UH, RESIDENT OF CAMBRIDGE. LET US WORK TOWARDS PEACEFUL SOLUTIONS THAT AFFIRM THE RIGHTS OF BOTH PALESTINIANS AND ISRAELIS, MUSLIMS AND JEWS. AND THIS IS WHY I ASKED YOU TO VOTE NO ON ORDERS 1 95 AND 1 96. THESE PROPOSALS WILL DIVIDE CAMBRIDGE AND IMPERIL JEWISH CANTER BRIDGET, WHILE DOING NOTHING TO ADVANCE THE ISSUES THEY PURPORT TO ADDRESS. THESE PROPOSALS OSTRACIZE ONE PEOPLE, THEY TARGET ONE ETHNICITY AND THEY FURTHER ENDANGER AN ALREADY VULNERABLE RELIGIOUS MINORITY. IT IS NOT THE JOB OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO PRIORITIZE FOREIGN POLICY, BUT IT IS ANTITHETICAL TO THE JOB OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO PASS ANY PROPOSAL THAT PLACES CERTAIN DEMOGRAPHICS AT GREAT RISK OF DISCRIMINATION AND PHYSICAL HARM. I AM ACUTELY AWARE OF THE LOCATION OF EACH EXIT AT MY SYNAGOGUE. I DO NOT WISH TO FEEL THIS WAY IN THE STREETS OF MY HOMETOWN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ERIC HUNTLEY, FOLLOWED BY JOSHUA DE. MY NAME IS ERIC HUNT. YOU JUST HAVE TO JUST PRESS THE BUTTON. PRESS THE BUTTON. UH, MY NAME IS ERIC ROBS HUNTLEY. I LIVE ON SUMMER STREET IN SOMERVILLE, TEACH AT MIT AND HELP ORGANIZE MINION ZITE, AN ANTI ZIONIST JEWISH COMMUNITY WITH ABOUT 250 MEMBERS AS A PROUD AMERICAN JEW. I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF POLICY ORDERS NUMBER SEVEN AND EIGHT. MY SEVEN MONTH OLD WHOSE CHILDCARE IS IN CAMBRIDGE, COULDN'T SHARE HIS TESTIMONY TONIGHT, BUT AS A NEW PARENT, I WORRY ON HIS BEHALF ABOUT WHAT WORLD HE'LL INHERIT. WILL THAT BE A WORLD IN WHICH THE ISRAELI GENOCIDE OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE WAS LIVE STREAMED FOR YEARS AND OUR INSTITUTIONS DID LESS THAN NOTHING IN THE NAME OF MY KID'S JEWISH SAFETY? OR WILL IT BE A WORLD IN WHICH OUR INSTITUTIONS FIND A MORAL VOICE AND ENSURE THAT OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE NOT AB BETTING GENOCIDE BY AN OCCUPYING FORCE FLYING THE STAR OF DAVID, WHICH MAKES MY CHILD SAFER. IT'S TRUE THAT THIS ORDINANCE WON'T BRING PEACE, BUT IT CREATES CONSEQUENCES. THE ISRAELI FILMMAKER, ABIGAIL SPERBER, WROTE A PIECE FOR THE ISRAELI DAILY REZ TITLED, THANK YOU FOR BOYCOTTING ME. CONTRARY TO WHAT SOME HAVE ARGUED TONIGHT, SHE ARGUES THAT THE ONLY PATH TO A DURABLE PEACE GOES RIGHT THROUGH BOYCOTT. AND I WOULD ADD THE ONLY PATH TO A DURABLE JEWISH SAFETY IS THROUGH PALESTINIAN LIBERATION. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOSHUA DE FOLLOWED BY D AHI AND A CO. JOSHUA, YOU'RE UNMUTED. PLEASE GO AHEAD. MY NAME IS JOSHUA D AND [03:10:01] I LIVE IN BOSTON. THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON POLICY ORDERS SEVEN AND EIGHT, AND I URGE YOU TO REJECT THESE PRO PROPOSALS. INSTEAD, THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCILS SHOULD FOCUS ON HOUSING AFFORDABILITY, PUBLIC SAFETY, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND CITY SERVICES THAT ULTIMATELY BENEFIT ITS CITIZENRY. FOREIGN POLICY IS PRINCIPALLY A FEDERAL RESPONSIBILITY. MUNICIPAL PURCHASING A AUTHORITY IS NOT A BLANK CHECK TO PURSUE MATTERS OF FOREIGN POLICY. MOREOVER, IT'S WASTEFUL AND NOT WITHOUT CONSEQUENCE. IN CROSBY VERSUS NATIONAL FOREIGN TRADE COUNCIL, THE SUPREME COURT STRUCK DOWN MASSACHUSETTS'S BURMA PURCHASING RESTRICTIONS BECAUSE THEY CONFLICTED WITH FEDERAL LAW. THAT RULING DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY INVALIDATE THESE PROPOSALS, BUT IT UNDERSCORES THE LEGAL RISK IN POTENTIAL COSTS TO CITIZENS. CAMBRIDGE CITIZENS SHOULD NOT FACE COSTLY POTENTIAL COSTLY LITIGATION FOR SYMBOLIC GESTURES WITHOUT DEMONSTRATED TANGIBLE BENEFITS, THE COUNCIL'S RESPONSIBILITY IS TO MEET LOCAL NEEDS AND PROTECT EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY. I URGE YOU TO THANK YOU. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. FOR THOSE WAITING, WE ARE AT SPEAKER NUMBER 155. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS D AHI, FOLLOWED BY AKO AND STEPHANIE HUTTON. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS DAVE. I'M A FAMILY DOCTOR. I SPENT MY ENTIRE CAREER CARING FOR THE PATIENTS OF CAMBRIDGE. I RAN HEALTHCARE FOR THE HOMELESS FOR THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE. I I LOVE MY PATIENTS. WHEN WE SAY IRELAND, THE WORLD HERE IS CATHOLIC AND WE SAY PAKISTANI. THE WORLD HERE IS MUSLIM AND WE SAY ISRAEL, THE WORLD HERE IS JEW. WE CAN'T DO THIS. MY, MY PATIENTS CAN'T BE AT RISK. WE CAN'T DO THIS. THERE ARE WAYS THROUGH THAT ARE BETTER THAN THIS. DON'T NAME A PEOPLE REAL SOLUTIONS. LET'S FIND REAL JUSTICE. OF COURSE WE SHOULD. WE SHOULD BE HEALERS PLEASE. SOMEONE'S GONNA GET HURT. SOMEONE'S ACTUALLY GONNA GET PHYSICALLY HURT. PLEASE DON'T DO THAT. THERE'S A THIRD WAY. THERE'S SOME OTHER WAY. THE, THE JUSTICE UNDERNEATH THIS IS BEAUTIFUL. IT'S VERY CAMBRIDGE, PLEASE, BUT DON'T DO THESE. WE CAN DO BETTER THAN THESE. FIND SOME OTHER WAY. THAT'S WHAT YOU DO. SO WELL FIND SOMETHING THAT HEALS US ACTUALLY AND DON'T THREATEN MY PATIENTS OR MY FAMILY. PLEASE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS A CO HI. THANK YOU, UH, FOR LISTENING. MY NAME IS ALLISON COOK. I WANNA FOCUS ON ONE PARTICULAR CHILLING PHRASE IN THESE POLICIES AND THAT IS INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE COMPLICIT. I'VE SPENT MY ENTIRE ADULT LIFE IN CAMBRIDGE RAISING MY CHILDREN ON ITS PLAYGROUND, SOCCER FIELDS AND LIBRARY READING RUGS. AND ONE OF THE GREATEST JOYS OF LIVING HERE HAS BEEN GETTING TO KNOW NEIGHBORS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD WHOSE LIVES CARRY BOTH THE GIFTS AND THE BURDENS OF DIFFERENT FAMILY HISTORIES AND CONFLICTS. UM, BUT HERE IN CAMBRIDGE WE GET TO BUILD SOMETHING DIFFERENT, A COMMUNITY GROUNDED AND DEMOCRATIC FREEDOMS WHERE WE CAN DISAGREE PASSIONATELY WITHOUT THREATENING ONE ANOTHER. THESE POLICIES SEVERELY UNDERMINE THAT VISION. THEY INVITE SUSPICION AND DISCRIMINATION AND REDLINING AGAINST INDIVIDUALS BASED ON MCCARTHY ESQUE KINDS OF LISTS. THANK YOU. BY ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE THANK YOU. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS STEPHANIE TON, FOLLOWED BY LIOR ALONE. STEPHANIE TON, SMALL BUSINESS OWNER WHO WORKS IN CAMBRIDGE AND SURROUNDING AREAS. SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF DIVESTMENT. ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE AGAINST PALESTINIANS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST ATROCITIES OF THIS GENERATION. 28 MILLION C CITY DOLLARS FOR WEAPONS COMPANIES WHO ARE SELLING THE BOMBS FOR GENOCIDE AGAINST PALESTINIANS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND CRIMINAL. AS SAID BEFORE, CAMBRIDGE TAX DOLLARS ARE FUNDING REAL BOMBS THAT ARE KILLING REAL PALESTINIAN PEOPLE. THEREFORE, THIS IS A LOCAL ISSUE THAT THE CITY MUST DIVEST FROM IF YOU WANT TO HEAL. TRAUMA AS ZIONISTS IN THIS HEARING KEEPS SAYING, STOP PAYING FOR BOMBS BEING DROPPED ON PALESTINIANS. NO ONE HERE IS SAYING ANTISEMITISM DOESN'T EXIST. WANTING TO END THE GENOCIDE OF PALESTINIANS IS NOT ANTISEMITISM. THE WORLD IS AGAINST ZIONISM. A RACIST AND SELF-DESCRIBED COLONIAL AND GENOCIDAL POLITIC NOT JUDAISM. ENDING GENOCIDE IS NOT ANTISEMITISM. JEWISH PEOPLE ARE NOT BEING TARGETED. WHEN WE DIVEST MONEY OUT OF BOMBS AND WEAPONS, CAMBRIDGE MUST DIVEST JUST AS THEY DID IN 2021 FROM FOSSIL FUELS AND IN 1980 FROM APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA. VOTE YES ON POLICY SEVEN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. SORRY. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LIOR ALONE, FOLLOWED BY AMIN ELANI. LIOR IS NOT IN THE ZOOM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS AMIN ELANI. [03:15:05] THEY ARE ALSO NOT IN THE ZOOM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS EDWARD CHILDS. THANK YOU. UM, ED CHILDS, I UM, HAVE BEEN A UNION ORGANIZER AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY FOR OVER 50 YEARS. UM, HIGH SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, UNIONS HAVE BEEN PROTESTING APARTHEID AND GENOCIDE ALL OVER THE WORLD. FROM SOMERVILLE HIGH SCHOOL TO IRELAND TO SOUTH AFRICA. NOBODY WANTS THESE CORPORATIONS WHO ARE FUNDING AND ACTUALLY INSTITUTING APARTHEID AND GENOCIDE IN THEIR COUNTRIES. WE DON'T WANT IT HERE. LOCAL 26, THE HOTEL RESTAURANT WORKERS, WE'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH THEM BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM OWN HOTELS. THEY'RE THE MOST RUTHLESS EMPLOYERS YOU COULD GET. THEY VERY ANTI-UNION. ALSO ONES LIKE FIDELITY ALSO OTHER MAJOR FUNDERS ARE A K, KK. THESE ARE WHAT WE GETTING, UM, FROM THESE CORPORATIONS. JUST THINK OF A CORPORATION GOING TO COMMIT GENOCIDE AND APARTHEID IN IN ANOTHER COUNTRY THINKING THAT THEY'RE GONNA BE GOOD HERE. THANK YOU. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. YOU CAN EMAIL THE REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENTS. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAVID KINSKY, FOLLOWED BY LUCIA BRUGER AND SEYMOUR KELLERMAN. DAVID, GO AHEAD. UH, DAVID, UH, I WORK AT MIT PROUD FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE JEWISH STUDENT CONGREGATION KAILA AND PROUD MEMBER OF VIA HTA, ANTI-ZIONIST SHOUL HERE IN CAMBRIDGE. I MAINLY WANT TO, UH, TAKE MY TIME TO ADDRESS THE CITY COUNSELORS WHO ARE STILL UNSURE WHERE THEY STAND. UH, DO NOT COWER FROM VOTING FOR DIVESTMENT BECAUSE IT'LL BE DIVISIVE. WE ARE LOOKING FOR YOU TO LEAD, BE A LEADER. I MEAN, THIS IS WHY GOVERNMENTS GET COMPLETELY DELEGITIMIZED AND WHY AMERICANS HATE VOTING AND HATE POLITICS. DO NOT HIDE BEHIND B******T EXCUSES. NONE OF US BELIEVE INSTEAD OF DOING A COMMON SENSE THING SUPPORTED BY MOST OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS, LIKE DIVEST FROM GENOCIDE, AT THE VERY LEAST, DO NOT STAND IN THE WAY OF WHAT IS A CLEARLY A POPULAR CALL. I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO THINK ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU TO VOTE AGAINST OR EVEN TO ABSTAIN FROM THE CALL TO DIVEST. CURRENTLY AS WE SIT HERE, CAMBRIDGE IS COMPLICIT IN THE WARM MACHINE THAT IS KILLED, KILLED, MAIMED, AND DISPLACED COUNTLESS LIVES. DOESN'T THAT EAT AWAY AT YOU? WHAT DO YOU TELL YOURSELF TO BE OKAY WITH THAT? COUNSELORS STAND WITH THE PEOPLE. CAMBRIDGE SHOULD NEVER BE A CITY THAT AIDS THIS GENOCIDAL WAR MACHINE. PLEASE VOTE FOR DIVESTMENT. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LUCIA BRUGER. LUCIA, YOU'RE UNMUTED. GO AHEAD LUCIA. GO AHEAD. YOU'RE UNMUTED ON OUR END AND IT LOOKS LIKE ON YOUR END AS WELL. CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, GO AHEAD. OKAY. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS LUCIA. I LIVE IN CAMBRIDGE AND I ALSO WORK FOR THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE. I'M HERE TO URGE YOU TO SUPPORT DIVESTMENT FROM COMPANIES COMPLICIT IN WAR CRIMES AND THE OCCUPATION OF PALESTINIANS. I'M THE GRANDDAUGHTER FOR HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR. GROWING UP I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW THE WORLD COULD WATCH SUCH SUFFERING AND STAY SILENT. MY FAMILY TAUGHT ME THAT NEVER AGAIN MEANS NEVER AGAIN FOR ANYONE. DOCTORS WHO VOLUNTEERED IN GAZA HAVE DESCRIBED TREATING CHILD AFTER CHILD SHOT DIRECTLY IN THE HEAD AND CHEST. AS A PARENT, I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT PAIN AND IT HURTS ME THAT WE ARE STILL UNWILLING TO ACT AS A CITY EMPLOYEE. THIS THE CITY'S PENSION FUND HOLDS SAVINGS MEANT FOR MY FUTURE AND I DON'T WANT MY RETIREMENT BUILT ON COMPANIES TO PROFIT FROM THE KILLING OF PALESTINIAN CHILDREN. MY GRANDPARENTS GENERATION ASKED WHY MORE PEOPLE DID NOT ACT. TONIGHT YOU CAN ACT. PLEASE VOTE YES ON THE INVESTMENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SEYMOUR KELLERMAN, FOLLOWED BY PAUL PIERCE. SEYMOUR IS NOT IN THE ZOOM. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS PAUL PIERCE. HELLO, MY NAME IS PAUL PIERCE AND I'M A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT AND MIT STUDENT. I'M ASKING THAT YOU VOTE YES ON POLICY ORDERS SEVEN AND EIGHT. PART OF THE PROPOSED IVESTMENT INCLUDES $5 MILLION FROM COMPANIES LIKE PALANTIR AND L THREE HARRIS. PALANTIR CEO TOLD INVESTORS THAT PALANTIR IS THE FIRST COMPANY TO BE COMPLETELY ANTI WOKE. PALANTIR'S A TREATED PARTNER OF ICE, WHICH DESCRIBES PALANTIR'S TECHNOLOGIES AS MISSION CRITICAL TO ICE OPERATIONS. ICE USES TECHNOLOGIES, CONDUCT WORKPLACE RAID, DEPORT MIGRANTS AND SEPARATE PARENTS FROM THEIR CHILDREN. PALANTIR PROVIDES GOTHAM DATA MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS TO AMERICAN LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. OFFICERS DO NOT NEED A WARRANT TO ACCESS CITY STORAGE, WHICH INCLUDES INFORMATION ABOUT INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS, CREDIT CARD RECORDS, MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSES AND MORE. EL THREE HARRIS SUPPLIES CELL SITE SIMULATORS TO ICE THESE DEVICES, STRICT CELL PHONES INTO CONNECTING THEM RATHER THAN THE TOWER ALLOWING ICE TO TRACK THE MOVEMENT OF UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS. THEY ALSO MANUFACTURE PHONES FOR THE JDAM GUIDANCE KIT IN MAY, 2021, ISRAEL CODE 44 CIVILIANS AND DESTROYED A RESIDENTIAL HIGH RISES THAT SERVED AS HEADQUARTERS [03:20:01] FOR THE ASSOCIATED PRESS AND AL JASER USING JDAM GUIDED BOMBS. THIS IS ONLY A SMALL PART OF THE MORAL DEPRAVITY THAT THESE COMPANIES ENGAGE IN. THEIR BUSINESS MODEL IS TO BUILD THE MACHINERY OF INDUSTRIALIZED VIOLENCE AND SELL IT TO FASCISTS. WE MUST DIVEST NOW. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SAMIR BORA BOADA, FOLLOWED BY NOAM TANNER AND HAROLD BURTON. COUNSELORS. MY NAME IS SAM. I WORK AND I LIVE IN CAMBRIDGE AND I'M ALSO AN ARAB IMMIGRANT. SO I'VE OBSERVED AND I WITNESSED FIRST TOWN AS FIRSTHAND HOW THIS COUNTRY PICTURES US AS UNCIVILIZED, BARBARIC PEOPLE, EVEN TERRORISTS SO THAT IT CONVINCES EVERYONE TO SEND OUR TAX DOLLARS, YOUR TAX DOLLARS BACK HOME FOR THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS AND MILLIONS OF BOMBS TO DESTROY MY PEOPLE'S UNIVERSITIES, MY PEOPLE'S HOSPITALS, MY PEOPLE'S SCHOOLS, MY PEOPLE'S PUBLIC GARDENS, WHICH WE ENJOY HERE. SO VERY MUCH FROM OUR OWN TAX DOLLARS AND AS WE WATCH THIS GENOCIDE HAPPENING EVERY SINGLE DAY AND I'M HERE TO SAY THIS IS ENOUGH. WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. WE ARE ALL HERE. MOST OF US, THE MAJORITY OF US JEWS ARE NOT JUS ARABS ARE NON ARABS TO SAY ONE THING, THIS IS ENOUGH. PLEASE, I BEG YOU 'CAUSE I'VE SEEN THIS AND ALL OF US HERE HAVE SEEN THIS. DIVEST, DIVEST, DIVEST. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NOAM TANNER. NO, YOU'RE UNMUTED. GO AHEAD. HELLO. HELLO, MY NAME IS NOAM AND I'M A CAMBRIDGE VOTER. MY GRANDPARENTS ON BOTH SIDES OF MY FAMILY LIVED IN PALESTINE UNDER THE BRITISH MANDATE AND IN ISRAEL AFTER 1948, I OPPOSE POLICY ORDERS 1 95 AND 1 96. I OPPOSE THEM BECAUSE I'M TIRED OF WATCHING ACTIVISTS ATTEMPTING TO BURN DOWN RATHER THAN BUILDING UP. THE AUTHORS COULD HAVE PROPOSED FUNDING MEDICAL TREATMENT IN GAZA, PROVIDING FOOD, SUPPORTING EDUCATION OR FOSTERING DIALOGUE. THEY COULD HAVE PROPOSED HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE THAT DIRECTLY BENEFITS PALESTINIANS PRACTICING WHAT THEY PREACH AND AVOID FUNDING THE GENOCIDAL HAMAS REGIME. INSTEAD, THESE ORDERS FOCUS ON DIVESTING FROM MULTINATIONALS FEATURED ON AMERICAN EXCHANGES ALL IN THE NAME OF VILIFIED IN ISRAEL. THESE PROPOSALS HAVE ALREADY DEEPENED DIVISIONS IN CAMBRIDGE. JUST LISTEN TO THE ROOM TONIGHT. I SURE DID. I HEARD MY NEIGHBORS CALL ME AN OPPRESSOR AND ACCUSE ME OF CONDONING GENOCIDE. I ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO DO WHAT THEY DO BEST AND THAT IS TO STAND FOR POSITIVE SOLUTIONS THAT UNITE US ALL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS HAROLD BORSTEIN, FOLLOWED BY WENDY H AND MOLLY BROOKS. UH, HAROLD IS NOT IN THE ZOOM. WE WILL GO TO WENDY H WENDY, YOU'RE UNMUTED. GO AHEAD. HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME OKAY? YES, GO AHEAD. GREAT, THANK YOU. UM, GOOD EVENING. I'M A PARTICIPANT OF THE MASSACHUSETTS ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY PROGRAM. I URGE YOU TO DIVEST FROM GENOCIDE. CAMBRIDGE IS THE FIRST CITY IN THE STATE WHERE I FOUND LONG-TERM HOUSING AFTER ASSAULT AND COLLUSION RELATED. UH, REPEAT STALKING AND HARASSMENT FORCED ME TO RELOCATE HERE FROM ANOTHER STATE. GIVEN THIS EXPERIENCE AND SINCE LEARNING ABOUT PALESTINIANS PLIGHT IN EARLY 2000, I HAVE FOLLOWED WITH CONCERNS AND HORROR, UH, THE SUPPOSED ONLY DEMOCRACY IN THE MIDDLE EAST, COMMIT PREJUDICIAL AND SEGREGATIONIST ACTS THAT WILL BE CONSIDERED CRIMINAL IN TRUE DEMOCRACIES. OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, I HAVE LEARNED THE SHOCKING SCALE AT WHICH THAT CAMBRIDGE, THE CITY WHERE I TOOK REFUGE SINCE 2022 HAS CONTRIBUTED TO ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE PALESTINIANS. WHY? I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT CAMBRIDGE IS NO LONGER HOME TO ELVIS SYSTEMS REALLY ARE. THANK YOU WENDY. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MOLLY BROOKS, FOLLOWED BY LAURA RIO. MOLLY BROOKS, 70 MATT ON ROADS SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF DIVESTMENT. I WALKED DOWN THE HALLS OF SARAH LES EVERY MORNING BEFORE STUDENTS ARRIVE AND BEFORE THE TEACHING DAY STARTS. AND TRULY EVERY WORKDAY I THINK ABOUT HOW MY LABOR AS A PUBLIC EDUCATOR IS FUNDING THE MURDER OF STUDENTS AND TEACHERS IN PALESTINE. IT'S SICKENING AND I DIDN'T CONSENT TO THAT. WHEN I SLEEP SOUNDLY AT NIGHT IN THE APARTMENT I PAY FOR EACH MONTH, SOME OF THAT MONEY IS THE REASON WHY A PALESTINIAN'S FAMILY IS NOW IN RUBBLE AND THEY'RE DISPLACED. IT'S CRUEL, IT'S DISGUSTING. I DID NOT CONSENT FOR MY TAXES AND FOR OUR PUBLIC FUNDS TO BE USED TO PERPETUATE THE WORST CRIME [03:25:01] AGAINST HUMANITY. I'M A HISTORY TEACHER AND SOMETHING I MAKE SURE MY STUDENTS KNOW WHEN WE LEARN ABOUT GENOCIDES IS THAT UPSTANDERS ALWAYS EXIST AS WELL AS PEOPLE WHO TRY TO INTERRUPT IT. CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TONIGHT, YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO STAND ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY AND BE AN UPSTANDER AND AN INTERRUPTER. WHAT WILL YOU SAY WHEN YOUR GRANDCHILDREN ARE FUTURE GENERATIONS? ASKED YOU ABOUT HOW YOU ACTED TONIGHT? VOTE YES TO DIVEST SHOW YOUR HUMANITY. THANK YOU. WE'RE AT SPEAKER NUMBER ONE 70 LAURA URIEL, FOLLOWED BY CLAUDIA PCIA. THEN THE REVEREND CAREY BALLINGER. LAURA. LAURA, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN. PLEASE GO AHEAD. MY NAME IS LAURA URIEL AND I WORK AS A MEDICAL SPEECH THERAPIST IN CAMBRIDGE. I STRONGLY SUPPORT THE POLICY ORDERS TO BOYCOTT AND DIVEST FROM COMPANIES COMPLICIT IN ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE, APARTHEID, AND THE ILLEGAL OCCUPATION OF PALESTINE. FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS, I'VE WATCHED MY FELLOW HEALTHCARE WORKERS IN GAZA ABDUCTED AND ASSASSINATED FOR DOING THEIR JOBS THAT HELPLESSLY AT MY PHONE. AS ISRAEL'S OCCUPATION FORCES BOMBED, DOZENS OF HOSPITALS DESTROYED FERTILITY CLINICS, LEFT BABIES AND INCUBATORS TO DIE, ELIMINATED THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO COUNT THE INJURED AND DEAD. THE UN HAS CALLED THIS MEDI SIDE DELIBERATE AND SYSTEMATIC DESTRUCTION OF A HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. MOHAMED ABU OFFICE DIRECTOR OF THE MEDICAL RELIEF SOCIETY IN GAZA CITY WARNED YESTERDAY OF THE IMMINENT AND TOTAL COLLAPSE OF WHAT REMAINS OF THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IN THE GAZA STRIP. THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT UNDER BOTH PARTIES HAS FAILED PALESTINIANS FOR DECADES. WE NEED TO STEP UP AS DURING SOUTH AFRICAN APARTHEID, LET OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY START A DOMINO EFFECT. THANK YOU. LAURA, PLEASE EMAIL US THE REMAINDER. WE WILL GO ON TO CLAUDIA PCIA FOLLOWED BY THE REVEREND CAREY BELLINGER. THEN JONATHAN DORFMAN CLAUDIA. CLAUDIA HAS NOT JOINED US. WE WILL MOVE ON TO SPEAKER 1 72. CARRIE BELLINGER. CARRIE HAS NOT JOINED. WE WILL GO TO JONATHAN DORFMAN. JONATHAN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. I'VE BEEN HEARING THE ARGUMENTS OF SUPPORTERS OF THIS INFAMOUS POLICY ORDER IN WHICH GENOCIDE SEEMS TO BE BANDIED ABOUT CASUALLY. I'M REMINDED OF WHAT GEORGE ORWELL CALLED THE INVERSION OF TRUTH. WAR IS PEACE. FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH. UH, FIRST, IF ISRAEL IS COMMITTING GENOCIDE, THEN WHY ARE 30% OF ISRAEL'S DOCTORS AND 40% OF ITS NURSES PALESTINIANS? WHY WILL THE PALESTINIAN PARTIES AND ISRAEL GAIN ABOUT 10 TO 15 SEATS IN THE ELECTIONS NEXT WEEK? WHY ARE 20% OF THE ENGINEERING STUDENTS AT TECHNION, WHICH IS ISRAEL'S MIT PALESTINIAN? WHY IS ISRAEL ACCEPTED EVERY PEACE PROPOSAL TO SHARE THE LAND IN A TWO STATE SOLUTION SINCE 1948, ONLY TO BE MET BY TERROR AND WAR MOST RECENTLY ON OCTOBER 7TH. SECOND, A MORE INVERSION OF THE TRUTH. IF HAMAS IS THE VICTIM OF GENOCIDE, WHY DO ITS SUPPORTERS FAIL? TO MENTION THAT IT WAS HAMAS WHICH LAUNCHED THE WAR ON OCTOBER 7TH, AND IF INTENT TO COMMIT GENOCIDE MATTERS, WHY DOESN'T THIS RESOLUTION CONSIDER THE HAMAS CHARTER WHICH EXPLICITLY CALLS FOR THE DEATH OF THE JEWS? THERE IS NOTHING SIMILAR TO THAT IN ISRAEL'S FOUNDING DOC. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BAYAN ABBASI, FOLLOWED BY DAN GRUIN. THEN JENNIFER CRA BAYAN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN. PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI, UH, MY NAME IS BEN ABBASI. I'M A PALESTINIAN AMERICAN CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT OF ALMOST 10 YEARS AND I'M HERE ABOUT A SIMPLE PRINCIPLE. OUR TAX DOLLARS BELONG HERE. EVERY DOLLAR INVESTED IN THE MACHINERY OF WAR IS A DOLLAR NOT WORKING FOR CAMBRIDGE FAMILIES. OUR TAX DOLLARS SHOULD FUND OUR SCHOOLS, OUR HOUSING, OUR STREETS, AND NOT COMPANIES PROFITING FOR MORE AND THE KILLING OF CIVILIANS. CAMBRIDGE NET RESIDENTS NEVER VOTED TO BE PART OF THIS. DIVESTMENT DOESN'T ASK YOU TO SOLVE A CONFLICT. IT ISN'T ABOUT ANTISEMITISM OR EVEN THE ANTI PALESTINIAN RACISM THAT MY OWN KIDS FACE FROM OTHERS. AT CPS, IT'S ABOUT OUR TAX DOLLARS BEING INVESTED IN IMMORAL DEFENSE COMPANIES. IT ASKS YOU TO MAKE SURE OUR PUBLIC FUNDS ARE NOT TIED TO HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS. I LOVE THE CITY'S PROGRESSIVENESS AND I LOVE LIVING HERE. TONIGHT I AM ASKING YOU TO SHOW IT. PLEASE VOTE YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAN GRUIN, FOLLOWED BY JENNIFER RE, THEN JANIE BISCHOFF. DAN, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE PLEASE GO AHEAD. [03:30:01] DAN GRUIN IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. I URGE YOU TO REJECT THESE RESOLUTIONS. THEY'RE TRULY BDS, BIASED AND BIGOTED, DISTORTED AND DILUTED. SPITEFUL AND SLANDEROUS. THEY START WHEREAS THERE IS A GENOCIDE, WHEREAS THERE IS AN APARTHEID AS IF THOSE ARE KNOWN TRUTHS, ADOPTING THE MOST BLATANTLY ONE-SIDED ANTI-ISRAEL OPINIONS AND ACTUALLY IGNORING THE FACT ON THE GROUND, LOOKING AT THE FACT THE NUMBERS THERE IS NO GENOCIDE, BUT INSTEAD SADLY, THE RESULTS OF AN URBAN WAR THAT ISRAEL WAS FORCED TO FIGHT. LOOK TO ISRAELI SOCIETY WITH ITS 2 MILLION ARAB CITIZENS WHO SERVE IN GOVERNMENT WORKING COMPANIES TEACH. MANY ARE DOCTORS, MANY TOWNS IN ISRAEL. YOU HEAR THE MUSLIM CORAL OF THE PRAYER MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY. GENOCIDE IS WHAT HAMAS CALLS FOR AND TEACHES. ETHNIC CLEANSING IS WHAT THOSE WHO SHOUT FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA. PALESTINE WILL BE ARAB AS I HEARD PEOPLE TEACHING THE CROWD IN ARABIC ON MASS AVENUE, ON MIT'S CAMPUS IN YOUR BEAUTIFUL CITY OF CAMBRIDGE. THEY PUNISH ALL ISRAELIS, INCLUDING ITS 2 MILLION ARAB CITIZENS AND THE MILLIONS OF JEWISH RESIDENTS WHO ARE THEMSELVES WERE IMMEDIATELY DESCENDED FROM THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF JEWS FORCED TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES IN THE ARAB WORLD BECAUSE OF VIOLENCE POGROMS. MORE IMPORTANTLY, I WANT PEACE, BUT THESE DON'T SUPPORT PEACE. THESE DO NOT ENCOURAGE RECONCILIATION. THEY IN. PLEASE EMAIL US THE REMAINDER. WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO HAROLD BURST, FOLLOWED BY JENNIFER CRA. THEN JANIE BISCHOFF. HAROLD, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. ONE MINUTE. UH, THANK YOU COUNCIL, UH, FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LISTEN. I'VE LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE AND HAVE A HOMEOWNER CAMBRIDGE LUCK SINCE 1980. MOST OF MY FAMILY WAS MURDERED IN THE SHAAH. OVER 200 PEOPLE. I ALSO, UH, AM A THERAPIST AND I SEE CHILDREN OF SURVIVORS OF THE SHAAH. THEY'RE ABSOLUTELY INTIMIDATED BY THIS POLICY ORDER. ARE WE ARE AND MANY OF THEM, BY THE WAY, OH, ON THE LEFT OR THE EVEN LEFT, THEY'RE STILL INTIMIDATED. THE ONLY PEOPLE THIS WILL HELP IS HAMA USE CHILDREN AS HUMAN SHIELDS. IT'LL NOT HELP ISRAELI MODERATES, IT'LL NOT HELP ISRAELI RIST BE THE JEWISH OR ARAB. PLEASE DO NOT GO AHEAD AND ENABLE ANTISEMITISM BY VOTING ON THIS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JENNIFER CRAE, FOLLOWED BY JANIE BISCHOFF. THEN MICAH SANDMAN. WE ARE AT SPEAKER NUMBER 1 76. I DO NOT SEE JENNIFER IN THE ZOOM. WE WILL GO TO JANIE BISCHOFF. JANIE, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE PLEASE GO AHEAD. MY NAME IS JANIE BISCHOFF. ONE OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT CAMBRIDGE WHERE I SPENT UH, YEARS AS A STUDENT AND NOW COME TO MENTOR YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS AT MIT USED TO BE THE CITY'S DIVERSE COMMUNITY AND INCLUSIVE SPIRIT. THAT SPIRIT WAS BROKEN BY ACTIONS LIKE THE REPEATED BDS PROPOSALS NOW INCLUDED IN POLICY ORDERS 1 95 AND 1 96 BY TARGETING COMPANIES DOING BUSINESS IN THE JEWISH HOMELAND RATHER THAN TAKING ACTION AGAINST THE LONG LIST OF COMPANY COUNTRIES THAT ACTUALLY ABUSE HUMAN RIGHTS. THESE ORDERS TARGET AND SINGLE OUT JEWS. AS YOU'VE HEARD TONIGHT, THE SENTIMENTS ALSO INCITE THREATS AND VIOLENCE AGAINST MEMBERS OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY. PLEASE VOTE NO ON THESE ORDERS. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MICAH SANDMAN, FOLLOWED BY LAWRENCE TAMKIN. THEN CARSTEN F MICAH. I DO NOT SEE MICAH IN THE ZOOM. WE WILL GO TO LAWRENCE KIN LAWRENCE, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI. UM, THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE I'VE HEARD, UH, SPEAK TONIGHT. IT'S VERY SURPRISING HOW IGNORANT, UNEDUCATED, STUPID THEY ARE. I HOPE THIS IS NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REST OF THIS COUNTRY. FIRST OF ALL, THERE IS NO GENOCIDE IN GAZA. THE ONLY ORGANIZATION IN THE WORLD THAT IS RECOGNIZED AS A LEGAL AUTHORITY TO DETERMINE IF A COUNTRY HAS COMMITTED A GENOCIDE IS THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE. THE ICJ. PLEASE GOOGLE IF YOU KNOW HOW TO USE IT AND ASK IF THE ICJ HAS EVER ACCUSED OR DETERMINED THAT ISRAEL HAS EVER COMMITTED THE GENOCIDE. THE ANSWER YOU SEE WILL BE NO. I'VE HEARD THE WORD GENOCIDE USED ABOUT 500 TIMES. THIS IS EITHER A LIE OR MORE LIKELY THE FACT THAT THE PEOPLE USING THIS ARE COMPLETELY UNEDUCATED [03:35:01] AND HAVE DONE NO RESEARCH WHATSOEVER AND THEY ARE SHEEP. OUR NEXT SPEAKER I AM LET'S PLEASE CONTINUE. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CARSTEN F FOLLOWED BY EKE. TURN TO THEN ABE SHEER. SORRY. UH, KARTEN, PLEASE GO AHEAD. MY NAME IS KARTEN FRY. I LIVE IN BOSTON. I DINE SHOP IN VOLUNTEER IN CAMBRIDGE AND MY BROTHER WENT TO COLLEGE HERE DURING DIVEST A COLLECTIVE 1.2% FROM THE PENSION AND OPEB FUNDS AND REINVEST THEM IN COMPANIES WHO WERE NOT FACILITATING ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE, WHICH CONTINUES WITH THE KILLING OF 1500 PALESTINIANS INCLUDING 300 CHILDREN DURING A SO-CALLED CEASEFIRE. ISRAEL KILLED FIVE PALESTINIANS IN GAZA IN THE LAST 24 HOURS. WHY SINGLE OUT ISRAEL? BECAUSE OUR PRESIDENTS IN CONGRESSES HAVE CUMULATIVELY FUNNELED OVER 200 BILLION AMERICAN TAX DOLLARS WORTH OF WEAPONS TO ISRAEL NO MATTER HOW THEY BEHAVE. AND THAT'S MUCH MORE THAN TO ANY OTHER COUNTRY. AND NO, WE DON'T SEND ANY BOMBS TO RUSSIA OR THE RSF IN SUDAN. NOW TRUMP IS SANCTIONING THE ICC LARGELY TO PROTECT, WANTED WAR CRIMINALS, NETANYAHU AND GALLANT WHO CL THEY CL BECAUSE THEY CLEARLY CANNOT AFFORD. SORRY. WE CLEARLY CANNOT AFFORD TO PASS THE ADMINISTRATION, THE BUCK ON HUMAN RIGHTS. THE BUCK HAS TO STOP HERE AND THE BUCKS HAVE TO STOP FLOWING TO, I'M SO SORRY. IT'S YOUR TIME. PLEASE EMAIL US THE REST. UH, THE NEXT NAME IS ECE I'M SORRY, I'M GONNA HAVE YOU PRONOUNCE THAT FOR ME AND THEN WE WILL FOLLOW THAT BY ABE INGER, THEN SHLOMO MILLER. MS UH TURNER, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THEY ARE UNABLE TO UNMUTE. WE'LL COME BACK. WE'RE GOING. WE WILL COME BACK. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ABE INGER, FOLLOWED BY SHLOMO MILLER. HELLO ALL. MY NAME IS ABE INGER AND I'M A STUDENT DOWN THE STREET AT MIT. ALMOST THREE YEARS AGO ENCAMPMENT SWEPT THE NATION, INCLUDING AT MITI COUNT AMONG MY FRIENDS MANY COMRADES WHO SLEPT IN TENTS AND PROTESTED DAILY TO BRING AWARENESS TO THE ATROCITIES ISRAEL HAS BEEN COMMITTING. I COUNT AMONG MY FRIENDS MANY COMRADES IN MANY ORGANIZATIONS HERE IN CAMBRIDGE THAT HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR PALESTINIAN LIBERATION. IT IS DETESTABLE THAT I MUST STAND HERE MORE THAN THREE YEARS INTO THIS GENOCIDE AND MORE THAN SEVEN DECADES INTO THIS OCCUPATION, STILL FIGHTING FOR THESE SAME BASIC MORAL ISSUES, THE WHOLE WORLD. AND I PRESUME CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL AS WELL HAS WATCHED THESE ATROCITIES LIVE STREAMED TO OUR PHONES. IF YOU'RE SITTING HERE UNCERTAIN OF WHICH WAY YOU SHOULD VOTE, I CAN ONLY ASK WHERE YOU HAVE SPENT THE LAST THREE YEARS BECAUSE IT CERTAINLY HASN'T BEEN IN CAMBRIDGE. THANK YOU. WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO EARLIER SKIP SPEAKER KATHY WATKINS, FOLLOWED BY SHLOMO MILLER, DANIEL SFAI, THEN DAN COLEMAN. KATHY, HI EVERYBODY. I GOT KICKED OFF ZOOM, SO I'M HERE IN PERSON. UM, THANK YOU. NICE TO SEE EVERYONE. UM, PALANTIR, LOCKHEED MARTIN, GE AEROSPACE, ELBIT SYSTEMS, EXXON, MOTOROLA. THESE ARE THE COMPANIES THE ORDERS ARE TARGETING. PALESTINIAN CHILDREN ARE BEING INTENTIONALLY SHOT IN THE HEAD. DOCTORS AND JOURNALISTS ARE BEING TORTURED AND KILLED. THESE COMPANIES ARE COMPLICIT AND OUR CITY IS HELPING THEM. PLEASE DO NOT WATER DOWN THIS POLICY ORDER. ISRAEL MUST BE NAMED NAMING SPECIFIC HARMS IS HOW DIVESTMENT WORKS. THESE COMPANIES ARE TARGETED BASED ON THEIR ACTIONS AND NOT ON THEIR RELIGION. PLEASE LOOK TO YOUR MORALS AND DO THE RIGHT THING. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER, SPEAKER NUMBER 180 3 SHLOMO MILLER FOLLOWED BY DANIEL TI. THEN DAN COLEMAN SHAMO. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI, MY NAME IS LMO. I LIVE IN INMAN SQUARE AND I'VE LIVED HERE FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS. I WORK FOR A COMPANY THAT HAS CUSTOMERS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND IS PART OF OUR ANNUAL COMPLIANCE TRAINING. WE'RE REMINDED OF LAWS WHICH MAKE IT ILLEGAL TO PARTICIPATE IN UNSANCTIONED FOREIGN BOYCOTTS. WE SELL THE COUNTRIES WHO DO NOT HAVE DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH ISRAEL AND WE'RE REGULARLY ASKED IF OUR PRODUCTS ARE PRODUCED IN ISRAEL, BUT THEY ALSO ASK SOMETHING MUCH MORE DISTURBING. THEY ASK IF ANY OF OUR SENIOR LEADERSHIP IS JEWISH AND TO BE CLEAR, [03:40:01] IT'S, IT IS JUST THE JEWISH PEOPLE THAT WE NEED TO CALL OUT TO OUR EMPLOYEES AS BEING TARGETED. RHETORIC THAT SINGLES OUT THE WORLD'S ONE JEWISH COUNTRY BREEDS THE ANTISEMITISM AND IS NOT THE WAY TO BRING OUR COMMUNITY TOGETHER. IN THE PAST TWO DAYS, OVER SIX, OVER 650 KENAN HAVE SIGNED A PETITION AGAINST THESE POLICY ORDERS AND WE URGE YOU TO VOTE. NO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DANIEL SFAI, FOLLOWED BY DAN COLEMAN. THEN NOAH LEVA. DANIEL TI DANIEL'S NOT WITH US. WE WILL GO TO DAN COLEMAN, FOLLOWED BY NOAH LEVA, THEN JOSEPH HIRSCH. DAN COLEMAN, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. HI, MY NAME IS DAN COLEMAN AND I'VE LIVED ON FAIRMONT STREET NEAR DANA PARK FOR 15 YEARS. I WAS VERY GLAD TO READ IN THE POLICY ORDER THAT THE CITY COUNCIL UNEQUIVOCALLY CONDEMNS ANTISEMITISM, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA MATTER. I DON'T THINK THAT MY SON, A HIGH SCHOOLER AT RANGE WILL KNOW THAT THE COUNCIL CONDEMNS ANTISEMITISM WHEN HE GETS INTO SOME ORDINARY ARGUMENT WITH OTHER KIDS AND THEY CALL HIM OUT AS A JEW OR DO SOMETHING MUCH WORSE BECAUSE THE COUNCIL IS SINGLED OUT ISRAEL AND PEOPLE CONNECTED TO IT AS MURDERERS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NOAH LBA, FOLLOWED BY JOSEPH HIRSCH. THEN LEE HU ZONG. NOAH, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. MY NAME IS NOAH LEBA. I LIVE NEAR INMAN SQUARE AND I GO TO SYNAGOGUE IN CAMBRIDGE. FROM A PLACE OF DEEP LOVE FOR HUMANITY REGARDLESS OF RELIGION OR NATIONALITY, I URGE YOU TO VOTE YES ON POLICY SEVEN AND EIGHT. I'M JEWISH AND I'M CURRENTLY STUDYING TO BE A RABBI. I SPEND MY TIME STUDYING THE TEXTS AND PRACTICES OF JEWISH TRADITION, A TRADITION THAT TEACHES THAT EVERY LIFE IS A UNIVERSE, EVERY LIFE IS PRECIOUS. I URGE CITY COUNCIL TO VOTE TO END BUSINESS WITH COMPANIES THAT ARE COMPLICIT IN ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE, APARTHEID AND OCCUPATION OF PALESTINIANS. POLICY ORDERS SEVEN AND EIGHT UTILIZE THE NONVIOLENT TACTIC OF BOYCOTT IN A TIME OF SUCH EXTREME VIOLENCE. TAKING NONVIOLENT ACTION IS BRAVE AND NEEDED. I URGE CAMBRIDGE TO ALIGN WITH THOSE WHO WANT PEACE, WHO WANT AN END TO BOMBINGS AND VIOLENCE FOR THE SAKE OF PALESTINIANS, ISRAELIS AND ALL PEOPLE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOSEPH HARSH, FOLLOWED BY LEE HU ZONG. THEN ANDREW SCHACHT. JOSEPH, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN I URGE YOU TO PLEASE, PLEASE VOTE NO ON POLICY ORDERS 1 9 5 AND 1 9 6. I DO NOT THINK THAT CAMBRIDGE SHOULD PRIORITIZE FOREIGN POLICY, BUT IF WE DO, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE PURSUE A PRINCIPLED APPROACH. IF WE BELIEVE IN DIVESTMENT AS A FOREIGN POLICY TOOL, WHY SHOULD WE NOT DIVEST FROM NUMEROUS OTHER COUNTRIES, INCLUDING CHINA? PERHAPS WE SHOULD WRITE A LIST. SHOULD LIBERAL DEMOCRACIES PUT PEOPLE ON LISTS AND MARK THEM FOR DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT ON THE BASIS OF THEIR POLITICAL CONVICTIONS PERTAINING TO A COMPLEX GEOPOLITICAL ISSUE? SHOULD THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL ENACT POLICIES THAT WILL NEGLIGIBLE PROTECT PEOPLE IN THE MIDDLE EAST BUT HARM PEOPLE ON CAMBRIDGE? AGAIN, THESE POLICIES WILL DO NOTHING TO PROTECT PEOPLE IN THE MIDDLE EAST, BUT THEY WILL GO TO GREAT LENGTHS TO CREATE DISPARATE IMPACT TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST JEWS AND ISRAELIS IN CAMBRIDGE. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LEE HU ZONG, FOLLOWED BY ANDREW SCHACK, THEN GILLY ROSS AND SWIG LEE HU PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. GOOD EVENING. UH, I LIVE IN CAMBRIDGE NEAR MOND SQUARE. UH, THIS POLICY ORDER WILL NOT SAVE OR IMPROVE THE LIFE OF A SINGLE PALESTINIAN. IT'S PURELY PERFORMATIVE, UH, SO THAT AMERICAN ACTIVISTS CAN PAT THEMSELVES ON THE BACK. WHAT IT WILL DO IS PUT A TARGET ON THE BACKS OF JEWS IN CAMBRIDGE AT A TIME WHEN ANTISEMITISM IS AN AT, IS AT AN ALL TIME HIGH IN AMERICA, IN MASSACHUSETTS AND IN THE BOSTON AREA. LAST YEAR, A BRICK LABELED FREE PALESTINE WAS THROWN THROUGH THE WINDOW AT THE BIGGEST KOSHER GROCERY STORE IN THE AREA. PLEASE DO NOT GIVE APPROVAL TO THIS HATE. PLEASE DO NOT IMPORT, IMPORT IT INTO CAMBRIDGE. PLEASE VOTE NO. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANDREW SHACK. ANDREW, ANDREW HAS NOT JOINED US. WE'RE GONNA GO ON TO GILLY WIG FOLLOWED BY FRANNIE. A GILLY. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD ONE MINUTE. GOOD EVENING, COUNSELORS. MY NAME IS GILLY. I WORK AND LIVE IN CAMBRIDGE AND I USED TO LOVE THE [03:45:01] CITY. I URGE YOU TO VOTE NO ON THESE ORDERS. LOOK AT THE SCREENS TONIGHT. OVER 400 PEOPLE ARE WAITING TO SPEAK. MANY WHO DON'T LEAVE OR PAY TAXES HERE. THAT'S BECAUSE THESE POLICY ORDERS AREN'T LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. THEY ARE PERFORMANCE ARTS. EXTREME MOVEMENTS RARELY DECLARE THEIR WORST INTENTIONS OUTRIGHT. INSTEAD, THEY FIND CREATIVE WAYS TO NORMALIZE HOSTILITY AGAINST ISRAEL, DRESSING UP ANTI-ISRAEL AND ANTI-JEWISH BIAS AS MUNICIPAL POLICY. BDS BY DEFINITION IS AN ANTI-ISRAEL CAMPAIGN AND IT'S NOT ABOUT POSITIVE CHANGES OR NOT ABOUT STOPPING ANY WAR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS FRANNY A FOLLOWED BY SAMMY R THEN ELEE SCHULTZ. FRANNY. FRANNY, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI, UM, MY NAME IS FRANNIE ALANI. I WORK AS AN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR IN CAMBRIDGE AND I'M A MEMBER OF THE CONGREGATION UNION SITE. UM, AS THE STATE OF ISRAEL CONTINUES TO ENACT A GENOCIDE AGAINST PALESTINIANS AND GAZA AND ENFORCE ILLEGAL OCCUPATION IN APARTHEID AND ALL OF PALESTINE, IT'S MORE CRITICAL THAN EVER THAN WE SPEAK UP AND ACT, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THAT THE US GOVERNMENT IS FUNDING THESE ATROCITIES AND ITS DIRECTLY COMPLICIT. I SUPPORT THE BOYCOTT AND DIVESTMENT MEASURES BEING VOTED ON TONIGHT AND URGED THE COUNCIL TO PASS THEM. I WANT A FUTURE WHERE CAMBRIDGE DOESN'T CONTRACT WITH COMPANIES LIKE PALANTIR, ED MARTIN AND RAYTHEON THAT MIGHT CREATE DEADLY WEAPONS, VIOLATE PALESTINIANS RIGHTS, PARTNER WITH ICE AND ACCELERATE CLIMATE CATASTROPHE. THIS BELIEF IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH MY JEWISH VALUES, INCLUDING THOSE OF LAN WERE REPAIRING THE WORLD AND TREATING HUMAN LIFE AS SACRED. NOW IS THE TIME TO ENACT THESE VALUES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SAMMY R FOLLOWED BY ELI SCHULTZ, THEN ASHER LEYVA. I DO NOT SEE SAMMY IN THE ZOOM. WE WILL LOOK FOR A ISLI SCHULTZ ISLI. OH, I'M SORRY SAMMY, PLEASE GO AHEAD. ISLET, PLEASE HOLD. HI, MY NAME IS SAMMY AND I'M RESIDENT OF CAMBRIDGE FOR THE LAST 48 YEARS, I, UH, 700,000 PEOPLE DEAD AND ONE DEAD. UH, GAZA DESTROYED COMPLETELY. THE WHOLE WORLD CALLS IT GENOCIDE AND SOME PEOPLE SAY, WELL, MAYBE DEB BEARABLE. THERE IS NO DEBATABLE WHEN YOU KILL 700 WOUNDED AND, UH, DESTROY EVERY HOSPITAL, EVERY SCHOOL, EVERY CHURCH, EVERY MASK, EVERY UNIVERSITY. ALSO, I PERSONALLY LOST MORE THAN 11 MEMBERS OF MY OWN FAMILY, MY NEPHEWS AND MY NIECES IN GAZA. AND UH, I'VE BEEN TAXPAYER FOR THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE FOR THE LAST, UH, 48 YEARS. IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS ALONE, I PAID HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR REAL ESTATE TAXES. BUT ANYWAY, THE QUESTION IS YOU ARE INTELLIGENT PEOPLE AND YOU KNOW WHAT? GENOCIDE AND NOT GENOCIDE. CAMBRIDGE SHOULD TAKE A STAND FOR THE FIRST TIME AND MAKE A LEAD FOR THE OTHER SERIES TO STOP THIS, UH, MANIAC CALLED NET UHHU AND HIS, UH, GROUPS FROM SIR, THANK YOU. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. WE'RE GOING TO GO TO OUR NEXT SPEAKER. ELI SCHULTZ, FOLLOWED BY ASHER LIBBA. THEN EMMA LEAL. ELI, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE PLEASE GO AHEAD. I LET YOU ARE UNMUTED. PLEASE GO AHEAD. HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN NOW. PLEASE GO AHEAD. GREAT, THANK YOU. THERE'S A LOT OF TENSION HERE BECAUSE WE ALL WANT THE SUFFERING OF PALESTINIANS TO END. UNFORTUNATELY, DIVESTMENT DOESN'T HELP US ACCOMPLISH THIS GOAL. WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW IS THAT DIVESTMENT IS A HATE MOVEMENT FUNDED BY TERRORIST REGIMES, AND IT'S BASED ON THE LIE THAT JEWS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF SOCIETY'S ILLS. THIS IS ANTISEMITISM, A TALE AS OLD AS TIME. THE DIVESTMENT ADVOCATES ARE TRYING TO CONVINCE YOU THAT ISRAEL IS THE ENEMY. EACH ONE REPEATS. THE GENOCIDE LIE OVER AND OVER, AND THE REPETITION IS CONVINCING, BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE IT TRUE. LOOK OUTSIDE YOUR ECHO CHAMBER AND YOU WILL SEE THAT THE TRUE GENOCIDAL REGIMES HERE ARE THE IRANIAN REGIME AND HAMAS, AND YOU'LL UNDERSTAND THAT [03:50:01] SUPPORTING THESE RESOLUTIONS SUPPORTS A HATE MOVEMENT THAT GLORIFIES VIOLENCE AND WISHES TO BRING THAT VIOLENCE TO OUR CITY. DON'T BELIEVE THE LIES. DON'T LET CAMBRIDGE BE USED TO PERPETUATE THE LIES. DON'T BE FOOLED AND DON'T SUPPORT THESE DIVESTMENT RESOLUTIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ASHER LEBA, FOLLOWED BY EMMA LEAL. THEN RUSHDI AB. AB HAJA ASHER, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. HI, MY NAME IS ASHER LEBA. I'M A GRANDCHILD OF HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS, A MEMBER OF THE CAMBRIDGE JEWISH COMMUNITY, AND I WORK IN CAMBRIDGE AS AN URBAN PLANNER. FOR ME, OCTOBER 7TH WAS A NIGHTMARE MADE REAL. SINCE THEN, JEWS HAVE QUESTIONED OUR SAFETY IN ISRAEL AND ABROAD WHILE UNIMAGINABLE DESTRUCTION HAS RAINED DOWN ON PALESTINIANS. MANY TONIGHT HAVE SAID THIS POLICY ORDER IS MOTIVATED BY HATRED, BUT I WANT US ALL TO CONSIDER THE WAYS THIS MIGHT BE MOTIVATED BY LOVE. I LOVE THE JEWISH PEOPLE, INCLUDING THOSE IN ISRAEL, BUT I KNOW THAT THE WELLBEING OF JEWISH PEOPLE EVERYWHERE DEMANDS AN INTERVENTION. WE JEWS ARE A FAMILY AND LIKE A FAMILY MEMBER IN THE THROES OF ADDICTION, THE STATE THAT ACTS IN OUR NAME IS IN DIRE NEED OF THIS INTERVENTION. THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT HAS BECOME ADDICTED TO VIOLENCE, TO AMERICAN TAXPAYER MONEY THAT ENABLES THAT VIOLENCE AND ISOLATED JEWS AROUND THE WORLD. SUPPORT FOR THIS VIOLENCE CAN NO LONGER BE IGNORED OR ENABLED. WE NEED FRIENDS LIKE THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE TO SAY, NO MORE. WE'RE CUTTING YOU OFF. FOR THE SAKE OF JEWS AND PALESTINIANS IN THE LAND AND AROUND THE WORLD, NO MORE MONEY, NO MORE BOMBS. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS EMMA LEAL, FOLLOWED BY RUSHDI AJA, THEN JOSHUA BROWN. EMMA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. MY NAME IS EMMA LEAL AND I LIVE IN SOMERVILLE AND I'M IN CAMBRIDGE ALMOST EVERY DAY. THESE PAST FEW, THESE PAST FEW YEARS, BEING A JEW HERE HAS REALLY, FRANKLY SUCKED. I LEARNED OF THE ATTACKS OF OCTOBER 7TH WHILE IN CAMBRIDGE AS A JEWISH HOLIDAY CELEBRATION THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HAPPY AS WE WERE STILL LEARNING HOW TRULY AWFUL IT WAS BEFORE GRAVES WERE EVEN DUG. THERE WAS A PROTEST HERE ON CITY HALL STEPS CALLING WHAT WAS GOING ON IN GAZA, A GENOCIDE BEFORE ANY RESPONSE HAD EVEN OCCURRED. I CAN'T EXPRESS HOW BAFFLING THAT IS AND THINGS HAVE JUST SPIRALED FROM THERE WITH KIDS GETTING YELLED AT IN THE STREETS JUST FOR WEARING A KIPPAH. THEY'RE STILL CALLING FOR GLOBALIZING THE ADA. JUST LISTEN TO THE YELLING OUTSIDE. WE ARE ONE STEP AWAY FROM BURNING JUST LIKE PARIS, CAMBRIDGE, AND SOMERVILLE HAVE MADE THEMSELVES THE CENTER OF ANTI-ISRAEL, ANTI-JEWISH HATE. AND IF YOU THINK FOR ONE SECOND THESE THINGS CAN BE SEPARATED, THINK AGAIN. PLEASE STOP THIS INSANITY. DON'T PASS THESE ORDERS AND THINK ABOUT WHAT WILL MAKE CAMBRIDGE A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE. NOT WORSE. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RUSHDI AJA, FOLLOWED BY JOSHUA BROWN. THEN JULIET LAND, LANDESMAN RUSHDI. UH, GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS RUSHDI, UH, AND I'M A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT. I'M HERE TO URGE YOU TO VOTE YES ON POLICY ORDERS SEVEN AND EIGHT AND TO DIVEST FROM THE COMPANY'S PROFITING FROM GENOCIDE AND PALESTINE. AS A PALESTINIAN AMERICAN WATCHING THE US BACKED DESTRUCTION OF MY PEOPLE DAY AFTER DAY HAS BEEN SICKENING AND IT HAS BEEN JUST AS PAINFUL TO HEAR. MEMBERS OF OUR OWN COMMUNITY SUGGEST THAT CIVILIANS, MANY OF THEM CHILDREN, ARE SOMEHOW COMPLICIT OR LESS DESERVING OF LIFE. TO BE CLEAR, THESE POLICIES TARGET COMPANIES FOR THEIR ACTIONS, NOT ANYONE'S RELIGION OR ETHNICITY. AND WHEN WE INVEST IN TOOLS OF OPPRESSION, WE MAKE OURSELVES LESS SAFE TOO. COMPANIES LIKE EL SYSTEMS HAVE USED PALESTINE AS A TESTING GROUND FOR INCREASINGLY ADVANCED SURVEILLANCE AND WEAPONS. UM, PLEASE MAKE OUR COMMUNITY SAFER AND A FIRM LIFE BY VOTING YES ON SEVEN AND EIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOSHUA BROWN, FOLLOWED BY JULIET LANDESMAN, THEN TAMARA ROTH. JOSHUA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. HI, MY NAME IS JOSH BROWN. UH, I'M A PHYSICIAN AND I'VE BEEN A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT FOR OVER 10 YEARS. AS A DOCTOR, THE FIRST OBLIGATION I HAVE TO MY PATIENTS IS DO NO HARM. AND JUST LIKE ME AS COUNCIL MEMBERS AND PUBLIC SERVANTS, YOU'RE ALSO OBLIGATED TO FIRST DO NO HARM. LISTEN TO ALL THE HEATED RHETORIC AND DIVISIVENESS TONIGHT. THESE PROPOSALS ARE NOT SOLVING A COMPLEX WORLD PROBLEM, BUT ONLY GIVING A PLATFORM FOR HEAT AND HOSTILITY TO SPREAD IN OUR CITY. WE ALREADY NEED ARMED GUARDS AT JEWISH INSTITUTIONS AND HOUSES OF WORSHIP. THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS. PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY ALREADY HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE SAFE SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY ARE JEWISH AND IN THIS ENVIRONMENT [03:55:02] YOU ARE CONSIDERING MEASURES THAT WILL FURTHER INFLAME JEWISH HEAT, EMBOLDEN THOSE WHO SPREAD HOSTILITY AND DEEPEN THE DIVISIONS THAT PUT PEOPLE AT RISK. AND SO I URGE YOU AGAIN, PLEASE DO NO HARM TO PEOPLE LIKE ME AND SO MANY OTHERS LIVING IN YOUR CITY AND OPPOSE THESE MEASURES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JULIET LANDESMAN, FOLLOWED BY TAMARA ROTH. JULIET, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. HELLO? I ASSUME THAT YOU CAN HEAR ME. WE CAN HEAR YOU. PLEASE GO AHEAD. OKAY. GOOD EVENING. I'M JULIET SPOON OF BROOKLINE MASS. I HAVE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS IN CAMBRIDGE WITH CLOSE FRIENDS. AS AN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT A LOCAL PROGRAM THAT INFUSES THE REGGIO AMELIA FRAMEWORK. IMAGINE MY DISAPPOINTMENT WHEN I DISCOVERED THAT I WOULD NOT BE WELCOME TO VISIT REGIO MIL IN ITALY UNLESS RENOUNCE THE COUNTRY OF MY FAMILY. ISRAEL IS A MULTICULTURAL DEMOCRACY THAT INCLUDES CHRISTIANS, ARABS, AND JEWS, WHICH HAS BEEN FORCED TO DEFEND ITSELF AGAINST HAMAS AND OTHER TERRORIST GROUPS. THE BOYCOTT RESOLUTIONS BEING PROPOSED HERE ONLY SERVE TO ISOLATE A COUNTRY WHICH PREFERS TO LIVE IN HARMONY WITH ALL OF ITS NEIGHBORS. ASK ANY ISRAELI AND THEY WILL TELL YOU THEY JUST WANT PEACE AND THEY WANT TO GET ALONG WITH EVERYBODY RATHER THAN SANCTION THE STATE OF ISRAEL. LET'S TALK AND WORK TOGETHER TO BRING PEACE TO THE MIDDLE EAST VIA DIALOGUE. IT'S TIME FOR CAMBRIDGE TO FOCUS ON THEIR LOCAL ISSUES AND NOT TO ATTACK THE STATE OF ISRAEL. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TAMARA ROTH, FOLLOWED BY ARIAN MORRISON. THEN MICHELLE RUDY. TAMARA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD ONE MINUTE TO TAMARA ROTH IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF. DO YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN HEAR YOU. PLEASE GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS TAMARA AND I HAVE BEEN LIVING IN CAMBRIDGE FOR FOUR YEARS. WHY ARE WE HERE AGAIN? WITH ANOTHER PROPOSED BDS MEASURE AGAINST ISRAEL WHEN YOU REPEATEDLY SINGLE OUT ISRAEL TO THE EXCLUSION OF EVERY SINGLE COUNTRY IN THE WORLD TIME AFTER TIME. I'VE SPOKEN HERE AT LEAST TWO OR THREE TIMES OVER THE YEARS. YOU NEED TO ASK YOURSELVES WHY THIS OBSESSION WITH THE ONLY JEWISH STATE IN THE WORLD, ISRAEL IS ONE OF THE US' MOST IMPORTANT ALLIES AND IS THE ONLY DEMOCRACY IN THE MIDDLE EAST. IN FACT, IT'S THE ONLY PLACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST WHERE A GAY PRIDE PARADE PROUDLY TAKES PLACE EVERY YEAR. THIS IMPOSSIBLE STANDARD THAT YOU PLACE ON THE JEWISH HOMELAND, OUR SAFE HAVEN, MAKES ME AND OTHER JEWS WHO LIVE IN YOUR CITY FEEL UNSAFE AND UNWELCOME. PLEASE PROTECT YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND OPPOSE THIS MEASURE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE ARE MOVING ON TO SPEAKER NUMBER 200 ARIANNE MORRISON, FOLLOWED BY MICHELLE RUDY, THEN CAMILLA RUBY HERNANDEZ. ARIANNE, PLEASE GO AHEAD. I'M HERE SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF POLICY ORDERS SEVEN AND EIGHT. I LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE FOR FOUR YEARS BEFORE GRADUATING FROM HARVARD COLLEGE AND NOW I WORK IN CAMBRIDGE AS A HISTORIAN OF INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENTS. AND I CAN SAY THAT THAT HISTORY TELLS US IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS THAT WHAT THIS CITY COUNCIL DOES MATTERS. IT MATTERED IN 1980 WHEN THIS COUNCIL DIVESTED FROM APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA. THEY PAVED THE WAY FOR STATE AND NATIONAL DIVESTMENT AND THAT MATTERED BECAUSE APARTHEID FELL. AND MY FAMILY LIVING IN DURBAN PAULE CAPE TOWN AND JOHANNESBURG WERE ALLOWED TO MOVE FREELY, VOTE, AND EXIST PEACEFULLY ON THEIR LANDS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THEIR LIVES. MY FAMILY AND I ARE LIVING WITNESS TO AND PROOF OF THE EFFECTS OF THIS COUNCIL'S SOLIDARITY. WHAT YOU DO IS NOT PERFORMATIVE. IT MATTERS. PALESTINIANS LIVING UNDER ISRAEL'S APARTHEID AND GENOCIDE TODAY DESERVE NO LESS THAN WHAT MY FAMILY LIVING UNDER APARTHEID DESERVED. THEN I'VE BEEN TO THE WEST BANK AND THAT APARTHEID LOOKS LIKE WHAT MY FAMILY TALKS ABOUT. A VOTE AGAINST ISRAEL'S CRIMES TODAY IS A VOTE AGAINST APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA YEARS AGO. PASS THE DIVESTMENT RESOLUTION NOW OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHELLE RUDY, FOLLOWED BY CAMILLA RUBY HERNANDEZ, THEN ZALO. BRANDON MICHELLE, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. ONE MINUTE IT. HI. UM, CAN YOU SEE ME? WE CAN HEAR YOU. PLEASE GO AHEAD. OH, I, UM, I'M, MY NAME IS MICHELLE, I'M A PARENT. UM, I LIVE IN CAMBRIDGE. I'M HERE WITH MY DAUGHTER CAMILA. HI. UM, AND WE WERE THERE IN PERSON TODAY, BUT IT GOT LATE, GOT SCHOOL TOMORROW. SO, UM, I WANTED TO SAY THAT WE DO NOT WANT, I DO NOT WANT MY [04:00:01] TAX DOLLARS GOING TO, UH, SOMETHING THAT'S HURTING PEOPLE. I DON'T WANNA BE COMPLICIT IN, IN THESE HORRIBLE ATROCITIES THAT I'M SEEING. AND I WANNA SAY THAT AS A JEWISH AMERICAN, AS A JEWISH AMERICAN MOTHER, UM, A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT, THAT THE, THESE CLAIMS OF ANTISEMITISM ARE JUST COMPLETELY UNFOUNDED AND, UH, THEY DO NOT SPEAK FOR ME AND I WILL PASS IT TO MY DAUGHTER. GO AHEAD HONEY. MY NAME IS CAMILA. I'M SIX YEARS OLD. I'M FIRST GRADE. WE DON'T WANT THIS TIME. SORRY. UM, I, I KNOW THAT'S LOOK, LOOK FOLKS, FOLKS, FOLKS, FOLKS, PLEASE. WE HAVE FIVE, WE HAVE 150 PEOPLE LEFT. SO I ASK FOR YOUR PATIENCE. WE'RE GOING BY RULES. IF A COLLEAGUE WANTS TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO ALLOW IT I WILL. I'D LIKE TO NEXT SPEAKER. SHE'S NOT NEXT. I DON'T, SHE'S, SO WE WOULD NEED TO CALL THE NEXT SPEAKER WHO IS CAMILLA RUBY HERNANDEZ. WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SPEAKER AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE. I'M J WE'RE DOING THIS BY RULES BY ORDER, SO PLEASE DO NOT INTERRUPT. SO WE'LL GO AHEAD TO THE NEXT SPEAKER. NAOMI NEEDS TO CALL THE NEXT SPEAKER. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CAMILLA RUBY RUDY HERNANDEZ, FOLLOWED BY ZALO BRANDON, THEN SHODDY SOLE MOON. CAMILLA, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE GO AHEAD, . YEAH, GO AHEAD. MY NAME IS CAMILA. I'M SIX YEARS OLD. I'M IN FIRST GRADE. WE DON'T WANT OUR MONEY TO GO TO COMPANIES THAT HURT KIDS, ADULTS AND ELDERS. EVERYONE SHOULD BE SAFE. OUR MONEY SHOULDN'T, SHOULDN'T, SHOULDN'T GO TO HURT PEOPLE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ZALO BRANDON, FOLLOWED BY SHADY MOON, THEN ESTELLE REEVES ZALO, PLEASE GO AHEAD ONE MINUTE. MY NAME IS ZALO AND I'M AN NATIVE AND CURRENT RESIDENT OF NORTH CAMBRIDGE. HERE TO SPEAK ON POLICY ORDER TWO, I SERVE ON THE KIOSK ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND I'M AN EVENT PROFESSIONAL FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS. MOST RECENTLY SERVING AS THE LEAD FOR MOUNT AUBURN SOLSTICE. I WANTED TO SPEAK TO THE IMPRESSIVE WORK OF THE KIOSKS OPERATOR CULTURE. HOUSE CULTURE HOUSE HAS PRESENTED THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE WITH CLEAR FINDINGS, HIGHLIGHTING DATA, WHILE IDENTIFYING CHALLENGES AND AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT. FOR THE UPCOMING QUARTER, THEY'VE REWORKED THEIR PROGRAMMING MODEL BASED ON COMMITTEE FEEDBACK. THEY'VE BEEN INSIGHTFUL, ADAPTABLE, RESOURCEFUL, AND COMPASSIONATE STEWARDS OF THE SPACE, WORKING WITH A MODEST BUDGET OUT OF WHICH THEY'RE EXPECTED TO COVER BOTH PROGRAMMING AND OPERATIONAL COSTS. THE ONGOING CONSTRUCTION TO THE PLAZA HAS BEEN A MAJOR OBSTACLE FOR THE SPACE AND IT WOULD BE UNFAIR TO EVALUATE THE SUCCESS OF THE KIOSKS INITIAL TERM WITHOUT ACCOUNTING FOR THIS DISRUPTION. I URGED THE COUNCIL TO NOT REEVALUATE THE OPERATING MODEL AT THIS TIME SO THAT CULTURE HOUSE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO FULFILL THEIR CONTRACT WITH UNENCUMBERED SUPPORT FROM THE COUNCIL AND HARVARD SQUARE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU. FREE PALESTINE. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ESTELLE. SORRY. SHODDY M MOON, FOLLOWED BY ESTELLE REEVES AND JO QUIARA. SHADY, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR, PLEASE GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. UM, HI, MY NAME IS CHATTY SLA MOON. UH, I SUPPORT POLICY ORDER SEVEN TO DIVEST FROM COMPANIES COMPLICIT IN ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE, APARTHEID, AND ETHNIC CLEANSING OF PALESTINE. EVEN AFTER ABOLISHING SLAVERY, NORTHERN STATES LIKE MASSACHUSETTS CONTINUE TO PURCHASE COTTON FROM SLAVE STATES LIKE MISSISSIPPI. DURING THE HOLOCAUST, AMERICAN COMPANIES PROVIDED NAZI GERMANY WITH THE TECHNOLOGY THEY NEEDED TO CARRY OUT THEIR GENOCIDE. NONE OF US TODAY WOULD SAY WE WOULD'VE BEEN OKAY WITH OUR LOCAL TAX DOLLARS, SUPPORTING COMPANIES COMPLICIT IN SLAVERY OR THE HOLOCAUST. WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD ANYONE THINK IT'S OKAY TO CONTINUE TO GIVE OUR LOCAL TAX DOLLARS TO COMPANIES COMPLICIT IN KILLING PALESTINIANS? CERTAINLY THOSE WHO OPPOSE THIS POLICY WOULD FEEL OTHERWISE IF CAMBRIDGE TAX DOLLARS WERE FUNDING COMPANIES COMPLICIT IN THE MURDER OF ISRAELIS. YET THEY CARVE OUT AN EXCEPTION FOR PALESTINIANS AND THAT'S WHAT ANTI PALESTINIAN RACISM LOOKS LIKE. OUR COMFORT SHOULD NEVER BE IN [04:05:01] EXCHANGE OF THE SYSTEMATIC MURDER, RAPE, AND TORTURE OF PALESTINIANS OR ANY OTHER GROUP. PLEASE VOTE YES ON THIS BILL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ESTELLE REEVES, FOLLOWED BY JOSIAH DERA, THEN LAYLA ALVI. ESTELLE, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD. ONE MINUTE. HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN. PLEASE GO AHEAD. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ESTELLE REEVE AND I LIVE IN STUDYING CAMBRIDGE. I'M CALLING ON THE CITY TO DIVEST OUR PUBLIC FRIENDS FROM THE COMPANY'S COMPLICIT IN ISRAEL MILITARY OPERATIONS, ILLEGAL OCCUPATION AND ONGOING GENOCIDE IN GAZA. CAMBRIDGE HAS LONG BEEN A LEADER IN ADVOCATING FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. DURING THE HEIGHT OF APARTHEID IN SOUTH AFRICA, CAMBRIDGE WAS AMONG THE FIRST TO TAKE A STAND CHALLENGING POLAROID'S ROLE THERE IN HELPING CATALYZE MASSACHUSETTS DIVESTMENT OF PUBLIC FRIENDS FROM SOUTH AFRICA. . UM, HOWEVER, WE CANNOT CLAIM TO STAND FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. WHILE OUR DOLLARS WEAPONIZE THOSE WHO CONTINUE TO VIOLATE THEM, THE CITY HAS THE POWER TO BRING IN OUR SPENDING INTO ALIGNMENT WITH OUR VALUES. AGAIN, I URGE THE CITY TO HONOR CAMBRIDGE'S LEGACY AND VOTE IN FAVOR OF DIVESTMENT. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOSIAH OR JOSIAH DE CHIARA, FOLLOWED BY LAYLA ZUBIE, THEN ALAN MEYERS. JOSIAH OR JOSIAH PLEASE GO AHEAD. HELLO, MY NAME IS JOSIAH DERA AND I'M A JEWISH CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS EDUCATOR SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF POLICY ORDER SEVEN AND EIGHT. LAST YEAR, ONE OF MY SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS ASKED ME WHY THE UNITED STATES WAS NOT SENDING HUMANITARIAN AID TO THE PEOPLE IN PALESTINE. I SHIVERED. IT IS HARD TO EXPLAIN TO A SIXTH GRADER THAT FOR THE PAST 75 YEARS IT HAS BEEN AMERICAN TAX DOLLARS, INCLUDING THESE $28 MILLION IN CAMBRIDGE'S INVESTMENTS THAT FUND THE WEAPONS MANUFACTURERS WHO ENFORCE THE APARTHEID STATE OF ISRAEL. DIVESTING OUR MONEY FROM MILITARY SUPPORT TO A NATION STATE IS NOT ANTI-SEMITIC. IT IS ANTI-COLONIAL. THE ZIONIST PROJECT IS WEAPONIZING JEWISH HISTORY TO PERPETUATE HARM ON ANOTHER GROUP OF PEOPLE. WE MUST CALL THIS WHAT IT REALLY IS AND USE CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS THAT WE TEACH OUR STUDENTS TO SEE THROUGH THAT MYTH. IT IS ANTI-ARAB RACISM. IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MODEL FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO SPEAK UP AND TAKE ACTION WHEN YOU SEE INJUSTICE, BE IT RACISM IN THE CLASSROOM, THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS, OR CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS PAYING FOR BOMBS. LET US FOLLOW IN THE STEPS OF OUR MASSACHUSETTS PREDECESSORS AND STAND ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LAYLA ZUBIE, FOLLOWED BY ALAN MYERS, THEN SUSAN MARKOWITZ. LAYLA, PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI, I'M LAYLA ALVI AS AN MDJD AT HARVARD. LET ME SPEAK IN THE LANGUAGE OF BOTH PHYSICIANS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. ISRAEL FOUND THAT ISRAEL DESTROYED GAZA'S HEALTHCARE IN A QUOTE, IN A MANNER THAT IS BOTH CALCULATED AND SYSTEMIC. DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS SAYS ISRAEL IS COMMITTING GENOCIDE AND THAT GOVERNMENT TO ARM IT OR STAY SILENT ARE COMPLICIT THE WORLD'S GENOCIDE SCHOLARS DECLARED IT MEETS THE LEGAL DEFINITION OF GENOCIDE. AND OMAR BARTOW, ONE OF THE WORLD'S LEADING HOLOCAUST AND GENOCIDE SCHOLARS, AN ISRAELI WHO SERVED FOUR YEARS IN THE IDF SAYS ISRAEL IS TRYING TO WIPE OUT PALESTINIAN EXISTENCE IN GAZA. HE CALLS IT A DELIBERATE STRATEGY OF GENOCIDE AND SAYS THAT THE UNITED STATES IS TOTALLY COMPLICIT. DOCTORS, SCHOLARS, ISRAELIS, THEY ARE NOT CONFUSED AND NEITHER SHOULD BE B WHEN OUR COMMUNITY IS BEING MURDERED. WE DO NOT CALL IT COMPLICATED. WE DO NOT WAIT. THANK YOU. YOUR TIME IS EXPIRED. PLEASE SEND US THE REST. OUR NEXT SPEAKER. WE ARE AT SPEAKER NUMBER 2 0 8 ALAN MYERS, FOLLOWED BY SUSAN MARKOWITZ, THEN BARBARA BRADLEY. ALAN, ONE MINUTE. MY NAME IS ALAN MYERS. I LIVE AT A MARIE STREET CAMBRIDGE AND HAVE LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE FOR 49 YEARS. ADDRESSING POLICY ORDER SEVEN. I'M A RETIRED PEDIATRICIAN AND I WANNA OFFER ONE EXAMPLE OF THE CRUEL IN HUMANITY OF THE ISRAELI REGIME. IN OCTOBER, 2007, I WAS SEEING PATIENTS IN THE WEST BANK WITH THE JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE WHO HEALTH AND HUMAN RIGHTS DELEGATION. WHEN I MET MOHAMMED KHALIL PICTURED HERE HE WAS 12 YEARS OLD, WEIGHED ABOUT 50 POUNDS, WAS BLIND AND PROFOUNDLY, DEVELOPMENTALLY DELAYED. HIS MOTHER GRANTED ME PERMISSION TO SHARE HIS PICTURE AND STORY IN LABOR ON ROUTE TO THE HOSPITAL TO DELIVER. SHE WAS REFUSED PASSAGE BY THE ISRAELI MILITARY AT THE KANDIA CHECKPOINT. AND AFTER LABORING FOR FIVE HOURS, SHE DELIVERED THERE, THE INFANT CHOKED AND TURNED BLUE. IT TOOK TWO HOURS BEFORE AN AMBULANCE WAS ABLE TO TRANSPORT THEM TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE HE WAS RESUSCITATED. NOW HIS MOTHER SPENDS MOST OF HER TIME AND MONEY CARING FOR HIM. [04:10:01] NO ONE WAS EVER HELD ACCOUNTABLE BECAUSE PALESTINIANS LIVING UNDER ISRAELI MILITARY OCCUPATION OR PEOPLE DENIED THEIR BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SUSAN MARKOWITZ, FOLLOWED BY BARBARA BRADLEY. THEN PHYLLIS BREAL. SUSAN, SORRY, SUSAN HAS NOT JOINED US. WE WILL GO TO BARBARA BRADLEY. BARBARA IS NOT HERE. OR ON ZOOM. WE WILL GO TO PHYLLIS. BREATH HOLD. SPEAKER NUMBER TWO 11, FOLLOWED BY RICHARD SOLOMON, THEN ISABELLA LIDER BALK. PHYLLIS, PLEASE GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. UM, I'M PHYLLIS ALS. I LIVE ON ANTRIM STREET. I'M A MEMBER OF THE JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE AND FOR WATER ALLIANCE FOR JUSTICE IN PALESTINE. PLEASE DO VOTE IN FAVOR OF DIVESTMENT FROM ALL OF OUR MONEY GOING TO COMPANIES THAT SUPPORT ISRAEL, CAMBRIDGE HAS A PROUD HISTORY OF STANDING UP FOR JUSTICE DATING BACK. MOST NOTABLY, WHEN THE CITY STOOD UP FOR, UM, SOUTH AFRICA, THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE FOR 2026 WAS GIVEN TO NAVI PELE, THE SOUTH AFRICAN JURIST, WHO RECENTLY LED THE UNITED NATIONS COMMISSION THAT CONCLUDED ISRAEL COMMITTED GENOCIDE AGAINST PALESTINIANS IN GAZA. AS A JEW, I AM HORRIFIED AT ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE AND FEEL THAT ISRAEL HAS BEEN DOING MORE BY THIS GENOCIDE TO PROMOTE ANTISEMITISM THAN ANY OTHER SINGLE GROUP OR ACTION. THANK YOU. PLEASE EMAIL US THE REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENT. WE WILL GO TO RICHARD SOLOMON, FOLLOWED BY ISABELLA ERBA, THEN JESSICA VAN MUIR. RICHARD, PLEASE GO AHEAD. ONE MINUTE. HI, I'M RICHARD, UH, CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS. I WORK AT MIT, I'M IN DSA, UM, I THINK YOU NEED TO VOTE FOR DIVESTMENT. THIS IS, UH, MY HOST BROTHER. UH, HE STAYED AT MY FAMILY'S HOUSE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS TO GET A PROSTHETIC LIMB BECAUSE THE ISRAELI MILITARY SHOT OFF HIS LEG AT THE PROTEST THAT HE WAS AT A PEACEFUL PROTEST. HE GOT HIS LEG BACK, AN AESTHETIC, UH, YOU KNOW, SYNTHETIC ONE, WENT BACK TO GAZA, GOT MARRIED. HE TOLD MY MOM, YOU KNOW, WHEREVER I AM, YOU'LL ALWAYS BE MY SECOND MOTHER. TWO YEARS AGO HE WAS KILLED IN ISRAELI AIRSTRIKES ALONG WITH HIS ELDERLY PARENTS AND HIS BROTHER. OKAY, THIS IS HIS YOUNGEST CHILD, HALA. UM, SHE'S STILL ALIVE AND SHE LIVES IN A REFUGEE CAMP, UM, WITH DYSENTERY, OUTBREAKS, MOSQUITOES, ALL KINDS OF THINGS. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ALL OF YOU ALL TO VOTE FOR A DIVESTMENT 'CAUSE THAT'S THE BEST CHANCE WE HAVE TO KEEP PEOPLE LIKE THIS ALIVE. IT'S TO SEND A BOLD MESSAGE, AND I'M TALKING ESPECIALLY TO COUNSELORS, TIM, DENISE, PATTY, AND OTHERS. THANKS. PLEASE JUST ADDRESS ME THROUGH, THROUGH THE CHAIR, PLEASE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ISABELLA ERBA, FOLLOWED BY JESSICA VAN MUIR, THEN RACHEL MISEL. ISABELLA. HELLO, MY NAME IS ISABELLA ERBA AND AS A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT AND CITY EMPLOYEE, I URGE THE CITY TO PASS THIS DIVESTMENT POLICY ORDER SEVEN AND EIGHT. AS A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL WHO WORKS WITH CHILDREN, I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE LASTING EFFECTS OF THE GENOCIDE OF PALESTINIANS FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. IN 1980, CAMBRIDGE DIVESTED FROM APARTHEID IN SOUTH AFRICA AND IN 2021 CITY COUNCIL VOTED TO KEEP CITY FUNDS OUT OF FOSSIL FUELS AND PRIVATE PRISONS. OUR TAX DOLLARS FUND 3.8 BILLION IN MILITARY AID TO ISRAEL, AND IT IS TIME FOR CAMBRIDGE TO TAKE ACTION TO DIVEST CITY FUNDS FROM COMPANIES THAT ARE ACTIVE AGENTS IN THE ONGOING GENOCIDE OF PALESTINIANS. THANK YOU. HER NEXT SPEAKER IS JESSICA VAN MUIR, FOLLOWED BY RACHEL MEISELMAN. THEN ALAN WANG. JESSICA JESSICA IS NOT WITH US. WE WILL GO TO RACHEL MEISELMAN OR MISEL MAN. RACHEL IS NOT HERE. OR ON ZOOM, WE WILL GO TO ALAN WANG, FOLLOWED BY MARK CANTOR. THEN SARAH ZUBI A PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI, MY NAME IS ALAN. I LIVE IN CAMBRIDGEPORT AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF DIVESTMENT. THE GOAL OF THIS POLICY ORDER IS TO ENSURE THAT THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE WILL NOT CONTINUE TO INVEST IN COMPANIES WHICH PROFIT FROM MANUFACTURING AND SELLING THE BOMBS, DRONES, AND AI SOFTWARE TARGETING SYSTEMS THAT HAVE KILLED OVER 20,000 CHILDREN IN GAZA AND INJURED OVER 40,000 MORE IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS. TO SAY THAT CONTINUING, CONTINUING TO SPEAK TO SEEK A RETURN IN INVESTMENT FROM COMPANIES LIKE PALANTIR AND LOCKHEED MARTIN, WHICH [04:15:01] MAKE THEIR MONEY FROM THE BOMBING OF PALESTINIAN CHILDREN IS REQUIRED FOR THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS IS COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS. TO SAY THAT THE UNITY OF OUR CITY REQUIRES US TO CONTINUE MAINTAINING AN INVESTMENT IN GENOCIDE IS COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS. PLEASE, I URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO PASS THIS RESOLUTION. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARK CANTOR, FOLLOWED BY SARAH ZUBIE, THEN DENISE BERGMAN. MARK MARK HAS NOT JOINED US. WE WILL GO TO SARAH ZUBIE. DENISE BERGMAN, THEN HUBERT MURRAY. SARAH, PLEASE GO AHEAD. WE ARE TOLD THAT PALESTINE IS TOO POLITICAL FOR CITY GOVERNMENT, BUT OUR MONEY IS POLITICAL. OUR INVESTMENTS IN THESE TERROR ORGANIZATIONS AND COMPANIES IS POLITICAL. THESE COMPANIES CREATE A THING CALLED FRAGMENTATION SLEEVES THAT PRACTICALLY MAKES THEIR WEAPONS SO DEADLY THAT NOT ONLY DOES IT CAUSE A SMALL WOUND, IT ENTERS THE BODY AND IT SHREDS BONES. IT SHREDS ORGANS OF PALESTINIANS INCLUDING CHILDREN. I'M A HARVARD TRAINED PHYSICIAN TO SOMEWHAT HAVE A BRAIN. I BELIEVE THAT HUMAN LIFE AND EVERY HUMAN LIFE IS WORTH PROTECTING AND THAT MUST NOT EXCLUDE PALESTINIANS. IF THE ROLES WERE REVERSED, IF YOUR PEOPLE LIVED UNDER OCCUPATION AND APARTHEID, IF YOUR FAMILIES WERE KILLED BY WEAPONS MADE TO SHRED BONES, WOULD YOU BE SITTING HERE DISCUSSING WHETHER THESE COMPANIES SHOULD BE DIVESTED FROM? I WOULD NOT. IF THESE PRINCIPLES ONLY EXTEND TO YOUR PEOPLE, THEY AREN'T PRINCIPLES, THEY ARE PRIVILEGES. THE CITY CANNOT SOLVE EVERY INJUSTICE, BUT IT CAN TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ITS OWN INVESTMENTS. IF A CITY CAN INVEST, IT MUST INVEST. SARAH, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. PLEASE SEND US THE REST. WE WILL GO TO DENISE BERGMAN, FOLLOWED BY HUBERT MURRAY, THEN HANNAH G DENISE, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. DENISE BERGMAN. I'VE LIVED HERE FOR 50 YEARS. WE SIMPLY CANNOT BE COMPLICIT. SINCE OCTOBER, 2023 IN GAZA, ISRAEL KILLED NEARLY 22,000 PALESTINIAN CHILDREN. THAT EQUALS ALL THE KIDS IN CAMBRIDGE AND SOMERVILLE. THAT'S ONE CHILD EVERY 71 MINUTES, WHICH EQUALS THREE DEAD KIDS. DURING TONIGHT'S MEETING, 72,000 CHILDREN ARE NOW ORPHANS. NEARLY ALL THE KIDS IN CAMBRIDGE, SOMERVILLE, WORCESTER, AND CHELSEA, ISRAEL HAS DISPLACED 1.9 MILLION PEOPLE EQUALING ALL OF MANHATTAN, SOMERVILLE AND PROVIDENCE. WE MUST DIVEST. THANK YOU. WE'RE MOVING ON TO SPEAKER NUMBER TWO 20 HUBERT MURRAY, FOLLOWED BY HANNAH G THEN BENJAMIN BEKI. HUBERT, PLEASE GO AHEAD ONE MINUTE. BERT IS NOT IN THE ROOM, NOT ON ZOOM. WE WILL GO TO HANNAH G HANNAH IS NOT HERE. WE WILL GO TO BENJAMIN KY. BENJAMIN, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE PLEASE. GO AHEAD. BENJAMIN, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. BENJAMIN IS NOT ON MUTING. WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO GEORGE DAVIS. GEORGE, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF. GOOD EVENING. CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN. PLEASE GO AHEAD. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS GETZEL DAVIS. I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT AS A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT. I'M A RABBI AND I'VE LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE FOR 15 YEARS. THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE DID NOT COMMENT WHEN SWASTIKAS APPEARED IN HARVARD SQUARE. YOU DID NOT COMMENT. WHEN AFTER OCTOBER 7TH, CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS STOOD IN HARVARD SQUARE SHOUTING, SEEK HI PEOPLE WEARING KIPPAHS. YOU DID NOT COMMENT WHEN JEWISH RESIDENTS REPORTED BEING HARASSED IN OUR STREETS. I'M A RABBI AND I'M TEACHING MY SON NOT TO WEAR A KIPA AT THE BALDWIN SCHOOL. I WANT HIM TO BE ACCEPTED THERE. I WANT HIM TO PASS. BUT THIS, THIS IS WORTH COMMENTING ON TONIGHT, YOU WILL HEAR SPEAKER AFTER SPEAKER AND HAVE MANY OF THEM SPEAKING WITH GREAT FORCE WHOSE WORDS ERASE OUR, OUR EXPERIENCE AND OUR PAIN. DO NOT MISTAKE [04:20:01] THOSE NUMBERS AS THE REASON TO VOTE. YES. THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO ARE SPEAKING SO ANGRILY, THEY SHOW YOU HOW ALONE JEWS ARE. THEY SHOW WHY YOU NEED TO PROTECT US. A VOTE LIKE THIS MAKES OUR CITY LESS SAFE FOR US AND OUR FAMILIES. AND I'M ASKING YOU TO VOTE OUR NEXT SPEAKER. ACTUALLY, WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO BENJAMIN BARTOWSKI. BEKI, SORRY, WHO HAS JOINED US NOW? BENJAMIN, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. HI, THANKS VERY MUCH. THIS IS BEN BEKI. I LIVE IN ELLSWORTH AVENUE, UH, YEAH, TENURE YEAR CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT. UM, I'M SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF POLICY ORDER SEVEN AND EIGHT. UM, I'D JUST LIKE TO SEE THE CITY, UH, BE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY HERE. UM, I THINK WE SHOULD NOT BE PAYING OUR TAX DOLLARS BY INTO THE POCKETS OF, UH, WEAPONS MANUFACTURERS, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT ARE SUPPORTING OC UH, THAT IS GOING ON, UM, IN UH, GAZA. UM, YEAH, SO PLEASE SUPPORT THAT. UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OUR NEXT SPEAKER, WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO JESSICA VAN MUIR. JESSICA, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. ONE MINUTE. HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN. GREAT. HI, MY NAME IS JESSICA VAN MEER. UM, I HAVE LIVED, WORKED AND STUDIED IN CAMBRIDGE ON AND OFF FOR FIVE YEARS, AND I'M SPEAKING STRONGLY IN FAVOR. UM, I HAVE HEARD SOME OF THE OPPONENTS TONIGHT, UM, ASK WHY ISRAEL IS BEING SINGLED OUT AND WHY WE AREN'T CALLING FOR, UH, SIMILAR MEASURES IN COUNTRIES THAT ARE COMMITTING GENOCIDES LIKE SUDAN. WELL, THERE'S A VERY CLEAR AND OBVIOUS DIFFERENCE, WHICH IS THAT OUR TAX DOLLARS ARE NOT INVESTED IN SUDANESE COMPANIES. AND IF THEY WERE, I WOULD ALSO BE HERE SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF DIVESTING FROM THOSE COMPANIES. UM, EVEN IF THERE WERE NOT A GENOCIDE HAPPENING IN PALESTINE, I WOULD STILL NOT WANT OUR DOLLARS TO BE INVESTED IN ARMS COMPANIES. UM, I THINK THAT THIS IS A MEASURE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS EVEN REGARDLESS OF THE SPECIFIC SITUATION IN PALESTINE. UM, I ALSO, UH, THINK MANY PEOPLE HERE PROBABLY SHARE THE EXPERIENCE OF WATCHING VIDEOS OF THE HORRORS HAPPENING IN PALESTINE AND FEELING HELPLESS TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. WE'VE SEEN THAT ISRAEL HAS NOT RESPONDED TO, UM, CRIES FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, AND THE ONLY WAY TO GET THEM TO RESPOND IS THROUGH CHANGING THE ECONOMICS AND FORCING THEM TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. SO PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING AND VOTE. YES. WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO ONE MORE SKIP SPEAKER AT J TURNER ETJ, PLEASE, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME'S AJ TORNATORE. I WORK IN CAMBRIDGE. I'M GOING TO BE MAKING A STATEMENT FOR TOGETHER FOR AN INCLUSIVE MASSACHUSETTS, WHICH IS A GROUP OF OVER 40 JEWISH MUSLIM LABOR EDUCATION, STUDENT CIVIL RIGHTS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND THOUSANDS OF IN INDIVIDUALS ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS. WE RECOGNIZE THE HARM DOWN TO INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES BY ANTISEMITISM. WE BELIEVE THAT IT'S ESSENTIAL TO ADDRESS ANTISEMITISM AND TO RESPECT CIVIL RIGHTS. WE REJECT PARTISAN EFFORTS TO SILENCE OR MARGINALIZE JEWISH PEOPLE WHO ARE CRITICAL OF ISRAEL OR TO RE REDEFINE ANTISEMITISM IN A WAY THAT HARMS PALESTINIANS. WE URGE THE COUNCIL TO LISTEN FAIRLY TO SUPPORTERS OF POLICY ORDER SEVEN AND EIGHT AND DISMISS ANY WEAPON WEAPONIZED ALLEGATIONS OF ANTISEMITISM DIRECTED AT THEM. SUCH SPACIOUS BLANKET CLAIMS DESIGNED TO UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMACY OF THEIR POSITIONS ARE HIGHLY PARTISAN NATURE AND DO NOT REPRESENT A CONSENSUS VIEW HELD BY ALL JEWISH RESIDENTS OF MASSACHUSETTS. THANK YOU. WE WILL GO BACK TO THE LIST IN ORDER. WE WERE AT 2 24 JAMES HIRSCH, FOLLOWED BY MASON SHEPHERD. THEN EMMA RAP REPORT. JAMES, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. I'M JAMES AND I'M A PROUD LIFELONG RESIDENT OF CAMBRIDGE. PLEASE VOTE NO ON POLICY ORDERS 1 95 AND 1 96. I GREW UP ON THE FIELDS AND PLAYGROUNDS OF CAMBRIDGE, ENJOYING FRIENDS OF DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS BACKGROUNDS AND FAMILY HISTORIES. I WAS RAISED ON CAMBRIDGE'S EGALITARIANISM AND PLURALISM. WE ALL GROW AND BENEFIT FROM IT. THESE POLICY ORDERS WILL ONLY DIVIDE OUR CITY. THE CITY COUNCIL IS NOT THE APPROPRIATE FORUM TO DECIDE COMPLEX INTERNATIONAL ISSUES. IT IS NOT RIGHT TO PARTICULARIZE ANY SINGLE COUNTRY. BDS AGAINST ONLY ISRAEL IS ANTISEMITIC. MY FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE BEEN BEATEN AND DEMEANED BECAUSE OF THEIR RELIGION FOR BEING JEWISH. MY FRIENDS AND I ARE AFRAID OF WEARING KIPPAHS. IN CAMBRIDGE, WE HIDE OUR RELIGION UNDER BASEBALL CAPS. THESE ORDERS WILL ONLY SET NEIGHBOR AGAINST NEIGHBOR. THEY SINGLE OUT RESIDENTS BASED ON NATIONAL ORIGIN AND RELIGIOUS BELIEF. THEY WILL INCITE VIOLENCE AGAINST ONE GROUP OF VULNERABLE PEOPLE. I ASK YOU TO KEEP ALL OF CAMBRIDGE SAFE. PLEASE ADVANCE PEACE. [04:25:01] VOTE NOW. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MASON SHEPHERD, FOLLOWED BY EMMA RAPPAPORT. THEN MICHAEL BURSTEIN. MASON MASON HAS NOT JOINED US. WE WILL GO TO AN EARLIER SKIP. UH, RACHEL MEISEL. OH, SORRY. HERE WE GO. MASON, PLEASE GO AHEAD. MY NAME IS MASON SHEPHERD. I'M A RESIDENT ON MAIN STREET CAMBRIDGE AND I WORK AS AN ORGANIZER WITH THE MIT GRADUATE STUDENTS UNION. UH, I AM SPEAKING AS A JEWISH CONSTITUENT OF THE COUNCIL AND DEMANDING THAT COUNSELORS VOTE YES TO DIVEST CAMBRIDGE TAXPAYERS FROM THE GENOCIDE AND APARTHEID OF PALESTINIANS. I HAD OTHER COMMENTS PREPARED, BUT WHAT I REALLY WANNA SAY IS YOU'VE HEARD A LOT OF JEWS SPEAK ON ONE SIDE ON THE OTHER. AND FRANKLY, I AM SICK OF MY PEOPLE BEING USED AS A POLITICAL FOOTBALL IN THE GAME OF EMPIRE. UM, IF YOU FOLLOW THE MONEY, IT IS VERY CLEAR WHAT ZIONISM IS, WHAT THE PROJECT OF ISRAEL IS. IT IS A US EVANGELICAL FUNDED CHRISTIAN CRUSADE SEEKING TO GENOCIDE. THANK YOU. PLEASE EMAIL US THE REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENT. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RACHEL MEISELMAN, FOLLOWED BY BY EMMA RAPPAPORT. MICHAEL BURSTEIN, THEN RACHEL B. HELLO, MY NAME IS RACHEL MEISELMAN AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR SIDIKI FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ON THIS CRITICAL ISSUE. I AM A PROUD JEW AND I AM A PROUD ZIONIST. I OPPOSE POLICY ORDER SEVEN AND EIGHT AND I HUMBLY AND RESPECTFULLY ASKED THE GOOD MEN AND WOMEN OF THE COUNCIL NOT TO ADOPT THESE ORDERS. I HAD THE ABSOLUTE PRIVILEGE OF DOING MY UNDERGRADUATE WORK IN THIS MAGNIFICENT CITY. AT THAT TIME, I EXPLORED MY FAITH AND CULTURE FREELY. I EVEN CONSIDERED BECOMING A RABBI. WITH THAT IN MIND, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU DO NOT ALLOW ONE GROUP BDS TO DETERMINE THE DIRECTION AND THE BOUNDARIES OF CONVERSATION IN CAMBRIDGE. THANK YOU. RACHEL. PLEASE SEND US THE REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENT. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS EMMA RAPPAPORT, FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL BURSTEIN. THEN RACHEL B WE'RE AT SPEAKER NUMBER 2 26. EMMA, PLEASE COME TO THE MIC. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. EMMA HAS NOT JOINED US. WE WILL GO TO MICHAEL BURSTEIN. MICHAEL, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE PLEASE GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS MICHAEL BURSTEIN. I LIVE IN BROOKLINE. UH, I LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE FOR FOUR YEARS AND I, UH, ROUTINELY GO SHOPPING AT HARVARD SQUARE AT LEAST, UH, ONCE A WEEK. UM, I I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF BROOKLINE TOWN MEETING, WHICH I GUESS IS SORT OF AT THE SAME LEVEL AS THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL. UH, AND WE DISCOVERED A FEW YEARS AGO THAT ISSUES SUCH AS THIS ONE THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED ARE VERY DIVISIVE, UH, TO THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. UH, NO MATTER WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT YOU FIND FOR RESOLUTIONS OR POLICIES SUCH AS THESE, YOU ALSO, AS I THINK YOU'VE DISCOVERED TONIGHT, FIND A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE MADE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE BY THESE SAME POLICIES. UM, I WOULD ENCOURAGE, UH, THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL TO TAKE THIS INTO ACCOUNT AND TO NOT VOTE IN FAVOR OF THESE POLICIES. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RACHEL B FOLLOWED BY RENEE KOSINSKI. THEN JOHN PEEL MEYER. RACHEL, ONE MINUTE. HI, MY NAME IS RACHEL AND I'VE LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE FOR FIVE YEARS. I'M FRUSTRATED THAT I HAVE TO GIVE THIS COMMENT IN THE FIRST PLACE TO CONVINCE YOU TO DIVEST MY TAX DOLLARS FROM ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE OF PALESTINE. IT'S RIDICULOUS THAT WE HAVE TO ARGUE THIS MUCH AND THAT THERE ARE COUNSELORS STILL ON THE FENCE TO STOP INVESTING OUR TAX DOLLARS INTO GENOCIDAL COMPANIES. WE HAVE A CHANCE TO PUT AN END TO OUR CITY'S COMPLICITY AND GENOCIDE WITH NO REAL CONSEQUENCE TO OUR OWN [04:30:01] LIVES. COUNSELORS STAND UP. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE TREATED LIKE A PALESTINIAN TASERED AND BEATEN UNTIL YOU'RE BLOODY AND UNCONSCIOUS. FEEL THAT A SNIPER MAY SHOOT YOUR FAMILY IN THE HEAD, SHOOT YOU IN THE HEAD. FEAR GROWING GROCERY SHOPPING, BOMB YOUR HOME SO SEVERELY THAT YOUR BODY IS VAPORIZED AND THERE'S NOT EVEN A BONE LEFT AS PROOF THAT YOU ARE ALIVE. STAND UP IF YOU WANT TO FUND THAT AND DON'T BE SHY. WE MUST NAME ISRAEL AND PALESTINE IN THIS ORDINANCE AND WE MUST DO THE LEAST WE CAN TO STOP THIS GENOCIDE FREE PALESTINE AND MAKE THE ONE BUS FREE WHILE YOU'RE AT IT. THANK YOU. SO FOLKS, AGAIN? NO, UH, WE'RE GETTING THROUGH THIS. SO JUST MY NAME IS RENEE K I'M SORRY, WE HAVE TO, IT'S 10:00 PM SO WE UH, JUST MOMENT. ONE MOMENT. WE HAVE ABOUT 123 SPEAKERS LEFT. UM, AND IT IS 10:00 PM SO PER OUR RULES, WE WILL HAVE TO DO A ROLL CALL ON EXTENDING THE MEETING. POINT OF ORDER. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS STATE YOUR POINT. THANK YOU MADAM. IT IS 10. SO WE, I I BELIEVE, AND I WOULD HAVE TO ASK THE SOLICITOR FOR CONFIRMATION, WE WOULD'VE HAD TO EXTEND THE MEETING BEFORE 10. IT IS NOW AFTER 10. SO SOMEONE WAS NO, WHAT I'M SAYING IS SPEAKING AND SO I I THINK IT'S WITHIN THE RULES TO ALLOW A MOTION. I WOULD HEAR, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE SOLICITOR. 'CAUSE I, I DISAGREE. NO, I MEAN, I, I IT'S, THIS IS, I I'M THE PRESIDING OFFICER AND I WILL SAY THAT WE CAN SEE IF WE CAN GET THE SOLICITOR RIGHT NOW, BUT I WOULD SAY THAT THE GOAL OF THIS MEETING WAS TO GET THROUGH PUBLIC COMMENT. OH, AND I I AGREE. UH, YOU WERE VERY GOOD VERY EARLIER WHEN THE RULES WERE BEING BREACHED AND YOU HELD FIRM. AND I WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT WE DO THE SAME. IT'S NOT ANYONE'S FAULT THAT SOMEONE WASN'T, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD HAVE EASILY, 'CAUSE WE'VE DONE IT BEFORE, ASKED THE PERSON TO PAUSE SO THAT YOU COULD EXTEND THE RULES AND YOU COULD EXTEND THE RULES AT 9 45. 'CAUSE YOU KNEW IT WAS GONNA GO PAST 10 AND WE DIDN'T DO THAT. SO I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE SOLICITOR. THAT'S ALL I'M SAYING. IF WE CAN'T HEAR FROM THE SOLICITOR, I WILL STILL GO AHEAD AND MOVE MY MOTION TO EXTEND THE MEETING. I, I AND I QUESTION, UH, THIS PLEASE HAVE THE RECORD SHOW THAT I QUESTIONED THE RULING OF THE CHAIR. SURE, YES. VICE MAYOR. UH, COULD WE EXTEND IT TO 1:00 AM OR WHEN WOULD YOU EXTEND IT TILL WE CAN NO CLAPPING CLICK. IF YOU WANNA CLICK, CLICK OUTSIDE. FOLKS, AS I SAID IN THE BEGINNING, WE'RE JUST, WE'RE TRYING TO GET THROUGH THIS MEETING. PLEASE ADHERE TO THE RULES OF COURTESY AND CITY SOLICITORS ON OUR WAY. I THANK YOU TO YOU MADAM MAYOR. I BELIEVE IT'S WITHIN THE CHAIR'S DISCRETION IF IT IS CLOSE ENOUGH TO 10. AND WHAT THE RULE SAYS IS IT CONTINUES UNTIL THE MEETING IS DONE OR UNTIL IT RECESSES AT 10, WHICH IMPLIES THAT THE CHAIR'S DISCRETION TO, UM, CALL A RECESS OR TO VOTE TO CONTINUE. SO AS I SAID, I WAS, WE WERE WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO FINISH PUBLIC COMMENT. I AM MOVING THAT WE DO A ROLL CALL AND EXTENDING THE MEETING AND SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PROCEED WITH THE ROLL CALL. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZIM? YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? NO. NO. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? NO. NO. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER? YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE SEVEN MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND TWO RECORDED IN THE NEGATIVE. WE'LL CONTINUE WITH PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER CLOSE. LOOK, MADAM MAYOR, AS I SAID EARLIER, WE ARE NOT CLAPPING. OKAY. WE DO NOT WANT PEOPLE TO, THEY HAVE OPINIONS TO FEEL INTIMIDATED AND THEN ALSO NO CLAPPING BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO GET THROUGH THIS MEETING. SO THERE'S RULES OF COURTESY. SO I'M, WE JUST REALLY NEED TO GET THROUGH THIS PUBLIC COMMENT. MADAM MAYOR COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. I BELIEVE IN PUBLIC PROCESS, BUT I, IF, IF THAT HAPPENS AGAIN, I WILL MOVE THAT YOU CLEAR THE CHAMBER AND WE CAN CONTINUE TO MEET THE MEETING. BUT YOU'LL HAVE TO STAND OUTSIDE. I'M NOT GONNA HAVE, I'M NOT GONNA HAVE PEOPLE TERRORIZING ME OR OTHER PEOPLE [04:35:01] FOR EXERCISING WHAT THEY BELIEVE MAY BE APPROPRIATE. SO THAT'S, I JUST, I WANNA HAVE THE RECORD SHOW THAT OUR NEXT CONTINU COMMENT SPEAKER IS, UH, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RENEE KOSINSKI TO BE FOLLOWED BY JOHN MEYER, IAN BASS AND SUZANNE B RENEE, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. THANK YOU. I'M RENEE KAZINSKI, A LONG TIME MEMBER OF CAMBRIDGE COMMUNITY AND A MEMBER OF THE BOSTON WORKERS CIRCLE. UM, A HUNDRED YEAR OLD ORGANIZATION, UM, WE'VE ALL WITNESSED IS ISRAEL COMMITTING CRIMES OF GENOCIDE AND CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY IN REAL TIME OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS AND STILL GOING, UM, THE US GOVERNMENT HAS CONTINUOUSLY SUPPLIED ISRAEL WITH TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND WEAPONS USED TO COMMIT THESE WAR CRIMES. NOW CAMBRIDGE IS ALSO COMPLICIT WE FIND IN ITS INVESTMENTS AND CONTRACTS WITH INVESTORS LIKE PALANTIR COMPLICIT IN GENOCIDE. HISTORICALLY, I WAS INVOLVED IN 1980 IN THIS VERY CHAMBER WHEN CAMBRIDGE WENT ON RECORD FOR ITS VOTE DIVESTING FROM SOUTH AFRICAN COMPANIES. THANK YOU, RENEE. THAT'S YOUR TIME. PLEASE DO EMAIL THE REMAINDER. I URGE. YES. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SPEAKER NUMBER 230 JOHN PEEL MEYER, FOLLOWED BY IAN BASS. SUZANNE ER THEN RONALD LAVELL. JOHN, PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI. HELLO, I'M JOHN PEEL MEYER. THANKS FOR PRONOUNCING MY NAME RIGHT. THANK YOU DENISE FOR JOINING US. UM, I LIVE IN INMAN SQUARE OF CAMBRIDGE AND I'VE BEEN PART OF THE PEACE MOVEMENT FOREVER, A DECADE IN MASSACHUSETTS. I LOVE ALL OF HUMANITY AND BECAUSE OF THAT I OPPOSE THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT AND THEIR COLONIALIST RACIST WAR CRIMES AGAINST THE PALESTINIANS. AS WELL AS MANY OTHER NEIGHBORING ARAB LANDS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THEY ARE MAKING OUR JEWISH AND ISLAMIC COMMUNITIES OF FRIENDS FEEL UNSAFE. THEY'RE COMMITTING THESE ATROCITIES IN THE MIDDLE, UH, MIDDLE EAST AND US GOVERNMENT IS AT THE FOREFRONT OF THESE WARS OVER CONTROL OF THIS EARTH'S NATURAL RESOURCES. LET'S STOP REFUNDING WARS. I GREW UP CHRISTIAN AND LEARNED VERY LITTLE ABOUT OTHER RELIGIONS. I NEVER LEARNED ANYTHING ABOUT THE NEED TO ETHICALLY CLEANSE THE LAND LANDLORD FOR SELFISH GAIN. I VOTE YES FOR DIVESTMENT AND WE NEED TO DIVEST FROM THESE COMPANIES, SENDING WEAPONS TO WAR REGARDLESS OF WHERE IT'S AT. IF WE'RE INVESTED IN IT, WE SHOULD NOT BE INVESTED IN IT. PLEASE DIVEST THE MINUSCULE $28 MILLION THANK PORTION OF CITY PORTFOLIO FIRE. PLEASE SEND US THE REST. WE DID IT IN THE EIGHTIES. WE WILL GO TO IAN BASS, FOLLOWED BY SUZANNE BLEIER, THEN RONALD LAVELL. IAN IAN HAS NOT JOINED. WE WILL MOVE ON TO SUZANNE BLEIER. SUZANNE IS NOT IN THE ZOOM. WE WILL GO TO RONALD LAVELL. RONALD HAS NOT JOINED US. CHRIS GLOVER. CHRIS, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR PLEASE, PLEASE GO AHEAD. UH, GOOD EVENING, COUNSELORS. UH, MY NAME IS CHRIS GLOVER. UH, I WORK IN KENDALL SQUARE AND I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF POLICY SEVEN AND EIGHT FOR DIVESTMENT FROM AND BOYCOTT OF COMPANIES COMPLICIT IN ISRAEL'S OCCUPATION, APARTHEID AND GENOCIDE AND PALESTINE. UH, AS WE ALL KNOW, CAMBRIDGE IS THE MAIN TECHNOLOGY HUB IN NEW ENGLAND AND DRAWS GREAT, UH, MINDS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE TO LIVE IN, WORK IN, AND CONTRIBUTE TO OUR GREAT COMMUNITY. AS SUCH, I BELIEVE THAT OUR CITY HAS AN OBLIGATION TO DEMONSTRATE THAT WE STAND ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY AND AGAINST THE ONGOING GENOCIDE IN PALESTINE, PERPETRATED AT THE STATE BY THE STATE OF ISRAEL, UH, INVESTMENT IN COMPANIES SUPPORTING THE ISRAEL MILITARY SERVES TO TARNISH OUR CITY'S IMAGE AS A HOME FOR HUMAN ADVANCEMENT AND ALIENATE POTENTIAL INCOMING INNOVATORS WHO STAND WITH PALESTINIANS AND THEIR RIGHT TO BASIC HUMAN DIGNITY. THE US HAS BEEN A LONG TIME CONTRIBUTOR TO ISRAEL'S CRIMES AGAINST PALESTINE AND ITS NEIGHBORS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. CAMBRIDGE LAW, UH, CAMBRIDGE NOW HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN THE GROWING SEA OF AMERICAN VOICES. SAYING ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. UM, THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ROBERT LAKIN, FOLLOWED BY LAURA SR. THEN SHARON PHE. ROBERT OR ROB? ROB HAS NOT JOINED. LAURA SR. LAURA, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF. WE'RE GONNA GO TO SPEAKER 2 37. [04:40:01] SHARON PHE. SHARON IS NOT ON ZOOM. WE WILL GO TO REBECCA MURRAY. WE DON'T HAVE REBECCA MURRAY, STEVEN MILLER, IRAN NATHANSON. WE DON'T HAVE IRAN NATHANSON. WE WILL GO TO RAND GILBOA. RAND AYE. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. UH, MY NAME IS RAN GILBOA. I LIVE IN, UH, 14 TI STREET. I I LIVE IN 14 TI STREET ABOUT, AND I'M GONNA SPEAK ABOUT ITEM SEVEN AND EIGHT. I NEVER BEEN MORE HOPEFUL THAN I AM TODAY. UH, I JUST RETURNED FROM ISRAEL LAST WEEK AND IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS MY FAMILY GOT INVOLVED WITH UH, ROPES. ROPES IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT, UH, IS WORKING CLOSELY WITH PALESTINIANS, ARABS FROM JORDAN, IRAQ, EGYPT, UH, LEBANON, AND FEW OTHERS. UH, WE ARE WALKING THROUGH EDUCATION, ECONOMIC, UH, UH, CORPORATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES AND IT'S AMAZING. UM, ONE OF THE PARTICIPANTS, HER NAME IS UM, UH, A, A AMANI. SHE'S A YOUNG PALESTINIAN FROM EAST JERUSALEM. BY THE WAY, AMANI IS WISHES. AND GUYS, I'M JUST TELLING YOU GIVE UP ON THIS BDS NONSENSE AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE BACK HEAR, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED, PLEASE INVEST. EMAIL US THE REST OF YOUR PROJECT. YOUR TIME IS UP, YOUR TIME IS UP. FEEL FREE TO EMAIL US THE REMAINDER. WE'RE MOVING ON TO OUR NEXT SPEAKER. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SARAH ROSEN, FOLLOWED BY KATHY HOFFMAN. THEN JIM KAUFMAN. SARAH, PLEASE GO AHEAD. ONE MINUTE. HI, MY NAME IS SARAH ROSEN. I LIVE ON NORFOLK STREET BY CYNIC PARK AND I'M ASKING YOU TO VOTE AGAINST POLICY ORDERS SEVEN AND EIGHT. ASIDE FROM THE FACT THAT THIS IS NOT A CLEARLY A MAJORITY SUPPORTED EFFORT DESPITE WHO HAS PACKED THE CHAMBER, IT IS NOT THE JOB OF CITY COUNCIL TO PRIORITIZE FOREIGN POLICY, BUT RATHER TO SERVE THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN THE CITY AND VOTE FOR YOU. ALTHOUGH MANY OF THE PEOPLE SITTING HERE DO NOT, UM, IS DISINGENUOUS TO REPORT THAT THERE IS NO CORRELATION WHATSOEVER BETWEEN ANTISEMITISM AND ANTI-ISRAEL SENTIMENT WHEN, SINCE OCTOBER 7TH, THE INCIDENTS OF HATE CRIMES AGAINST SYNAGOGUES, JEWISH SCHOOLS AND CEMETERIES, INCLUDING LAST YEAR WHEN A BRICK SAYING FREE PALESTINE WAS THROWN THROUGH THE WINDOW OF A KOSHER GROCERY STORE IN BROOKLINE HAVE INCREASED LIKE IT OR NOT INTENDED OR NOT. UM, THIS SIGNALS TO JEWS THAT THEY ARE BEING SINGLED OUT. ALLOWING ORDERS LIKE THIS TO PASS MAKES US FEEL INTIMIDATED AND AS UNSAFE, SUCH AS MYSELF AS A JEW AND AS AN ISRAELI AMERICAN. THESE POLICY ORDERS WILL NOT MAKE ANY MEANINGFUL IMPACT. IT'S JUST PERFORMATIVE AND VIRTUE LING AND MERELY STIRS UP ANGER AND DIVISIVENESS. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS KATHY HOFFMAN, FOLLOWED BY JIM KAUFMAN. THEN ROBERT STEINMAN. ROBIN STEINMAN. KATHY, PLEASE GO AHEAD ONE MINUTE. THANK YOU. I SENT TWO LONG PIECES ALREADY SUPPORTING THE DIVESTMENT RESOLUTION, REFERENCING CAMBRIDGE'S HISTORY OF JUSTICE-ORIENTED LOCAL AND GLOBAL INTERVENTIONS, NONE OF WHICH REALLY RISE TO THE LEVEL OF THIS GENOCIDE AND ONGOING STATE-SPONSORED VIOLENCE VIOLENCE. FIVE DAYS AGO MY MOTHER DIED ON THE CUSP OF TURNING 99 AT HOME IN HER APARTMENT NEW YORK, HARVARD SQUARE, SURROUNDED BY HER FOUR LIVING CHILDREN ASKING ABOUT GAZA. FREQUENTLY I AM ABLE TO MOURN HER DEATH AND CELEBRATE A LIFE LIVED IN ITS FULLNESS. I WANT TO AFFIRM THAT RIGHT FOR EVERY PERSON. A FULL LIFE ENDED SURROUNDED BY LIVING MEMBERS. THIS RITE HAS BEEN DENIED PALESTINIANS AND GAZA IN THE WEST BANK FOR DECADES AND DECADES, BUT THE CURRENT ONGOING WANTON DESTRUCTION OF LIFE AND LIVELIHOOD IS BEYOND HUMAN IMAGINATION AND DECENCY. PLEASE STOP USING MY PENSION AND OUR TAXES TO PAY FOR IT. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JIM KAUFMAN, FOLLOWED BY ROBIN STEINMAN, THEN ALA . JIM, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. I'M JIM KAUFMAN OF DEDHAM AND A FORMER RESIDENT OF 29 CONCORD AVENUE IN CAMBRIDGE. I PRAY EACH DAY FOR THE SAFETY OF INNOCENT ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS. I MUST TELL YOU, AFTER 50 YEARS AS AN INVESTMENT PROFESSIONAL, I CAN CONFIDENTLY SAY THAT A BDS RESTRICTED POLICY ON INVESTMENTS WILL RESULT [04:45:01] IN REDUCED PENSION FUND PERFORMANCE. IT WILL DO NOTHING TO ADVANCE THE CAUSE OF PEACE, BUT WILL LIKELY CAUSE A FUNDS TO TRAIL INFLATION TO THE GREAT DETRIMENT OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES' ABILITY TO AFFORD RETIREMENT. THE CONTRARY CLAIMS IN THE DOCUMENT ARE FALSE ARGUMENTS. I ALSO FEAR FOR MY SAFETY AND THAT OF MY CO-RELIGIONISTS IN COMMUNITIES WHERE PEOPLE ARE TOLD BY THEIR GOVERNMENT THAT ONE OF THE FOUNDATIONAL ELEMENTS OF OUR JUDAISM IS ILLEGITIMATE. YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THAT THE BDS MOVEMENT HAS ALWAYS DENIED THE EXISTENCE OF A JEWISH HOMELAND. PLEASE DEFEAT BDS POLICY ORDERS SEVEN AND EIGHT. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ROB ROBIN STEINMAN, FOLLOWED BY ALA , THEN GIACOMO MELIA OR MALIA ROBIN. ONE MINUTE PLEASE GO AHEAD. MY NAME IS ROBIN. MUCH OF MY CAREER HAS BEEN SPENT IN CANCER RESEARCH. I'M A RESIDENT OF CAMBRIDGE, A VOLUNTEER ELECTION POLL WORKER, A DESCENDANTS OF REFUGEES WHO ARE FORCIBLY KICKED OUT OF THEIR HOME AND A LEADER OF IN SEVERAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. AND I REFUSE TO LET OTHERS DEFINE WHAT MY IDENTITY ACTUALLY IS. I DISAGREE WITH MANY OF THE POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ISRAELI GOVERNMENT AND OF COURSE I WISH NO HARM TO ANY INNOCENT CIVILIAN ANYWHERE SIMILAR TO MY MANY ISRAELI FRIENDS AND FAMILY, BUT THIS POLICY IS NOT WHAT WILL SOLVE THE COMPLEX SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST. I DO NOT WEAR THIS DEBATE AS A COSTUME. IT IS MY EVERYDAY LIFE AND I IDENTITY. I HAVE SEEN THE VIOLENCE OF THIS CONFLICT IN PERSON WITH MY OWN EYES. AS A HOLOCAUST EDUCATOR AND DESCENDANT OF SURVIVORS, IT IS MY DUTY TO REMIND THE CITY THAT THE HOLOCAUST DID NOT START WITH THE GAS CHAMBERS. THANK YOU. ROBIN. PLEASE SEND US THE REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENT. AGAIN, AS A REMINDER, PLEASE EMAIL US CITY COUNCIL@CAMBRIDGEMA.GOV COPY CLERK@CAMBRIDGEMA.GOV. WE'LL GO TO ALA LITZ, FOLLOWED BY GIACOMO MELIA, THEN LISA MOLEMAN. WE ARE AT SPEAKER NUMBER 2 46 ALA YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. PLEASE GO AHEAD. AS BOTH JEWISH AND ISRAELI WOMAN, THIS POLICY ORDER WOULD IMPACT ME NEGATIVELY. IT IS A CLEAR STATEMENT THAT I DO NOT BELONG IN THIS COMMUNITY WHERE I'VE LIVED FOR SIX OUTTA THE EIGHT YEARS I HAVE BEEN IN THE BOSTON AREA. POLICY ORDER 1 96 STARTS WITH THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE IS A WELCOMING COMMUNITY THAT DOES NOT SUPPORT DISCRIMINATION OR VIOLENCE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. SOMEONE TONIGHT SAID THAT JEWISH ISRAELIS COMMITTING J JEWISH ISRAELIS ARE COMMITTING GENOCIDE. NOT ALL JEWS DOES THAT MEAN ME AS AN ISRAELI JEW BEING IN SUCH CLOSE PROXIMITY TO HARVARD UNIVERSITY, THERE WERE WEEKENDS THAT I WOULD HEAR ANTI-ISRAEL AND ANTI-JEWISH HATE FROM MY APARTMENT BECAUSE IT WAS SO LOUD OUTSIDE. THINK ABOUT THAT IN YOUR OWN HOME, NOT EVEN HAVING REPRIEVE AND FEELING SAFE FROM THE HATE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED FREEDOM OF SPEECH OUTSIDE AND IT IS SO LOUD THAT IT PENETRATES THE BRICK WALLS OF AN APARTMENT. BUILDING A VOTE FOR THIS POLICY ORDER TELLS MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES THEY ARE NOT WELCOME IN CAMBRIDGE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GIACOMO AMELIA, FOLLOWED BY LISA MOLLMAN. THEN DOUGLAS KRAKAUER GIACOMO. UH, GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS GI AMELIA AND I'VE LIVED IN PORTER SQUARE MY WHOLE LIFE. I'M OF ARAB AND SICILIAN DESCENT. I UM, I WOULD LIKE YOU TO VOTE YES ON UH, POLICY SEVEN AND EIGHT. I SUPPORT DIVESTING OUR TAX DOLLARS FROM COMPANIES COMPLICIT IN ISRAEL'S RACIST AND EXPANSIONIST POLICIES, WHICH HAVE BEEN ONGOING FOR OVER 75 YEARS. THE PROPOSED BILL ALSO PUTS PRESSURE ON SAID COMPANIES TO DIVEST FROM ISRAEL. IN TURN, THESE COMPANIES ARE OWNED BY AUTHORITARIANS AND BIGOTS SUCH AS PETER THIEL AND NOT MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE UNFORTUNATELY EXPERIENCING ANTISEMITISM. THERE ARE OTHER COUNTRIES WITH SIMILARLY WAR MONGERING POLICY, UH, WHICH CRITICS OF SEVEN AND EIGHT MIGHT POINT TO SAY THAT ISRAEL IS BEING UNFAIRLY SIG UH, SINGLED OUT. IF THERE WERE A BILL BEING PASSED WHICH PROPOSED TO DIVEST FROM COMPANIES COMPLICIT IN RUSSIA OR MOROCCO'S COLONIZATION PROJECT, I WOULD SUPPORT IT AS WELL. FURTHER, UM, GOOD EVENING. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS LISA MOLLMAN, FOLLOWED BY DOUGLAS KRAKAUER THAN MARGIE POLSTER. LISA, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. ONE MINUTE. YES. MY NAME IS LISA MOLLMAN. I'M JEWISH AND I LIVE IN ARLINGTON AND I STUDIED AND WORKED AND VOLUNTEERED IN CAMBRIDGE FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND I URGE YOU TO REJECT POLICY ORDER SEVEN AND EIGHT. YOU KNOW, I WAS SO STUNNED BY WHAT HAPPENED ON OCTOBER 7TH AND I REMEMBER JUST WALKING IN [04:50:01] OCTOBER, OCTOBER 8TH JUST TO CLEAR MY HEAD JUST OUTSIDE OF CITY HALL AND I SAW A YOUNG WOMAN IN A KAFI WITH A BIG BULLHORN READING A SCRIPT FROM HER PHONE. THE INTIFADA STARTED WITH A STICK AND THEN THE KNIFE, THEN THE GUN, AND NOW OUR MARTYRS USE PARAGLIDERS TO OVERCOME THE PRO PROFESSORS LONG LIVED THE ADA. NOW WE MUST BE BRAVE AND BRING THE ADA TO CAMBRIDGE AND ALL THE YOUNG PEOPLE, THE YOUNG STUDENTS AROUND CHEERED AND THE CROWD CHANTED WITH HER. AFTER HER GLOBALIZE, THE ADA LOCALIZE THE ADA. THAT WAS ONE DAY AFTER OCTOBER 7TH, 2023. ONE DAY THE VILIFICATION OF ISRAELIS AND JEWS IS NOT LET UP. A MUNICIPALITY SHOULD NOT BE DOING THIS, HAVE A FOREIGN POLICY. PLEASE VOTE NO. IT'S DIVIDING OUR COMMUNITY. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DOUGLAS KRAKAUER, FOLLOWED BY MARGIE POLLSTER. THEN JEFFREY BRYAN DOUGLAS, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. I MOVED TO CAMBRIDGE 19 YEARS AGO BECAUSE IT WAS A PLACE THAT VALUED DIVERSITY, INCLUSION, AND DIALOGUE TO MAKE SOCIETY A BETTER PLACE FOR ALL. TODAY OUR COMMUNITY FEELS DIVIDED IN SO MANY WAYS, WHICH WEAKENS US ALL. WE ARE ALWAYS STRONGER TOGETHER EVEN IF PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS AGREE ON IMPORTANT ISSUES. WHEN WE TURN THESE ISSUES INTO GOOD VERSUS EVIL, WE CLOSE THE DOOR IN THE DIALOGUE THAT WE SORELY NEED TO REMAIN UNITED. IF THESE ORDERS ARE PASSED, THEY WILL FURTHER FRACTURE THE CAMBRIDGE COMMUNITY. BUT YOU HAVE THE POWER TO HEAL US. PLEASE REJECT AGENDA ITEM SEVEN AND EIGHT. IN THE PAST THREE DAYS ALONE, 650 PEOPLE IN CAMBRIDGE HAVE SIGNED A PETITION TO REJECT THESE ORDERS. YOU HAVE AMPLE SUPPORT TO PROTECT YOUR CONSTITUENTS AND INSTEAD USE YOUR VOICE AND POWER TO FOSTER DIALOGUE. CAMBRIDGE CAN BE A LEADER IN FOSTERING DIALOGUE. THAT'S WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL CAN DO TO MAKE CAMBRIDGE AND THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE. KEEP US UNITED. YOU HAVE SUPPORT TO DO THIS FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS. THANK YOU. WE HAVE REACHED SPEAKER NUMBER TWO 50 MARGIE POLLSTER FOLLOWED BY JEFFREY BRYAN, THEN HESI BRAND MARGIE, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE PLEASE GO AHEAD. MY NAME IS MARGIE POLLSTER. I LIVE IN SOMERVILLE AND I'M OPPOSED TO POLICY ORDERS SEVEN AND EIGHT. THE GENOCIDE AND APARTHEID ACCUSATIONS AT THE CORE OF THE ORDINANCE ARE FALSE. I KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE HERE DON'T SHARE MY OPINION, BUT UNLIKE THEM, I'M NOT SEEKING TO HAVE MY OPINION CODIFIED INTO LAW. TO TREAT A WIDELY CONTESTED OPINION AS FACT AND TO MAKE IT CENTRAL TO A LAW LENDS THAT OPINION, ILLEGITIMATE AUTHORITY AND CREDIBILITY UNFAIRLY EMPOWERING IT TO TO CAUSE HARM IN ALL THE WAYS ALREADY ENUMERATED AT THIS HEARING, I ASK YOU NOT TO TURN LIBEL AGAINST THE JEWISH STATE INTO LAW. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JEFFREY BRYAN, FOLLOWED BY HEZIE BRAND. THEN LAURA BELUSHI. JEFFREY HAS NOT JOINED. WE WILL GO TO HEZIE BRAND. HESI HAS NOT JOINED US. WE WILL GO TO LAURA BELUSHI. LAURA, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF, WE WILL GO TO SAMANTHA NELSON. SAMANTHA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. ONE MINUTE PLEASE. GO AHEAD. HI, MY NAME IS SAMANTHA NELSON. I'M A RESIDENT OF CAMBRIDGE AND I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE POLICY WE SEVEN AND EIGHT. THE SYSTEMIC DESTRUCTION OF PALESTINE AND THE KILLING OF ITS PEOPLE IS HAPPENING IN PLAIN VIEW. GOOGLE EARTH IMAGES SHOW HUGE SWATS OF GAZA RAISED TO THE GROUND AND VIDEOS ON SOCIAL MEDIA SHOWCASE THE IMMENSE HUMAN SUFFERING. IT IS ONE OF IF NOT THE MOST SEVERE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN OUR TIME. FUTURE GENERATIONS WILL ASK AS WE ASK ABOUT THE GENOCIDE OF NATIVE AMERICANS AND THE HOLOCAUST. WHY DIDN'T PEOPLE DO MORE TO STOP IT? WE HAVE NO EXCUSE FOR NOT DOING WHAT WE CAN. ANTISEMITISM IS DISGUSTING, BUT HOLDING ISRAEL ACCOUNTABLE FOR ITS WAR CRIMES AND LEGAL SETTLEMENTS IS NOT ANTIS, NOT ANTISEMITISM AND CONFLATING THE TWO IS WRONG. THESE POLICY [04:55:01] ORDERS ARE EXTREMELY WELL RESEARCHED, REASONABLE, AND SUPPORTED BY PAST ACTIONS THAT THE COUNCIL TOOK TO DIVEST FROM APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA. I'M DISGUSTED TO KNOW HOW MUCH OF MY TAXES ARE GOING TOWARDS KILLING PALESTINIANS. PLEASE VOTE YES ON THIS CALL TO DIVEST AND THEN OUR COMPLICITY. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ALAN SHACHTER. ALAN, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE PLEASE GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS ELLEN SHACHTER. I LIVE AT 3 46 CONCORD AVENUE. I'VE LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE FOR 40 YEARS AND I'M A MEMBER OF BOSTON WORKERS CIRCLE AND I WANNA URGE THAT YOU VOTE YES ON RESOLUTIONS 1 95 AND 1 96 ON THE POLICY ORDERS FOR ALL OF THE REASONS THAT YOU HAVE HEARD TODAY. I DON'T NEED TO TELL YOU WHAT I'VE SEEN, BUT WHAT I WILL TELL YOU IS THE FIRST TIME I WENT TO ISRAEL, I WENT WITH THE AMERICAN ZIONIST YOUTH FOUNDATION. I WAS 16 YEARS OLD. I DIDN'T REALLY EVEN KNOW WHAT ZIONISM MEANT AT THAT TIME, BUT I WENT AND I EXPERIENCED IN ISRAEL. THEN I WENT BACK IN 2001 WITH THE NATIONAL LAWYERS GUILD WITH A GROUP OF HALF JEWISH AMERICAN LAWYERS AND HALF PALESTINIAN AMERICAN LAWYERS. WHAT I SAW ON THE GROUND IN ISRAEL AND THE WEST BANK WAS HORRIFYING AND WHAT I WANNA SAY IS TO ME WHAT A YES VOTE HERE IS. IT'S NOT WHETHER IT SUPPORTS ISRAEL OR NOT, IT IS ARE WE BEING SUPPORTIVE OF THE VOICES FOR NON-VIOLENCE? THANK YOU ELLEN, PALESTINIAN AND JEWISH. SEND US THE REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENT. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MISSY ANO, FOLLOWED BY ANDREW KIM. THEN ANDREA REPO. MISSY, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. ONE MINUTE. HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN HEAR YOU. OKAY, THANK YOU. HI, MY NAME IS MISSY ANO. I'M AN ARTIST, EDUCATOR MOTHER AND TEACHING FELLOW AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY. I'M SPEAKING ON POLICY ORDER 180 9. LAST NOVEMBER MY ART WAS FEATURED IN THE ARTIST IN PRINT BIN IN HARVARD SQUARE, OUTSIDE THE KIOSK. FROM THERE I STARTED FACILITATING CREATIVE WORKSHOPS FOR THE PUBLIC AND STARTED THE RADICAL COLLAGE COLLECTIVE. DURING MY TIME, I HAVE ONLY FELT SUPPORT FROM CULTURE HOUSE STAFF, AND CAMBRIDGE CITY VOLUNTEERS. I BELIEVE THE RECENT MESSAGES ABOUT THE KIOSK ARE WRONG AND FULL OF HOLES. I BELIEVE THE OPPONENTS OF THE KIOSK DO NOT SPEND ENOUGH TIME WITH THEIR FEET ON THE GROUND. THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE COMMUNITY NEEDS. INSTEAD THEY SEEM DRIVEN BY NUMBERS. CURRENTLY THE KIOSK IS WORKING TO RESTRUCTURE THE WAY IT OPERATES THROUGH CREATIVE RESIDENCIES TO BETTER SERVE THE COMMUNITY. I URGE THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AND OPPOSERS TO COME TORA RADICAL COLLAGE COLLECTIVE ON WEDNESDAYS FROM FIVE TO SEVEN 30 TO FULLY EXPERIENCE ALL THE SPACE HAS TO OFFER. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANDREW KIM, FOLLOWED BY ANDREA REPO TI. THEN JACOB, ER ANDREW. ONE MINUTE. HELLO, MY NAME IS ANDREW KIM. I'M A MEMBER OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST OF AMERICA AND A DEACON AT OLD CAMBRIDGE BAPTIST CHURCH. A CONGREGATION DEDICATED AND DEVOTED TO WRITING AND HEALING THE HARMS CAUSED BY AND IN THE NAME OF CHRISTIANITY ACROSS THE GLOBE, INCLUDING THE ANTISEMITIC CHRISTIAN CRUSADE OF VIOLENT ZIONISM IN THE NAME OF BRINGING ABOUT A HERETICAL ARMAGEDDON. WHAT IS BEFORE THE COUNCIL TODAY IS NOTHING LESS THAN MORALITY ITSELF AT THIS POINT. WE ALL KNOW THAT WHAT IS HAPPENING IN GAZA IS A GENOCIDE. WE ALL KNOW THAT IT'S WRONG AND WE ALL KNOW THAT IT WOULD BE WRONG NO MATTER WHO IS DOING IT. THESE RESOLUTIONS ARE A WAY TO DO REAL MORAL GOOD IN THE WORLD, RATHER THAN SIMPLY SAYING, WE WILL. IF ANY OF THE COUNCIL HAVE EVER CLAIMED TO STAND FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, THEN NOW IS THE TIME FOR THEM TO ACT AND PASS THESE RESOLUTIONS. IF THEY DO NOT PASS THESE RESOLUTIONS, THEN WE WILL ALL KNOW THAT ANY FUTURE CLAIMS ARE FALSEHOODS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANDREA ADE, FOLLOWED BY JACOB ER. THEN MICAH SHALOM KESSELMAN. ANDREA HAS NOT JOINED. WE WILL GO TO JACOB ER JACOB, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF. WE DO NOT HAVE JACOB. WE WILL GO TO MICAH SHALOM KESSELMAN. MICAH, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. MY NAME IS MICAH SHALOM KESSELMAN. I LIVE IN MEDFORD, ORGANIZED WITH MEDFORD FOR PALESTINE AND STRONGLY ENCOURAGED DIVESTMENT IN CAMBRIDGE. I'M ALSO LOCAL CO-COUNSEL TO THE AMERICAN ARAB ANTI-DISCRIMINATION, UH, UH, COMMITTEE ATTORNEYS WHO HAVE BEEN TIRELESSLY DEFENDING OUR OWN VALUES ALIGNED LOCAL INVESTMENTS ORDINANCE HERE IN MEDFORD. YOU WILL RECEIVE NUMEROUS COMMENTS FROM DETRACTORS RAISING THE SPECTER OF LITIGATION IN AN ATTEMPT TO BULLY YOU OUT OF THIS CRITICAL WORK THAT IS HISTORICALLY SUPPORTED IN OUR GREAT COMMONWEALTH. I ASSURE YOU THAT SUCH THREATS ARE IN FACT ALL BARK AND UTTERLY TOOTHLESS AND SLACK JAW BITE. [05:00:01] FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE AND BASED ON MYRIAD DISCUSSIONS WITH COLLEAGUES WHO ALSO DEALING WITH THESE CLOWNS, THE ULTRA ZIONIST LITIGATION OUTFITS APPEAR TO BE ENTIRELY STAFFED AND SUPPORTED BY INCOMPETENT AND UNPROFESSIONAL FOOLS. THEY HAD THEIR CASE AGAINST NORTHAMPTON, WHERE THEY FILED A 10 TAXPAYER SUIT INITIALLY DESCRIBING ONLY NINE TAXPAYERS DISMISSED FOR LACK OF STANDING IN MEDFORD. THEY HAVE UTTERLY FAILED TO SHOW FEDERAL STANDING AS INDICATED BY THE MAGISTRATE JUDGE'S RECENT RECOMMENDATION FOR CORRESPONDENT DISMISSAL. IN SHORT, NONE OF THE LITIGATION THREATS SHOULD BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT BOOGEYMAN, THEY'RE PETULANT MORONS. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO JACOB ERN. THEN WE WILL GO TO TOM BURTON, FOLLOWED BY KASHIF HODA. JACOB, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN, WE CAN. ALRIGHT, GREAT. HI, JACOB ONE, A TEAM ELM STREET. I'VE LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE FOR 20 YEARS AND IT'S WITH THAT PERSPECTIVE THAT I WANT TO SPEAK TO THE GRANDSTANDING THAT'S BEEN DONE TONIGHT ABOUT JEWISH SAFETY. ISRAEL DIDN'T DO A THING FOR ME WHEN NEO-NAZI SKINHEADS HUNG AROUND PUNK SHOWS IN CENTRAL SQUARE WHEN I WAS A KID. JEWISH SAFETY IS SOMETHING WE BUILD FOR OURSELVES HERE. AND LET'S BE CLEAR WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT $28 MILLION OF MUNICIPAL FUNDS THAT GO TO WAR COMPANIES. NO ONE IS MADE UNSAFE BY BUYING FEWER BOMBS, WE SHOULDN'T DISTRACT OURSELVES FROM THE ISSUE. HERE, CHILDREN ARE BEING KILLED WITH MONEY THAT WE ARE BEING FORCED TO SPEND AGAINST OUR WILL. I AM A CAMBRIDGE TAXPAYER. I REFUSE TO HAVE THE BLOOD OF ANY CHILD ON MY HANDS. THE WAY YOU VOTE TONIGHT WILL BE REMEMBERED BY YOUR CHILDREN AND YOUR GRANDCHILDREN. VOTE ACCORDINGLY. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS TOM BURTON, FOLLOWED BY KASHIF HODA, THEN ROSA PARKS. TOM. TOM HAS NOT JOINED. WE'LL GO TO KASHIF HODA. SPEAKER NUMBER 2 62. KASHIF HAS NOT JOINED US. ROSA PARKS. ROSA HAS NOT JOINED. WE WILL GO TO ZENIDA. ALEX SIVA ZENIDA, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. UH, HI. MY NAME IS ZENA. I'M A JEWISH AMERICAN AND, UH, I HAVE CHILDREN HERE. MY, UH, PEDIATRICIAN FOR 20 YEARS HAS BEEN IN CAMBRIDGE. MY KIDS HAVE GRADUATED, UH, TWO OF THEM FROM CAMBRIDGE SCHOOL. ONE STILL THERE. UM, I FEEL THAT THE, UH, THE THE VOTE AGAINST COMPANIES THAT, UH, ARE UM, TIED TO ISRAEL IS UNPATRIOTIC BECAUSE RIGHT NOW ISRAEL IS RI IN, IN THE ONE WAR THAT AMERICA HAS GOING ON IN IRAN. AND I JUST DON'T FEEL THAT THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE SHOULD BE DECIDING SIDING FOR THE GLOBAL, UH, YOU KNOW, GLOBAL POLITICAL AND UH, UM, ECONOMIC ISSUES THAT, THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF ITS JURISDICTION. PLEASE SEND US THE REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENT. WE'LL GO TO VIA CINE. ORNE VIA HAS NOT JOINED LENA SMITH. LENA HAS NOT JOINED US. WE WILL GO TO LEAVE YOU ZEN FOLLOWED BY RON BLUM. THEN GAL COBER LI YOU PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE? YES. GOOD EVENING. CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN HEAR YOU. PERFECT. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ROZEN. I LIVE IN WILMINGTON. I AND DO BUSINESS IN CAMBRIDGE EVERY WEEK. PLEASE VOTE NO ON 1 95 IN 1 96. THESE ORDERS TARGET EXACTLY ONE COUNTRY. JUST LOOK AT CAMBRIDGE'S OWN PENSION. IT HOLDS $115 MILLION FUND IN THE BIG SHARE INVESTED IN CHINA, WHICH OUR GOVERNMENT SAYS IS COMMITTING GENOCIDE AGAINST THE UIGHURS. IT ALSO MAKES THE MOST MONEY FROM EGYPT AND TURKEY GOVERNMENTS THAT JAILED THEIR POLITICAL OPPONENTS. NEITHER ORDER SAYS A WORD ABOUT THEM. ONLY ISRAEL, NO COURT HAS FOUND ISRAEL GUILTY OF GENOCIDE. THE ICJ CASE WON'T FINISH WRITTEN ARGUMENTS UNTIL 2029. THE IHRA DEFINITION OF ANTISEMITISM ENDORSE BY GOVERNMENT BAKER, UH, WARRANTS AGAINST EXACTLY THIS DOUBLE STANDARD. IF YOU WANT HUMAN RIGHTS POLICY, APPLY ONE TEST TO EVERY COUNTRY. PLEASE VOTE NO. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER, [05:05:01] WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA GO BACK TO LENA SMITH, FOLLOWED BY RON BLUM, THEN GAL COBER. LENA, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN HEAR YOU. OKAY, THANK YOU. UM, MY NAME IS LENA SMITH. I'M A HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER AND I'M VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF DIVESTMENT, UM, DIVESTING FROM ISRAELI COMPANIES THAT ARE PERPETRATING WHAT'S BEEN CALLED THE CRIME OF ALL CRIMES. GENOCIDE IS IN NO WAY ANTISEMITIC. UM, WHAT'S HAPPENING IN GAZA, UM, IS AN INDUSTRIAL SCALE BUTCHERING OPERATION. AND THAT'S, UH, THAT COMES FROM THE MOST RESPECTED HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS IN THE WORLD. SO IT IS OUR DUTY AND OBLIGATION UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW TO BOYCOTT AND DIVEST FROM ISRAEL. AND THE, THE, THE PARTY'S INTENT ON PROTECTING ISRAEL AT ALL COSTS BY GOING AS FAR AS WEAPONIZING ANTISEMITISM ARE MANIPULATIVE AND, AND HONESTLY IMMORAL AND THOSE VOICES CANNOT BE LISTENED TO. SO WE HAVE TO DO WHAT OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RON BLUM, FOLLOWED BY GAL COBER, THEN PUJA SEN RON. OKAY. UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS RON BLUM. I LIVE AT 19 WENDELL STREET AND I'M HERE ABOUT POLICY ORDER NUMBER SEVEN AND EIGHT. SORRY. UH, I'M A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT. I'M JEWISH AND I'M A FIRST GENERATION AMERICAN. RON, SORRY, IF YOU CAN PULL THE MIC DOWN SO THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING DIRECTLY. YEAH, JUST, YEAH. SORRY, I WAS AFRAID TO TOUCH IT. . UH, I'M A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT. I'M JEWISH AND I'M A FIRST GENERATION AMERICAN. MY DAD CAME HERE TO THE US IN 1948, UH, AFTER FLEEING NAZI OCCUPIED ROMANIA OR AFTER, UH, MY MOM IS ISRAELI. MOST OF MY FAMILY LIVES IN ISRAEL. I LIVE IN ISRAEL WHEN I WHERE, UM, WHEN I WAS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND I STILL CARRY ISRAELI CITIZENSHIP AND ATTAINS ME, PAINS ME THAT OUR CITY'S INVESTMENTS AID IN A BIT IN APARTHEID GENOCIDAL STATE THAT HAS BEEN SUBJUGATING AND MURDERING PALESTINIANS FOR DECADES. THE OF DAVID OR MAGEN DAVITA ON MY NECK IS A REMINDER OF STACA, WHICH IS THE OBLIGATION OF JUSTICE, RIGHTEOUSNESS AND CHARITY, WHICH IS WHAT BRINGS ME HERE TODAY IN SUPPORT OF THESE POLICY ORDERS. THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MIGHT SEEM SMALL, BUT BY DIVESTING WE SEND A BIG MESSAGE THAT NEVER AGAIN IS NOW. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GAL COBER, FOLLOWED BY PUJA SEN, THEN SANJANA PAUL GAL, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE GAL. IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF. UH, HI. IT WASN'T GIVING ME THANKS. UH, MY NAME IS GAAL COBER. I LIVE IN NEIGHBORHOOD NINE. I'M A JEWISH ISRAELI AMERICAN AND 22 YEAR CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT. AND I'M A MOM TO A KID IN THE CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I, UM, UNDERSTAND MY ISRAELI COMPATRIOTS, MANY OF WHOM I HEARD TODAY. IT IS EMBARRASSING TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR WHAT OUR COUNTRY IS DOING, BUT ISRAEL IS COMMITTING GENOCIDE AND ETHNIC CLEANSING AND GAZA IN THE WEST BANK AND THAT'S FAR MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN YOUR PERSONAL FEELINGS. ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ARE EFFECTIVE. THEY'VE BEEN PROVEN TO BE SO. IN THE CASE OF SOUTH AFRICA, THIS EXTERNAL PRESSURE IS CRUCIAL AND I URGE THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL TO DO THE RIGHT THING IN THE INVEST FROM GENOCIDE. THANK YOU. WE'RE MOVING TO SPEAKER NUMBER TWO 70 PUJA SEN, FOLLOWED BY SANJANA PAUL DID. OMAR ABBAS PUJA. HI, MY NAME IS PCHA. I LIVE IN INMAN SQUARE AND I AM COMMENTING ON THE POLICY ORDER TO DIVEST CAMBRIDGE FROM GENOCIDE. I'VE LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE FOR 19 YEARS. I WAS RAISED HERE. I ATTENDED CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND MOST RECENTLY I WAS A POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY. I CARE ABOUT THE CITY AND I CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE IN PALESTINE. OUR CITY SHOULD NOT INVEST IN WEAPONS AND DEFENSE COMPANIES THAT KILL CHILDREN, DOCTORS AND JOURNALISTS AND DESTROY HOMES, SCHOOLS, AND HOSPITALS. I DO NOT EVER WANT TO SEE IMAGES OF PEOPLE WITH THEIR LIMBS BLOWN OFF AND ORGANS COMING OUT OF THEIR STOMACHS. I DO NOT EVER WANT TO SEE IMAGES OF FAMILIES COLLECTING THEIR CHILDREN'S BODY PARTS IN PLASTIC BAGS. THIS VIOLENCE IS POSSIBLE BECAUSE THE WEAPONS MADE BY LOCKHEED MARTIN, RAYTHEON, GENERAL DYNAMICS BOEING AND GE AEROSPACE. I URGE YOU TO DIVEST NOW FROM ALL COMPANIES THAT PROFIT OFF OF WAR AND VIOLENCE. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SANJANA PAUL, FOLLOWED BY OMAR ABBAS, THEN IGOR LEV SANJANA. PLEASE GO AHEAD. ONE MINUTE. HI, MY NAME IS SANJANA. I HAVE [05:10:01] LIVED, WORKED, STUDIED AND PAID TAXES IN CAMBRIDGE SINCE 2020 AND I'M COMMENTING IN SUPPORT OF POLICY ORDERS SEVEN AND EIGHT. THESE POLICY ORDERS TARGET SPECIFIC COMPANIES BASED ON THEIR ACTIONS SUPPORTING THE GENOCIDE AND PALESTINE, WHICH HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS SUCH BY THE UNITED NATIONS, THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GENOCIDE SCHOLARS AND HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS AND SCHOLARS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR CAMBRIDGE SPECIFICALLY TO TAKE ACTION BECAUSE OUR TAX DOLLARS FUND $3.8 BILLION A YEAR IN MILITARY AID TO ISRAEL AND ECONOMIC SANCTIONS ARE EFFECTIVE AS WE HAVE SEEN IN THE CASE OF SOUTH AFRICA AND OTHER HISTORICAL PRECEDENTS. ALL CHILDREN AROUND THE WORLD ARE OUR CHILDREN AND ANY ACTION THAT WE CAN TAKE TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN OF PALESTINE IS ONE THAT WE SHOULD ABSOLUTELY THROW ALL OF OUR WEIGHT BEHIND. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS OMAR ABBAS, FOLLOWED BY IGOR LEV, THEN YOUNG KIM OMAR. ONE MINUTE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS OMAR. I'M A PSYCHIATRIST, UM, EMPLOYEE IN THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE AND A RESIDENT HERE AS WELL. UH, I'M CALLING ON THE CITY COUNCIL ON BEHALF OF MY UNION, C-I-R-S-E-I-U TO END OUR CITY'S COMPLICITY WITH THE GENOCIDE AND PALESTINE AND THE KILLING OF OUR HEALTHCARE COLLEAGUES. UM, I ALSO CALL ON THE CITY TO CONTINUE ITS TROUT PROUD TRADITION AND STANDING AGAINST APARTHEID AS WE DID 40 YEARS AGO IN SOUTH AFRICA. THANK YOU AND FREE PALESTINE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS IGOR LUV, FOLLOWED BY YOUNG KIM, THEN RICHARD K RESNIK. IGOR, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE, PLEASE GO AHEAD. I'M IGOR OSH, BEEN IN CAMBRIDGE FOR 20 YEARS. MY FRIEND IS A RABBI IN ARLINGTON. HIS HOME SET FIRE WIFE, SYNAGOGUE GEORGE IN ERMAN. A BRICK WITH TRIPLE THROUGH BROOKLINE KHA MARKET ROCKS THROUGH WINDOWS OF NEWTON HOMES WITH PRO-ISRAEL SIGNS. WILL THIS RESOLUTION STOP THE NEXT BRICK OR WILL IT FEED THE CLIMATE THAT THROWS IT? THIS IS NOT SOUTH AFRICA, NOT FOSSIL FUELS. LOOK AROUND THIS ROOM. THERE IS NO CONSENSUS. ONLY DIVISION. NOW SOME SAY GENOCIDE. KNOW WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE? HALF OF OTTOMAN ARMENIANS, TWO THIRDS OF EUROPE JEWS, THREE QUARTERS OF RWANDA, TUTSIS, DO NOT SPEND THAT WORD LIKE PARTY CHANGE. THIS ORDINANCE LETS A PHILADELPHIA GROUP DICTATE WHO CAMBRIDGE INVEST AND BUYS FROM. UH, RENTS TO SALES TO CAMBRIDGE IS NOBODY'S POEM. PLEASE VOTE NO. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS YOUNG KIM, FOLLOWED BY RICHARD KNIK. THEN MIKE WALSH YOUNG. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOUNG KIM 17 NORRIS STREET ON CMA 12, THE NEIGHBORS GUIDE AND INTER DEPARTMENTAL COORDINATION GO HAND IN HAND. PLEASE RETURN THE REPORT AND REQUEST THE CITY MANAGER'S OWN MEMO. CO-SIGNED BY ALL RESPONSIBLE DEPARTMENT MANAGERS SPECIFYING EACH DEPARTMENT RESPONSIBILITIES, HOW THEY COORDINATE AND WHO RESOLVES COMPLIANCE PROBLEMS AND MOST OF ALL, THAT THEY ALL AGREE THAT THEY ALL BUY INTO IT. THE GUIDED TEMPORARY REASON, UH, WELCOME STEPS. PLEASE CONVENE THE RESIDENT TASK FORCE TO TEST DRIVE THE GUIDE ON POLICY ORDER SEVEN AND EIGHT BOYCOTT ORDER. THE DIVESTMENT CANNOT RESOLVE THIS AGE OLD CONFLICT TO EVERYONE WHO SPOKE ELEGANTLY TONIGHT, I FEEL YOUR PAIN. MY COUNTRY TOO WAS DIVIDED BY WORLD POWERS INSTEAD OF INSTEAD, LET'S CONVENE A TOWN MEETING AND SHOW THE WORLD THAT THANK YOU YOUNG. PLEASE SEND US THE REST OF YOUR COMMENT VIA EMAIL. OUR NEXT SPEAKER, YOUR TIME, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RICHARD KNIK, FOLLOWED BY MIKE WALSH. THEN SUE ANN FRIEDMAN. RICHARD HAS NOT JOINED. WE WILL GO TO MIKE WALSH, FOLLOWED BY SUE ANN FRIEDMAN, THEN LANGDON AUGBURN. MY NAME, MY NAME IS MIKE WALSH. I LIVE IN CAMBRIDGE AS LAID OUT IN THE A HUNDRED YEARS WAR ON PALESTINE BY RASHID KDI, WHICH I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO READ. THIS HAS NEVER BEEN A CONFLICT BETWEEN TWO EQUAL FORCES FOR OVER A HUNDRED YEARS. IT HAS BEEN AN OCCUPATION OF AN INDIGENOUS PEOPLE BACKED BY WESTERN MONEY AND BOMBS. NEVER MORE THAN SO THAN TODAY BY THE UNITED STATES. PALESTINIANS ARE BEING KILLED IN DROVES AND WHAT IS BY ALL INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS OF GENOCIDE. PALESTINIANS HAVE THE RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION PIECE AND THEIR HOME, I'LL DO IT NOW. PALESTINIANS HAVE LOVED ONES, HOPES, DREAMS, INSIDE JOKES, FAVORITE MUSICIANS, AND THEY'RE BEING TURNED TO RUBBLE. THIS WAR IS OLD BUT IT IS NOT INEVITABLE. AS CAMBRIDGE CITIZENS, WE HAVE THE DUTY TO DIVEST. THANK YOU. [05:15:01] WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO AN EARLIER SKIP SPEAKER IAN BASS, FOLLOWED BY SUE ANN FRIEDMAN. THEN LANGDON AUGBURN IAN, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. ONE MINUTE. HI, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS IAN BASS. UM, I JUST CAME TODAY BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THERE'S A LOT GOING ON WITH THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO SPOKE. UM, I CAME BECAUSE THE WORLD I KNOW IS WATCHING WHAT HAPPENS WITH THIS CAMBRIDGE DECISION AND I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF FEELINGS INVOLVED IN IT, BUT FOR ME IT'S VERY SIMPLE. WE KNOW THAT THIS IS A GENOCIDE. WE KNOW THAT DIVESTMENT IS A SIMPLE WAY TO PUT AN END TO IT AND I I STRONGLY URGE THE COUNCIL TO, TO VOTE ON PAPER DIVESTMENT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SUEANN FRIEDMAN. SUEANN HAS NOT JOINED. WE WILL GO TO LANGDON AUGBURN. LANGDON HAS NOT JOINED US. MANDY CHAN. MANDY, YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE PLEASE GO AHEAD. GOOD EVENING, COUNSELORS. MY NAME IS MANDY AND I LIVE IN PORTER SQUARE AND I AM ASKING CAMBRIDGE TO DIVEST FROM CORPORATIONS THAT ARE COMPLICIT IN ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE AND PALESTINE. THIS IS NOT ABOUT CORPORATIONS. UH, I MEAN THIS IS ABOUT CORPORATIONS, NON NATIONALITIES AND NOT ANTI-SEMITISM. IT'S ABOUT 28 MILLION AND COMPANIES PUBLICLY KNOWN TO PROFIT FROM ARMING MILITARY OPERATIONS THAT MURDER INNOCENT CIVILIANS. AND THE TO THOSE WHO SAY THAT OUR MONEY SHOULD BE USED LOCALLY FOR OUR OWN COMMUNITY. I COMPLETELY AGREE, IT SHOULD NOT BE A QUESTION WHETHER A LOCAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE INVESTING 28 MILLION TOWARDS ITS OWN RESIDENTS INSTEAD OF GENOCIDE. IF WE DIVEST, WE BECOME A BEACON THAT ENCOURAGES OTHER COMMUNITIES TO ASK WHERE THEIR MONEY IS GOING. AND CAMBRIDGE SHOULD NOT PROFIT FROM WAR, SO PLEASE VOTE. YES. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JOSHUA ESPANIA LOPEZ, FOLLOWED BY JIT SHADAY. ATIYA. THEN JAY TULIN. JOSHUA GOOD. THANK YOU, . GOOD EVENING CITY COUNCIL. UH, MY NAME IS JOSHUA. I LIVE ON IAN STREET. I'M AN UNDERGRAD AT HARVARD COLLEGE AND I REPRESENT THE STUDENT MOVEMENT ADVOCATING FOR FREE PALESTINE. I'M UNAWARE OF Y'ALL'S SPIRITUAL BELIEFS, BUT I AS COUNTLESS OTHER CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS HOLD SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS THAT VALUE PRACTICES OF PEACE AND THE PROMOTION OF ALL LIFE AND THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE FUNDING, UM, SURVEILLANCE AND DAM UM, SURVEILLANCE AND, UM, SORRY, SURVEILLANCE AND DAMMIT AND OTHER GENOCIDE FUNDING, UM, UH, COMPANIES GOES AGAINST THESE PRACTICES AND TRADITIONAL BELIEFS. UH, SO I ASK FOR A DIVESTMENT SO THAT THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE CAN LIVE MORE IN HARMONY BETWEEN OUR MINDS, HEARTS AND SPIRIT. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JIT SHADAY ATIYA, FOLLOWED BY JAY LIN. THEN STEVEN KRIS JIT, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI, MAYOR AND CITY COUNSELORS. AS A MOTHER AND ISRAELI AMERICAN COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVE, I ASK YOU TO REMEMBER THREE THINGS. FIRST, ON OCTOBER 8TH, 2023, OVER 30, HARVARD STUDENT GROUPS BLAMED ISRAEL FOR HAMAS MASSACRE. SECOND IS DARA HORN WARNS ANTISEMITISM PORTRAYS JEWS AS ENEMIES OF SOCIETY'S MOST CHERISHED VALUES, INCLUDING HUMAN RIGHTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. THIRD, YOUR WORDS AND ACTIONS CARRY RESPONSIBILITY. THESE V DS ALIGN PROPOSALS USING INFLAMMATORY LANGUAGE AND FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON ISRAEL. WHAT CONSISTENT PRINCIPLE JUSTIFY THAT FOCUS WARDS DO NOT EXIST IN A VACUUM. MY CHILDREN AND I PASS ARMED GUARDS ENTERING JEWISH SCHOOLS AND SYNAGOGUES THROUGH I THROUGH IEC SHIELD. I'VE WITNESSED INTIMIDATION, ESCALATING TO VIOLENCE. MORE THAN 650 PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED A PETITION OPPOSING THESE PROPOSALS. I ASK YOU TO VOTE NO ON BOTH. EVERY RESIDENCE DESERVES SAFETY, EVERY CHILD DESERVES TO BE. PLEASE EMAIL US THE REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENT. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS J TULIN, FOLLOWED BY STEVEN KRISH, THEN RAMSEY BRENNER. JAY JAY HAS NOT JOINED US. WE WILL GO TO STEVEN KRIS, WE WILL GO TO RAMSEY BRENNER. WE'LL [05:20:01] GO TO SPEAKER NUMBER 2 85 MCCAULEY LERNER. MCCAULEY, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE, MCCAULEY. WE CAN'T HEAR YOU. YOU NEED TO UNMUTE YOURSELF. MCCAULEY, IF YOU CAN TRY ONE MORE TIME. ALL RIGHT, WE'LL TRY MCCAULEY AT THE END. WE WILL GO TO SPEAKER NUMBER 2 86 RAHEL. A LITTLE MORE, FOLLOWED BY ALLISON GORDON RAHEL. WE DON'T HAVE RAHEL ALLISON GORDON COUNSELORS. I'VE STUDIED AND WORKED IN CAMBRIDGE AND SERVED ON THE BOARDS OF CAMBRIDGE ORGANIZATIONS FOR 40 YEARS. HERE ARE THE FACTS. HISTORY HAS TAUGHT US WELL-INTENTIONED PEOPLE CAN EMPOWER DANGEROUS MOVEMENTS. BDS DOES NOT BUILD PEACE. IT IS A HATE MOVEMENT. THE FASTEST WAY TO STOP THIS WAR IS TO INSIST THAT HAMAS TERRORISTS DISARM PEACE WOULD BE IMMEDIATE. WHAT IS HAPPENING IN GAZA IS NOT GENOCIDE. GENOCIDE MEANS DELIBERATELY TRYING TO DESTROY A PEOPLE NOT FIGHTING A WAR IN WHICH CIVILIANS TRAGICALLY DIE. WHAT IS HAPPENING IN GAZA IS A COUNTER ATTACK IN A WAR THAT HAS BEEN WAGED ON ISRAEL SINCE 1948. IN 1949, GAZA HAD 268,000 RESIDENTS INCLUDING REFUGEES. TODAY ITS POPULATION IS 2.1 MILLION. THIS IS NOT GENOCIDE. ISRAEL HAS FACILITATED 1.8 MILLION TONS OF HUMANITARIAN AID ENABLED 36,000 PATIENTS TO LEAVE GAZA FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT AND ISSUED 15.5. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. EVACUATION TEXT, THANK YOU, HAS EXPIRED. ALLISON, PLEASE EMAIL US THE REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENT. OUR NEXT SPEAKER YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE, SO FEEL FREE TO EMAIL THE REMAINDER. I TIMED IT LIKE 10 TIMES. THAT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN A MINUTE. SORRY. TIMER WAS RUNNING ON THE SCREEN. YOU CAN EMAIL US THE REMAINDER. I'M SORRY. WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO I SAID THAT YOU CAN EMAIL US THE REMAINDER. GO AHEAD NAOMI. WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO MCCAULEY LERNER, FOLLOWED BY JACK SCHS. THEN CINDY LARSON MCCAULEY, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF. CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN. GREAT. UH, MY NAME IS MICHA LERNER. I LIVE IN WELLESLEY. HOW MANY JEWISH PARENTS IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES HAVE TO TELL YOU HOW AFRAID WE ARE FOR OURSELVES AND OUR CHILDREN BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE WIDER COMMUNITY CAN HEAR US? I ASKED THE CITY COUNCIL AND ALL THE NON-JEWS WHO FELT SO COMPELLED TO SPEAK TONIGHT IN FAVOR. WHY YOU DON'T BELIEVE US? CAMBRIDGE AND MASSACHUSETTS JEWS LIKE MY OWN TEEN GIRLS, ARE BEING PHYSICALLY AND VERBALLY ATTACKED JUST FOR BEING JEWS. THIS PROPOSITION PUTS ONE MORE TARGET ON OUR BACKS. WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS, WE'RE YOUR NEIGHBORS. WHY CAN'T YOU OR WON'T YOU LISTEN TO US? WHY DOESN'T THIS COMMUNITY CARE ABOUT US? ARE YOU REALLY WILLING TO SACRIFICE THE SAFETY OF YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS TO MAKE YOURSELF FEEL BETTER ABOUT A TRAGIC, TRAGIC CONFLICT THAT IS HAPPENING THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY AFTER LISTENING TO YOU FOR HOURS TONIGHT, I'M HAVING A HARD TIME BELIEVING THAT CAMBRIDGE CAMBRIDGE'S PROGRESSIVE VALUES INCLUDE PROJECTING JEWS AT PROTECTING JEWS AT ALL. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JACK CHUS, FOLLOWED BY CINDY LARSON. THEN AMY BENNETT. JACK. JACK HAS NOT JOINED. WE'LL GO TO CINDY LARSON. CINDY HAS NOT JOINED. WE WILL GO TO AMY BENNETT. WE'LL GO TO SPEAKER 2 91. GEORGE COREY, DAVID BORIS, NINA WOLF LANDAU. NINA, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS NINA. I AM A JEWISH BOSTON RESIDENT AND I PRAY WITH MULTIPLE JEWISH COMMUNITIES IN CAMBRIDGE. I STRONGLY SUPPORT DIVESTING FROM THESE COMPANIES, COMPLICIT AND GENOCIDE AND APARTHEID. NOT IN SPITE OF MY JUDAISM, BUT BECAUSE OF IT. JUDAISM TEACHES US TO KLUM TO HEAL THE WORLD. DIVESTMENT [05:25:01] IS AN IMPORTANT STEP CAMBRIDGE CAN TAKE TO STOP THE HARM THAT THESE COMPANIES ARE FACILITATING, NOT ONLY IN ISRAEL AND GLOBALLY AS WELL AS HERE IN THE US. TO SAY DIVESTMENT AND OPPOSITION TO ISRAEL ARE ANTISEMITIC IS FRANKLY FOOLISH. ISRAEL DOES NOT REPRESENT ALL JEWS. WE ARE SINGLING ISRAEL OUT, NOT JUST FOR ITS UNIQUELY. GENOCIDAL ACTS OVER NOT JUST THE LAST THREE YEARS, BUT OVER THE LAST CENTURY, BUT ALSO BECAUSE THE UNITED STATES AND CAMBRIDGE SPECIFICALLY IS FUNDING THE FLOW OF WEAPONS TO ISRAEL WITH TAX DOLLARS AND IS INVESTED IN COMPANIES THAT ARE FACILITATING THE MASS MURDER OF PALESTINIANS. I URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO BE BRAVE AND MAKE THE COMMON SENSE CHOICE TO SUPPORT DIVESTMENT. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS AVIK TERJE, FOLLOWED BY FEISAL HAMID. THEN STEVE SPEAR AVIK. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD ONE MINUTE. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. MY NAME IS AVIC CHATTERJEE AND I'VE BEEN A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT FOR 13 YEARS. I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF DIVESTMENT. MY FATHER AND HIS FAMILY WERE DISPLACED FROM THEIR ANCESTRAL HOME IN BANGLADESH, A HOME THAT MY BROTHER AND I WILL NEVER SEE. THE 1970 WAR THAT DISPLACED MY FATHER ENDED ONLY WHEN INDIA INTERVENED THE MEMORIAL IN INDIA. THAT COMM COMMEMORATES THEIR ROLE IN ENDING THAT WAR INCLUDES A CAPTURED AMERICAN TANK BECAUSE AMERICAN TANKS WERE USED TO MURDER AND DISPLACE RELIGIOUS MINORITIES DURING THAT WAR, INCLUDING MY FAMILY. THE TANK MONUMENT IS A CONSTANT REMINDER OF AMERICAN HUBRIS. AMERICAN INVOLVEMENT AND OPPRESSION GLOBALLY IS REPREHENSIBLE TO ME AND THAT MY TAXPAYER DOLLARS WOULD GO TO PROFITING OFF OF VIOLENCE. LIKE WHAT MY FAMILY EXPERIENCE WOULD BE. A BETRAYAL TO MY ANCESTORS. BUT UNLIKE MY ANCESTORS TODAY, I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRY TO END US AND CAMBRIDGE COMPLICITY IN THIS GENOCIDE. PLEASE VOTE TO TAKE OUR MONEY OUT OF THESE COMPANIES THAT ARE PROFITING OFF, PROFITING OFF OF VIOLENCE AND GENOCIDE AND GAZA. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS FEISAL HAMID, FOLLOWED BY STEVE SPEAR. THEN MIC MICHELLE DEGRAFF. FEISAL FEISAL HAS NOT JOINED US. WE'LL GO TO STEVE SPEAR. STEVE, ONE MINUTE PLEASE. GO AHEAD. YEAH. HEY, GOOD EVENING. Y'ALL MIGHT MAKE MIDNIGHT. THAT'S GOOD. I JUST WANNA SAY THIS RESOLUTION A WILDLY RACIST AND I DON'T JUST MEAN ACCUSING JEWS OF, UH, TERRIBLE THINGS WHERE YOU GET THAT ALL THE TIME USED TO IT. DON'T LIKE IT, BUT IT'S COMMON. BUT THINK ABOUT ALL THE PEOPLE YOU'RE DENYING AGENCY ON THIS THING. YOU GOT ASH NOT HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE. HEZBOLLAH FOUGHT THE PLO, THE IRANIANS. NO ONE'S BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS IN THIS WHOLE THING. SO ANYWAY, AT LEAST, YOU KNOW, BALANCE IT OUT. IF YOU'RE GONNA BLAME THE JEWS, BLAME EVERYBODY ELSE AND BE DONE WITH IT. BUT ANYWAY, THIS THING IS FOOLISH. VOTE NOTE. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHELLE DEGRAFF, FOLLOWED BY DANIEL YALOM. THEN ERIC GROSS. MICHELLE MICHELLE, PLEASE GO AHEAD. THE TIMER WILL RESET WHEN YOU START. OKAY. I'M MICHELLE DEGRAFF, HAITIAN. BORN MIT LINGUIST CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT FOR 30 YEARS. MY CAMBRIDGE BORN SON NOEL GRADUATED FROM COLS, WORKED ON CONSULAR CAMPAIGNS AND SCHOOL COMMITTEE RIGHT HERE. I RESEARCH LIBERATORY LINGUISTICS FOR DECADES AT CAMBRIDGE PEACE COMMISSION EVENTS. WE RECALL KING'S GIANT TRIPLETS, RACISM, EXTREME MATERIALISM, MILITARISM, THE ALL CONVERGE IN PALESTINE, THE STUDENT PRIMARY MIT SCIENCE FOR GENOCIDE DOCUMENTS. ISRAELI MILITARY FUNDED MIT RESEARCH AND TIES TO ARMS MANUFACTURERS WITH WEAPONS KILL AND MIM CHILDREN IN GAZA, MY JEWISH COMRADES POSTER SAYS, AND IN GENOCIDE IS NOT ANTISEMITIC, NEITHER IS DIVESTMENT FROM MERCHANTS OF DEATH. CAMBRIDGE, PLEASE SET AN EXAMPLE FOR MIT DIVEST NOW. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DANIEL YALOM, FOLLOWED BY ERIC GROSS, THEN ELIZABETH HUDSON. DANIEL, ONE MINUTE. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS DANIEL YALOM AND I'M A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT OF 10 YEARS LIVING IN INDIAN SQUARE. THERE ARE MANY ALARMING PROBLEMS WITH THE POLICY ORDERS TODAY, BUT I WANNA FOCUS ON ONE ISSUE. THEY CITE THE UNITED NATIONS SPECIAL REPERTOIRE ON THE, ON THE OCCUPIED POLICY AND TERRITORIES AS AN AUTHORITY. THIS WOMAN'S NAME IS FRANCESCA ALBANESE AND SHE'S A KNOWN ANTISEMITE. SHE HAS AN EXTREMELY LONG LIST OF ANTISEMITIC COMMENTS, HAS BEEN CONDEMNED BY MULTIPLE COUNTRIES. FOR A MOST RECENT BIGOTED STATEMENT, SHE TWEETED THAT ISRAELIS ARE GLOBALIZING APARTHEID ONE BRICK AT A TIME BY BUYING PROPERTY OUTSIDE OF ISRAEL. SHE POSTED THIS COMMENT SIX DAYS AGO BY SENDING HER AS AN AUTHORITY. YOU ARE NOW COMPLICIT IN HER VIEWS. AS WE HEARD ALL EVENING, PASSING [05:30:01] THESE POLICY ORDERS MEANS TELLING ALL ISRAELIS HERE IN CAMBRIDGE, INCLUDING MYSELF, THAT THEY ARE NOT WELCOME TO LIVE IN THE CITY SINCE WE, ACCORDING TO YOUR NOTED EXPERT, ARE GLOBALIZING APARTHEID. SO IF YOU DECIDE TO VOTE FOR THESE MEASURES, PLEASE DO US A FAVOR AND LOOK US IN THE EYE AS YOU HANG UP. THE NO JEWS, SORRY, NO ISRAELI SIGN OUTSIDE CITY HALL. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ERIC GROSS, FOLLOWED BY ELIZABETH HUDSON. THEN ADAM STONE. ERIC ERIC IS NOT HERE. WE'LL GO TO ELIZABETH HUDSON. ELIZABETH IS SPEAKER NUMBER 300. ONE MINUTE PLEASE GO AHEAD. THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. HI, I'M ELIZABETH HUDSON. I LIVE AT 3 25 HARVARD STREET AND UH, I CAME THIS EVENING TO SAY THAT THIS IS A DISTRACTION AND IT'S NOT YOUR JOB, WHICH IS WHY ORDER SEVEN IS A LETTER ASKING SOMEBODY NICELY TO DO SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE NO POWER TO DO YOURSELF. YOU HAVE A JOB WHICH IS RUNNING THE CITY. SEWAGE ENDS UP IN THE CHARLES WHEN IT RAINS TOO HARD. THERE HAVE BEEN 20 SHOOTINGS IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, MANY OF WHICH HAVE BEEN UNSOLVED. SCHOOL BUILDINGS NEED REPAIR. AND TWO WEEKS AGO, YEAH, WE, TWO WEEKS AGO OR THREE WEEKS AGO, YOU CONSIDERED AN ORDER TELLING THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE TO PAY PEOPLE MORE WITH MONEY THAT YOU DON'T HAVE AND YOU HAVE NO PLAN FOR GOING TO GET SENATOR WARREN LIVES IN THE CITY. CONGRESSMAN CLARK LIVES IN THIS CITY. AYANNA PRESLEY IS HERE ALL THE TIME. THIS IS THEIR JOB. THIS IS A FIGHT YOU SHOULD BE BRINGING TO THEM AND IF THIS IS THE WORK YOU WANNA DO, YOU SHOULD RUN FOR THEIR SEAT INSTEAD. FINALLY, I'D NOTE THAT I FIND IT RICH FOR THE COUNCIL TO STATE THAT IT UNEQUIVOCALLY OPPOSES ANTISEMITISM. WE JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO HAD TWO SWASTIKAS SCRATCHED INTO THE MIRRORS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND WE DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING FROM ANY OF YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ADAM STONE, FOLLOWED BY VICTOR DON CHENKO, THEN A**L CHOPRA. ADAM, ADAM, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. ADAM, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN. HI, I'M ADAM STONE. I LIVE ON PLIMPTON STREET AND I'M SPEAKING ON ITEM SEVEN. IF OUR GOAL IS PEACE AND A BETTER FUTURE FOR PALESTINIANS AND ISRAELIS, WE MUST ASK WHETHER THIS RESOLUTION ACTUALLY ADVANCES THAT GOAL. YOU CANNOT BUILD PEACE BY ELIMINATING DIALOGUE, COOPERATION, AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. OVER 20% OF ISRAEL'S POPULATION IS ARAB ARAB CITIZENS VOTE, SERVE IN PARLIAMENT, HOLD GOVERNMENT POSITIONS AND CONSERVE IN THE ISRAELI MILITARY. CONSIDER BANK OMI. ONE OF THE BANKS TARGETED BY THIS DIVESTMENT CAMPAIGN FROM 2019 TO 2023. ITS CHAIRMAN WAS DR. SAMAD HA, AN ARAB MUSLIM ISRAELI WHO CHAMPIONED ECONOMIC COOPERATION BETWEEN ARABS AND JEWS. FOR YEARS, THOUSANDS OF PALESTINIANS HAVE WORKED IN ISRAEL SUPPORTING THEIR FAMILIES. ISRAEL IS A DIVERSE SOCIETY OF JEWS, MUSLIMS, CHRISTIANS, AND JEWISH CITIZENS WHOSE FUTURES ARE INTERCONNECTED. GENUINE PEACE REQUIRES RECOGNIZING THAT EVERYONE HAS A RIGHT TO EXIST IN PEACE AND SECURITY. IF WE TRULY WANT TO IMPROVE LIVES, WE SHOULD ENCOURAGE DIALOGUE, EDUCATION, COEXISTENCE, AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, NOT POLICIES THAT RISK UNDERMINING THEM. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS VICTOR CHENKO, FOLLOWED BY ANSHEL CHOPRA, THEN ALEXANDRA STEINBERG. VICTOR. VICTOR HAS NOT JOINED US. WE WILL GO TO ANSHEL CHOPRA. ALEXANDRA STEINBERG, ORRIN WEISBERG, JEREMY EVANS. SHANNON KEEGAN. WE'LL GO TO SHANNON KEEGAN, FOLLOWED BY LEAH W THEN AARON GOLDSTEIN. SHANNON, PLEASE GO AHEAD ONE MINUTE. SHANNON, YOU'RE UNMUTED AND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD. WE'RE NOT HEARING. SHANNON WILL COME BACK. LET'S GO TO SPEAKER NUMBER 3 0 8. LEAH W LEAH, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE GO AHEAD. OKAY. HI, MY NAME IS LEAH WHITE AND I HAVE LIVED AND WORKED IN CAMBRIDGE FOR MORE THAN 10 YEARS. I RAISED MY DAUGHTER HERE AND CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TAUGHT HER HOW TO RECOGNIZE THIS AS AN INJUSTICE AND, AND SPIRIT OF SOCIAL JUSTICE. I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT POLICY ORDER SEVEN AND EIGHT. UM, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT BDS ISOLATING AND SINGLING OUT ISRAEL, AND THAT IS [05:35:01] THE POINT OF BDS TO ECONOMICALLY AND SOCIALLY OSTRACIZED OPPRESSORS SO THAT THEY CANNOT CONTINUE THEIR OPPRESSION. I'M PROUD THAT THE WORD BOYCOTT COMES FROM THE LAND OF MY ANCESTORS. IRELAND IN 1880 IRISH TENANTS COLLECTIVELY OSTRACIZED THE COLONIAL BRITISH ESTATE MANAGER CHARLES BOYCOTT, SO HE COULDN'T CONTINUE TO FORCE AND LIVABLE CONDITIONS UPON THEM. BOYCOTT LEFT IRELAND AND HIS NAME BECAME THE NAME OF AN EFFECTIVE NONVIOLENT TOOL FOR PEOPLE TO STAND UP AGAINST IMPERIALISM. AND, AND IT ISN'T EVEN ACCURATE TO SAY THAT THESE POLICY ORDERS CALL FOR THE BOYCOTT OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL. THEY CERTAINLY DON'T CALL FOR THE SINGLING OUT OF JEWISH PEOPLE. THEY CALL FOR THE BOYCOTT AND DIVESTMENT FROM MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES, MANY OF WHICH ARE BASED IN THE US THAT PROVIDE THE TECHNOLOGY. AND WHAT LEAH, YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. PLEASE SEND US THE REMAINDER. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS AARON GOLDSTEIN, FOLLOWED BY THE INITIALS MK, THEN HEATHER MALCON. AARON, PLEASE GO AHEAD. AARON, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF. AARON, I SEE YOU RAISING YOUR HAND. YOU'RE UNMUTED ON OUR SIDE. WE CAN HEAR YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, MY NAME IS, UH, AARON GOLDSTEIN. I HAVE BEEN A RESIDENT OF CAMBRIDGE FOR MORE THAN FIVE YEARS. I RISE TO SPEAK IN OPPOSITION TO A POLICY ORDERS 1 9 5 AND 1 9 6 MANDATING OF THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE COMMIT TO A POLICY OF BOYCOTTING OF AND DIVESTMENT FROM THE STATE OF ISRAEL. THE ORDER IS PREDICATED ON THE FALSE PREMISES THAT ISRAEL IS ENGAGED IN APARTHEID OCCUPATION AND GENOCIDE AND WHILE CLAIMING TO OPPOSE ANTISEMITISM. THIS ORDER ALSO IGNORES THE TERRORIST VIOLENCE COMMITTED BY HAMAS AGAINST ISRAEL ON OCTOBER 7TH, 2023. AND ITS LONGSTANDING OBJECTIVE TO KILL ALL JEWS IN ISRAEL. THEREFORE, THE ONLY PURPOSE OF THIS ORDER SERVES IS TO WILLFULLY PROMOTE HATRED AGAINST THE JEWISH COMMUNITY HERE IN CAMBRIDGE. IF IMPLEMENTED, IT WOULD NOT ONLY BE A STAIN ON THE CITY'S REPUTATION, BUT I FEAR IT COULD LEAD TO OCTOBER 7TH INSPIRED ATTACKS AGAINST JEWS WITHIN CITY LIMITS. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER, WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO SHARON KEEGAN. SHANNON KEEGAN, I'M SORRY SHANNON, IF YOU CAN TRY TO UNMUTE YOURSELF. HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN. PLEASE GO AHEAD. SHANNON KEEGAN CEDAR STREET, CAMBRIDGE SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF POLICY ORDER SEVEN AND EIGHT. I STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH OUR JEWISH BROTHERS AND SISTERS FROM PEACE PEACEFUL ORGANIZATIONS LIKE JEWISH VOICES FOR PEACE, WHO UPHOLD THE BEST IN AMERICAN RIGHTS AND VALUES, USING THEIR VOICE FOR PEACE AND ADVOCATING FOR BDS HARD EARNED TAX DOLLARS THAT WILL INTENTIONALLY BE USED TO MAKE WEAPONS AND BOMBS TARGETED AT PALESTINIAN CHILDREN. THE SICK AND ELDERLY IN HOSPITALS, AID WORKERS PROTECTED BY HUMANITARIAN LAW IS ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING. ANYWHERE IT IS HAPPENING ON THE GLOBE TO ANY PEOPLE, IT WILL NEVER BE OKAY TO DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY FUND A GENOCIDE. I THOUGHT OUR SOCIAL COMPACT WAS NEVER AGAIN. YOUR RESPONSIBILITY IS GREAT AS COMMUNITY LEADERS TO ENSURE NO ONE CONTRIBUTES TO THE THE ATROCITY OF GENOCIDE. AS YOU ELEVATE THAT SOCIAL COMPACT COURAGE IS HARD, BUT WE REMEMBER THAT OUR GREATEST HEROES IN HISTORY WERE UNWAVERING ADVOCATES FOR PEACE AND AMENITY. I IMPLORE YOU TO BE HEROES FOR PEACE. IT IS URGENT THAT YOU VOTE TO DI TO DIVEST FROM ISRAEL AND INVEST IN CAMBRIDGE FREE PALESTINE. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MK. HELLO. HELLO. UM, MY NAME IS MAGNA. I LIVE IN INMAN. I'VE LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE FOR SEVEN YEARS. I'VE WORKED HERE FOR SEVEN YEARS. I'VE SEEN CAMBRIDGE TRY TO SHOW EFFORTS TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY FROM PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING, HOUSING UP ZONING, CITYWIDE PRE-K PILOTS. AND YET, DESPITE ALL OF THESE ATTEMPTS TO COMMUN COMMUNITY BUILD, WE ARE NOW, WE'VE BEEN SENDING 28 MILLION OF OUR DOLLARS THAT HAVE BEEN POURED INTO FUNDING WAR MACHINES. COMPANIES THAT HAVE MADE MONEY QUITE LITERALLY OFF MANUFACTURING AND SELLING WEAPONS TO ISRAEL. BOMBS THAT HAVE BLOWN UP A MAJORITY OF GAZEN BUILDINGS, UH, DRONES THAT ARE SURVEILLING PALESTINIANS, BULLDOZERS THAT ARE RAISING COMMUNITIES. ALL OF THIS MONEY TO FUND GENOCIDE TODAY OF PALESTINE, TOMORROW OF WHO KNOWS, IS DISGUSTING. WE SHOULD BE BUILDING OUR COMMUNITY HERE IN CAMBRIDGE. WE SHOULD NOT BE SENDING ALL OF THIS MONEY TO FOREIGN ENTITIES WHO ARE DESTROYING COMMUNITIES AROUND THE WORLD UNDER COMPLICITY AND GENOCIDE. HISTORY HAS SHOWN THAT WE KNOW HOW TO DO IT. FREE PALESTINE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS HEATHER MALANI, FOLLOWED BY HARRY SILVERSTEIN. THEN LEAH ROSENBERG. HEATHER. WE DO NOT HAVE HEATHER HARRY SILVERSTEIN OR SILVERSTEIN. LEAH ROSENBERG. [05:40:01] TRINITY KELLA ROCCO, FOLLOWED BY A KUNA NA THEN GRACE L TRINITY. A KUNA A A KUNA. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF ONE MINUTE. HELLO? HI. WE CAN HEAR YOU. PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI, UH, MY NAME IS AKUNA. I'M A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT. UM, I'D LIKE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF POLICY ORDERS SEVEN AND EIGHT. UM, FOLKS MAY NOT WANT TO INTERVENE IN FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES, BUT THE REALITY IS THAT OUR INVESTMENT IN, UM, THESE WELL-KNOWN COMPANIES, UM, FUNDING AND FUELING THE GENOCIDE IN GAZA AND PALESTINE, UM, THE, THE REALITY IS OUR MONEY IS BEING SPENT THERE AND IT GIVES US, UM, THE OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO SAY SOMETHING. IT GIVES US THE RIGHT TO SAY SOMETHING. IT GIVES US THE OBLIGATION TO SAY SOMETHING. UM, IF THERE'S A SCENT GOING TO MASS MURDER AND DESTRUCTION, I WANNA SAY NO TO THAT. UM, IN THIS MOMENT, THIS MOMENT IS SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE STRUGGLE AROUND APARTHEID IN SOUTH AFRICA AND THAT IT WAS DIVISIVE AND PEOPLE HAD TO FIGHT AND STAND UP FOR WHAT WAS RIGHT THEN. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. NOW WE HAVE TO DIVEST. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GRACE L FOLLOWED BY GALLERY KUMAR. THEN ZION SHEAN. GRACE, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN. PLEASE GO AHEAD. EXCELLENT. GOOD EVENING. UH, MY NAME IS GRACE AND I LIVE IN SOMERVILLE, BUT I WORK FOR THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE. UH, I'M HERE TO EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR DIVESTING CITY PENSION FUNDS FROM COMPANIES ENGAGED IN THE ISRAELI GENOCIDE AGAINST PALESTINIANS AND FOR BOYCOTTING AND AVOIDING FUTURE INVOLVEMENT WITH THOSE COMPANIES. IN MY ROLE, UH, WITH THE CITY, I WORK WITH A LOT OF CHILDREN. UM, AND SOMEONE EARLIER, UH, ACTUALLY SEVERAL PEOPLE MENTIONED THE JAMES BALDWIN QUOTE. THE CHILDREN ARE ALWAYS OURS, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM ALL OVER THE GLOBE. IT SHOULD NOT EVER BE A QUESTION WHETHER OR NOT TO PUT OUR MONEY INTO WEAPONS THAT KILL CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS AND THEIR NEIGHBORS. I AM FULLY IN SUPPORT OF THESE OR ORDINANCES AND I ASK YOU THAT YOU WOULD SUPPORT THEM AS WELL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GORY VIJAYA KUMAR, FOLLOWED BY ZION SHEERAN. THEN RABBI YONI, GORY. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD. ONE MINUTE. HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN HEAR YOU. PLEASE GO AHEAD. MY NAME IS GADI AND I LIVE IN STRAWBERRY HILL. I'M THE PROUD PARENT OF TWO CHILDREN IN THE CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I'M CALLING ON THE CITY COUNCIL TO DIVEST FROM GENOCIDE. A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, MY THEN 6-YEAR-OLD ASKED ME, WHAT DOES IT MATTER WHAT WE DO HERE IN CAMBRIDGE? FOR PEOPLE SO FAR AWAY IN PALESTINE, LIKE MANY PARENTS HAD BEEN STRUGGLING TO EXPLAIN TO HIM WHY IT BROUGHT HIM INTO A WORLD WHERE 64,000 CHILDREN COULD BE KILLED AND INJURED. AND THE WORLD STOOD BY. MANY OF US HERE ARE PARENTS, AND I WANNA SAY WE ALL WORRY ABOUT OUR CHILDREN BEING TARGETED FOR WHO THEY ARE. SO WE SHOULD ALL CARE THAT A UN COMMISSION FOUND THAT THE ISRAELI MILITARY DELIBERATELY TARGETED CHILDREN. I TOLD MY CHILD THAT COMMITMENTS TO JUSTICE GO BEYOND CAMBRIDGE'S BORDERS BECAUSE OUR LIBERATION IS TIED UP WITH THE LIBERATION OF ALL PEOPLE EVERYWHERE. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW YET THAT 28 MILLION OF DOLLARS OF OUR CITY'S MONEY WAS INVESTED IN BULLDOZING PALESTINIAN HOMES. THE QUESTION IS SIMPLE. WILL WE CONTINUE TO ENABLE WAR CRIMES? LET'S INVEST OUR MONEY IN PLACES THAT REFLECT OUR VALUE SO OUR KIDS CAN SOMEDAY LOOK BACK AT THIS MOMENT AND BE PROUD OF OUR CITY. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ZION SHARON, FOLLOWED BY RABBI YONI. THEN DINA AMI ZION. PLEASE GO AHEAD. HI, ZION, SHARON, UM, MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU. HOW MANY ON THE COUNCIL HAVE RUN LIKE HEAVY EQUIPMENT, WHETHER IT'S A BACKHOE OR A BULLDOZER? ANY HANDS? ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE? OKAY, WE HAVE ONE OR TWO. UM, MY POINT IS, UM, HEARING A LOT OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT DIFFERENT COUNTRIES THAT THEY GREW UP IN, IT MADE ME THINK OF WHERE I GREW UP. I GREW UP IN A BLUE COLLAR, RURAL AREA WHERE PEOPLE WORK REALLY HARD AND A LOT OF PEOPLE AREN'T MAKING THAT MUCH MONEY. ONE OF THE COMPANIES I SAW ON THIS LIST WAS CATERPILLAR. IT'S SOMETHING THAT I GREW UP WORKING AROUND. IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'LL SEE ON FARMS. IT'S SOMETHING I WOULD BE WILLING TO BET THE CITY USES WHEN IT COMES TO SNOW REMOVAL, THOSE SORT OF COMPANIES. ONE, IT'S AMERICAN BASED. IT'S AMERICA BUILT. IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR ECONOMY. I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD BE TARGETING. NOW, I'M NOT HERE TO DEFEND STUFF LIKE PALANTIR OR PLACES THAT MAKE BOMBS, BUT I ALSO DON'T SEE WHY SOMEONE WHO MAKES BOMBS OR LANDMINES SHOULD NOT BE ON THIS LIST, JUST 'CAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A CONTRACT WITH IDF. SO I THINK THAT FOCUSING IT ON PLACES THAT ARE ACTUALLY BUILDING, YOU KNOW, MASS DESTRUCTION. THANK YOU, ZION. PLEASE SEND US THE REST. WE'LL GO NOW TO RABBI YONI, [05:45:01] FOLLOWED BY DINA AMI, THEN YVETTE Y RABBI YONI HAS NOT JOINED US. WE WILL GO TO DINA AMI. DINA, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. HI, MY NAME IS DINA. UM, I LIVE IN MEDFORD, UM, AND I WORK HERE IN CAMBRIDGE. I AM A PALESTINIAN WITH FAMILY AND GAZA WHO HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY ISRAEL'S ONGOING GENOCIDE. I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF POLICY ORDERS SEVEN AND EIGHT. ONE MINUTE IS NOWHERE NEAR ENOUGH TIME TO DESCRIBE THE HORRORS THAT MY FAMILY HAS ENDURED AT THE HANDS OF ISRAEL. EVERY SINGLE MEMBER OF MY FAMILY HAS LOST THEIR HOME, REDUCED TO REBEL BY ISRAELI AIRSTRIKES. I HAVE LOST COUNT OF HOW MANY OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE BEEN MURDERED. MY FAMILY HAS ENDURED AMPUTATIONS WITHOUT ANESTHESIA, MANY FORCED TO GIVE BIRTH WITHOUT ANESTHESIA AND DEVASTATING SHORTAGES OF FOOD AND WATER. ALL OF THIS IS HAPPENING WITH THE SUPPORT OF US TAX DOLLARS, INCLUDING THOSE CONTRIBUTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY. WE'RE NEARLY THREE YEARS INTO THIS GENOCIDE AND THERE IS NO LONGER ANY ROOM TO LOOK AWAY, TO REMAIN SILENT OR TO PRETEND THAT THIS SUFFERING HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH US. WHEN OUR TAX DOLLARS HELP FUND THIS DIS YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. PLEASE SEND US THE REST VIA EMAIL. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS YVETTE Y FOLLOWED BY NAONE DOWER. THEN JOYCE KLEIN. YVETTE. YVETTE IS NOT WITH US. WE WILL GO TO NEUN DOWER. WE DON'T HAVE NEUN. WE WILL GO TO JOYCE KLEIN. JOYCE, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. OKAY. UM, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THIS IS A VERY PAINFUL ARGUMENT TO LISTEN TO ALL NIGHT, AND I FEEL A LOT FOR ALL SIDES, BUT I DO WANT THE COUNCIL TO LISTEN SERIOUSLY TO THOSE WHO ARE AGAINST THE BDS MOVEMENT AND WHAT IT DEEPLY STANDS FOR IN TERMS OF TARGETING ISRAEL AND ANTISEMITISM AND ITS ROOTS. UM, AND I JUST WANNA SUPPORT ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SPOKEN, UM, AGAINST THIS, THIS, THESE POLICIES. AND, UM, I HOPE THAT CAMBRIDGE CAN BE A PLACE THAT IS OPEN TO ALL IDEAS AND ALL PEOPLE, AND WE CAN BEGIN TALKING TOGETHER TO OUR PALESTINIAN AND ISRAELI FRIENDS TOGETHER. AND, UM, REMEMBER THAT HAMAS AND OUR AND THE IRANIAN REGIME HAVE HAD A VERY BIG PART AND THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN CONTROL WHAT THEY HAVE DONE. SO IT'S A VERY PAINFUL ARGUMENT AND A DIFFICULT DECISION, I'M SURE, FOR THE COUNCIL. BUT PLEASE LISTEN CLOSELY TO THOSE WHO HAVE EXPRESSED THEIR FEARS. UM, IF THIS DOES GET PASSED, OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MOLLY ROTHENBERG, FOLLOWED BY OJAS K THEN BEN PE MOLLY, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. MOLLY IS SPEAKER NUMBER 3 24. MOLLY ROTHENBERG. IF YOU CAN UNMUTE. WE'RE GONNA GO TO OJAS K FOLLOWED BY BAZ P, THEN JACK KING OJAS. HI, MY NAME IS JOCELYN. AFTER 27 YEARS IN PRISON, UPON HIS RELEASE, ONE OF THE FIRST STOPS NELSON MANDELA MADE WAS TO MASSACHUSETTS WHERE HE ACCREDITED CAMBRIDGE FOR LEADING THE WAY WITH SPREADING THE MOVEMENT TO STOP APARTHEID. BUT THE STORY STARTS IN 1970 WITH A YOUNG CHEMIST WORKING FOR POLAROID WHEN SHE STUMBLED UPON EVIDENCE THAT HER EMPLOYER WAS ENABLING THE SOUTH AFRICAN STATE TO ENABLE DEHUMANIZATION OF HUMAN BEINGS. THAT YOUNG CHEMIST IS SOMEONE YOU ALL KNOW. CAROLYN HUNTER, THE CITY COUNCIL IN CAMBRIDGE PASSED RESOLUTION KICK-STARTING OFF THE BDS MOVEMENT AND EVENTUALLY CONGRESSMAN RON DELEN FILED THE NATIONALIZATION, WHICH WAS ENACTED OVER A PRESIDENTIAL VETO. CAMBRIDGE HAS STOOD ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY AND HE CAN DO SO AGAIN TOMORROW WHEN YOU WAKE UP, BE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY. VOTE YES TO DIVEST. THE NAME CLEARLY IS A GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL THAT IS COMMITTING THESE ATROCITIES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. HER NEXT SPEAKER IS BENNA PEZ, FOLLOWED BY JACK KEEN. THEN DAVID HERBAI BENNA. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. ONE MINUTE PLEASE. GO AHEAD. HI, MY NAME IS BENA AND I AM A PERSIAN JEW. MY FAMILY FLED IRAN BECAUSE OF RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION, SO I KNOW FIRSTHAND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN JEWS ARE LEFT DEFENSELESS. [05:50:01] FRANKLY, I AM DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED, BUT, BUT FROM WHAT I HAVE HEARD TONIGHT, I RESPECT THE JEWISH SPEAKERS WHO SUPPORT THESE RESOLUTIONS, BUT THEY DO NOT SPEAK FOR EVERY JEW AND CERTAINLY NOT FOR FAMILIES LIKE MINE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED PERSECUTION. ISRAEL FACES REAL THREATS FROM IRAN AND THE TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS LIKE HEZBOLLAH AND LEBANON DEFENSE AND SECURITY TECHNOLOGIES CAN PROTECT CIVILIANS AND HELP DETER FURTHER CONFLICT. DIVESTMENT DESERVES SERIOUS CONSIDERATION FOR THOSE CONSEQUENCES. PALESTINIAN SUFFERING MATTERS, BUT SO DOES JEWISH SAFETY. HUMAN RIGHTS MUST BE DEFENDED CONSISTENTLY AND NOT SELECTIVELY. I URGE YOU TO VOTE NO ON POLICY ORDERS SEVEN AND EIGHT. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JACK KEANE, FOLLOWED BY DAVID HERBAI, THEN NATALIE ANDERSON. JACK, GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS JACK KEANE, BORN AND RAISED IN CAMBRIDGE, AND I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF ORDINANCES SEVEN AND EIGHT. NUMEROUS PEOPLE TONIGHT HAVE OPPOSED THIS MEASURE ON THE GROUNDS THAT IT IS NOT A LOCAL ISSUE, AS MANY OF US HAVE EXPRESSED. IT IS A LOCAL ISSUE ON ACCOUNT OF THE FACT THAT MILLIONS OF OUR TAX DOLLARS FUND THE GENOCIDE OF PALESTINIANS. IT IS ALSO A LOCAL BECAUSE AS A CITY THAT FLOATS ITS SOCIAL, POLITICAL, AND EDUCATIONAL INFLUENCE, TO BE NOT ONLY COMPLICIT, BUT TO ENABLE THIS GENOCIDE REPRESENTS THE HIGHEST DEGREE OF HYPOCRISY. IT IS SHAMEFUL TO SHY AWAY FROM DOING THE RIGHT THING. NOW, TO THOSE WHO CALL THIS ORDINANCE PERFORMATIVE, NOTHING IS MORE PERFORMATIVE THAN TO ABSOLVE YOURSELVES OF RESPONSIBILITY. JUST BECAUSE YOU REPRESENT CAMBRIDGE WHILE FUNDING THIS APARTHEID STATE COUNSELORS, YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SET AN EXAMPLE FOR CITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND TO STAND ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS. SO PLEASE VOTE YES. WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO AN EARLIER SKIP SPEAKER, VICTOR, DON CHENKO. VICTOR, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. HELLO. UH, THANK YOU. I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THIS RESOLUTION TO, UH, UH, DIVEST FROM, UH, COMPANIES, UH, SUPPORTING THE ISRAELI GENOCIDE IN PALESTINE. UM, UH, ONE THING I WANT TO ADDRESS IS, UH, WE'VE, UH, HEARD HOW, UH, SUPPOSEDLY DIVESTING FROM ISRAEL WILL, UH, RESULT IN PEOPLE FEELING LESS SAFE IN CAMBRIDGE. I THINK WE DON'T NEED TO TAKE THIS ARGUMENTS ON ITS FACE VALUE. UM, I DON'T SEE HOW, UH, FEWER BOMBS FALLING ON PALESTINE, UH, COULD POSSIBLY MAKE, UH, SOMEONE HERE LESS SAFE. UM, I THINK IT CAN ONLY MAKE US ALL MORE SAFE. UM, THAT'S MY TIME. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAVID HERBAI, FOLLOWED BY NATALIE ANDERSON. THEN SARAH NAPIER. DAVID, ONE MINUTE PLEASE. GO AHEAD. HELLO, MY NAME IS DAVID. I'VE SPENT MOST OF MY LIFE IN CAMBRIDGE. ONE OF THE MOST HORRIBLE LIES THAT ZIONISTS TODAY HAVE SAID ABOUT PALESTINIANS WAS THAT THEY RAPED ISRAELIS ON OCTOBER 7TH, THREE YEARS INTO THE GENOCIDE, THEY HAVE NOT PROVIDED EVEN ONE EXAMPLE OF A VICTIM ALIVE OR DEAD THAT WAS RAPED BY PALESTINIANS ON OCTOBER 7TH. AND THIS LIE IS PARTICULARLY VILE BECAUSE RAPE AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE IS STATE POLICY WITHIN ISRAEL. EVEN WHEN MULTIPLE ISRAELI SOLDIERS WERE ARRESTED BECAUSE THEIR GANG RAPE OF A PALESTINIAN FROM GAZA WAS VIDEOTAPED AND RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC. ISRAELIS RIOTED AGAINST THE PRISON FOR THE RIGHT TO RAPE AND CELEBRATED THEIR RELEASE, EVEN GIVING THEM CELEBRITY INTERVIEWS ON ISRAELI TELEVISION. I URGE EVERYONE TO READ THE PREDATORY STATE RELEASED BY THE PALESTINIAN FEMINIST COLLECTIVE. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THIS FREE PALESTINE. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NATALIE ANDERSON, FOLLOWED BY SARAH NAPIER, THE NAYLA GERMANS. NATALIE, NATALIE HAS NOT JOINED US. WE WILL GO TO SARAH NAPIER. SARAH IS NOT HERE. WE WILL GO TO NYLA GERMAN. NYLA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD ONE MINUTE. THANK YOU. UM, I'M HERE TO SUPPORT THE DIVESTMENT. I WAS BORN IN LEBANON AND CAME TO TUFTS UNIVERSITY FOR GRADUATE SCHOOL IN 1968 WITH A SCHOLARSHIP TO STUDY PHYSICS. I HAVE BEEN A US CITIZEN SINCE 1983. CAMBRIDGE WAS THE CENTER OF MY LIFE AND I STILL SHOP, GO TO RESTAURANTS, AND MY GYM FOR MORE THAN 15 YEARS [05:55:01] IS IN CAMBRIDGE. IN 1982, WITHIN FOUR DAYS OF THE ISRAELI INVASION OF LEBANON, THE ISRAELI ARMY MARCHED INTO OUR VILLAGE. EVERY HOME IN OUR VILLAGE WAS DESTROYED. OUR HOUSE WAS HIT BY 18 ROCKETS. MY MOTHER DIED IN 1994 AND NEVER SAW HER HOME AGAIN. MY MOTHER-IN-LAW DIED ALONE IN A NURSING HOME HAVING BEEN DISPLACED TWICE. ONCE IN 1948 FROM JERUSALEM AFTER THEY WERE BRUTALLY FORCED OUT BY THE UNG GANGS. AND IN 1983 FROM OUR VILLAGE IN LEBANON, MY FAMILY'S SUFFERING CANNOT BE COMPARED TO THE GENOCIDE IN GAZA OR THE VIOLENCE SETTLER ATTACKS IN THE WEST BANK AND NOW THE GASIFICATION OF LEBANON. WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK TO AN EARLIER SKIP SPEAKER, TRINITY RAOS. THEN WE WILL GO TO SPEAKER NUMBER 3 33 NHI TRIVEDI, FOLLOWED BY ARIS APOLLOS. THEN STEPHANIE DURAND TRINITY, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. MY NAME IS TRINITY LARCOS AND I LIVE IN RIVERSIDE. WHILE STUDYING AT UPENN, I HEARD MANY JEWISH PEERS WEIGH IN ON DIVESTMENT FROM ISRAEL. IN A PROFOUND CONVERSATION, ONE SHARED HIS RABBI'S HEAVIEST TWO WORD LESSON. NEVER AGAIN. NEVER AGAIN SHOULD JEWISH PEOPLE FACE SUCH HATE. NEVER AGAIN. SHOULD ANYONE SAY ODDLY BI WHILE HATRED UNFOLDS? NEVER AGAIN SHOULD ANYONE FACE SUCH AGONY BECAUSE OF WHERE YOU'RE FROM OR WHAT YOU BELIEVE. AS AN AMERICAN, AS A CATHOLIC, AND AS A MEDICAL STUDENT, I THINK THIS IS FUNDAMENTAL TO WHAT WE SHOULD ALL PRACTICE. IF WE CAN CONSIDER WHETHER CAMBRIDGE FUNDS SHOULD SOW VIOLENCE, WE SHOULD CONSIDER WHAT NEVER AGAIN TEACHES US ABOUT PALESTINE. HEAR US IMPLORE YOU TO DIVEST. NOW HEAR US SAY NEVER AGAIN. HEAR US SAY FREE PALESTINE. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS NHI VEDI, FOLLOWED BY ARIS APOLLOS, THEN STEPHANIE DURAND. NHI. NHI HAS NOT JOINED. WE'LL GO TO ARIS PALOS. MY NAME IS ERIS, A POLLOS. I'M A 14-YEAR-OLD HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT, AND I'M SPEAKING TONIGHT IN SUPPORT OF DIVESTMENT FROM COMPANIES COMPLICIT IN GENOCIDE AND APARTHEID. CAMBRIDGE'S TAX DOLLARS SHOULD NOT BE FUNDING THESE RAIL WAR MACHINE OR ANY WAR MACHINE. AT THAT. OVER $28 MILLION ARE INVESTED IN COMPANIES THAT ARE DIRECTLY COMPLICIT IN ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE AND GAZA. WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT $28 MILLION ARE INVESTED IN THE SLAUGHTER OF CHILDREN JUST LIKE ME. JUST THIS PAST WEEK, A 4-YEAR-OLD GIRL WATCHED AS HER MOTHER BURNED TO DEATH AS A RESULT OF AN ISRAELI BOMB. LET THAT SINK IN FOR A MOMENT. A 4-YEAR-OLD CHILD WATCHED AS HER MOTHER BURNED TO DEATH. CAMBRIDGE IS NOT HELPLESS. WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE CHANGE INTO STAND AGAINST APARTHEID AND GENOCIDE, JUST LIKE HOW WE DID IN 1980 WITH SOUTH AFRICA. I HOPE THAT YOU ALL MOVE FORWARD IN MAKING THE RIGHT DECISION TONIGHT. THE DECISION FOR JUSTICE, FOR PEACE, AND FOR WORLDS FOR BOTH KIDS LIKE MYSELF AND FOR THOSE IN PALESTINE, FREE PALESTINE. NEXT WE HAVE SPEAKER NUMBER 3 35 STEPHANIE DURAND, FOLLOWED BY KAREN CHOI, THEN CRAIG MCDONALD. STEPHANIE, ONE MINUTE PLEASE GO AHEAD. I HAD SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF DIVESTMENT. I'M AN ANTI DISPLACEMENT ACTIVIST HERE IN CAMBRIDGE. AND TRUE SOLIDARITY MEANS THE RIGHT FOR ALL PEOPLE, INCLUDING PALESTINIANS TO STAY PUT. THE LUCKY ONES ARE DISPLACED, THE REST ARE BOMBED. I'M A PROUD AND LONGTIME CANTER BRIDGE BEFORE LIVING HERE IN CAMBRIDGE. I WAS BORN AND RAISED FOR SEVEN YEARS IN HAITI. HAITI, AS YOU ALL KNOW, IS THE FIRST AND ONLY REPUBLIC. FORMED FROM THE COLLABORATION OF FORMERLY KIDNAPPED ENSLAVED AFRICANS AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN REVOLUTION AGAINST THEIR COLONIZERS. OUR ANCESTORS TOOK UP THE MISSION AND CHARGED US ALL WITH THE MISSION TO STAND UP AGAINST OPPRESSION EVERYWHERE. AND I HAVE TAKEN UP THIS CHARGE, THE DUTY TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF PALESTINIANS, THE OPPRESSED GROUP IN PALESTINE. AND SO IF YOU WOULD'VE VOTED AGAINST SLAVERY, IF YOU WOULD NOT HAVE FUNDED PUNCH, UH, PENSIONS WITH APARTHEID. STEPHANIE, PLEASE EMAIL US. THE REMAIN REMAIN HAS EXPIRED FAVOR. I MEAN, PLEASE VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS POSSIBLE SPEAKER IS KAREN CHOI, FOLLOWED BY CRAIG MCDONALD, THEN NEIL ROHR. KAREN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. ONE MINUTE. HELLO, MY NAME IS KAREN. I'M A RESEARCH RECENT HARVARD COLLEGE GRADUATE, AND I'VE LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE FOR FIVE YEARS. TODAY I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE HARVARD SQUARE KIOSK. I RUN THIS SNAIL MAIL STATION AND IT'S REALLY FOUND AT HOME THERE. EVERY FEW WEEKS I SIT OUTSIDE AND INVITE PACIFY TO SEND LETTER MAIL [06:00:01] TO THEIR LOVED ONES. SOME STAY FOR FIVE MINUTES AND OTHERS FOR TWO HOURS. BUT WHAT'S TRUE ACROSS THE BOARD IS THE ABSOLUTE JOY AND GRATITUDE FOR THE KIOSK. WHAT STARTS AS A CURIOSITY TO PHYSICAL WRITING IN A DIGITAL AGE ALWAYS TURNS INTO A HEARTFELT CONVERSATION ABOUT THE HUMAN NEED TO CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER AND THE ABILITY TO SLOW DOWN. THE KIOSK SERVES TOURISTS, FAMILIES, STUDENTS, AND RESIDENTS ALIKE. QI SURPRISE NEIGHBORS IN SUPPORT OF THE KIOSK, HAVE ALSO RETURNED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WITH GIFTS SUCH AS A BRIGHT YELLOW TYPEWRITER, ARE NOW INTEGRAL PART OF THE STATION, A BOOKLET OF INTERNATIONAL AMP TO SEND MAIL ACROSS THE WORLD AND WASHINGTON TAPE FOR KIDS TO DECORATE TILL THE HEART'S CONTENT. MY HEART IS SO FULL AND LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THIS EXPERIENCE WITH OTHERS AND I HOPE THE HARVARD SQUARE KIOSK STAYS A VITAL PART OF CAMBRIDGE FOR A LONG TIME TO COME. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CRAIG MCDONALD, FOLLOWED BY NEIL ROAR, THEN MANUEL MARTINEZ. CRAIG CRAIG IS NOT HERE. WE WILL GO TO NEIL ROAR, FOLLOWED BY MANUEL MARTINEZ. THEN ALEX MILLS NEIL. NEIL IS NOT HERE. MANUEL MARTINEZ. ALEX MILLS. ALEX, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR, PLEASE GO AHEAD. SURE. YEAH. MY NAME IS ALEX MILLS. I LIVE IN SOMERVILLE. I'M INCREDIBLY PROUD THAT MY TOWN PASSED A REFERENDUM TO DIVEST FROM GENOCIDE AND IS NOW IN THE PROCESS OF PASSING DIVESTMENT LEGISLATION. AND I'M OVERJOYED THAT YOU AS LEGISLATORS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO, TO DO THE SAME. I'VE SEEN SOME COMMENTS FROM DETRACTORS SAYING THAT ONE TOWN CAN CHANGE ISRAEL'S BEHAVIOR. THEY SAID THAT IN SOMERVILLE TOO, THAT I SAY, EVEN IF YOU BELIEVE THAT CAMBRIDGE'S MONEY WILL NOT HAVE AN IMPACT, UM, DIVESTMENT HAS TO START SOMEWHERE. OTHER JURISDICTIONS, OTHER ELECTORATES, OTHER POLITICIANS WILL SEE WHAT'S POSSIBLE AND FOLLOW OUR LEAD. YOU CAN BE AT THE HEAD OF A SEA CHANGE AGAINST MASS MURDER. THAT'S THE RIGHT PLACE FOR CAMBRIDGE TO BE AS IT IS THE RIGHT PLACE FOR SOMERVILLE TO BE. WE CAN START HERE THEN. WHERE THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ANDY FISHER, FOLLOWED BY G WYMAN. THEN JULIA BERGER. ANDY. ANDY, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. HI, MY NAME IS ANDY FISHER. I ORGANIZE WITH CAMBRIDGE DSA AND I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF THE DIVESTMENT ORDINANCES, UM, ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA, UM, POWER OF TONIGHT. AND THE FACT THAT WE ARE STILL HERE TALKING ABOUT THIS ISSUE, UM, I KNOW IT RE IT TAKES AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF LABOR TO, TO PRESERVE THESE SPACES AND AND ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING. AND I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR ALLOWING THAT TO HAPPEN. UM, I DON'T HAVE A LOT TO SAY THAT HASN'T BEEN SAID, BUT I JUST WANNA KNOW, TALKING ABOUT THIS ISSUE OF DIVESTMENT. UM, IT'S, IT'S NOT ABOUT PERSECUTING A PARTICULAR IDENTITY. IT'S BECAUSE WE ARE IN CAMBRIDGE PROVIDING MATERIAL SUPPORT, UM, TO, YOU KNOW, GENOCIDE. AND, AND SO IT IS REAL SUPPORT THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TONIGHT. I AM NOT OKAY WITH OUR TAX DOLLARS BEING DIRECTLY, UM, RESPONSIBLE FOR THE KILLING OF CHILDREN ACROSS THE WORLD. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SPEAKER NUMBER THREE 40 3G WYMAN, FOLLOWED BY JULIA BERGER. THEN KIERAN NAAD G WYMAN, IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR GLENNA. WE WILL COME BACK. WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO JULIA BERGER, FOLLOWED BY KIERAN NAAD, THEN HEATHER HOFFMAN. JULIA, ONE MINUTE. OKAY. MY NAME IS JULIA BERGER. I'M A JEWISH AMERICAN LONGTIME RESIDENT OF BROOKLINE, WHO'S IN COMMUNITY WITH MANY OF THE RESIDENTS HERE IN CAMBRIDGE. I'M SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF DIVESTING CAMBRIDGE FROM THE STATE OF ISRAEL. NEED THIS TO BE SAID. WE HAVE LONG REACHED A POINT IN WHICH IT HAS BECOME UNDENIABLY CLEAR THAT NOT ONLY HAS THE STATE OF ISRAEL BEEN CARRYING OUT A GENOCIDE AGAINST THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE DURATION OF ITS 75 YEAR OCCUPATION, BUT IT IS ALSO ONE OF THE MOST WELL-DOCUMENTED GENOCIDES IN HISTORY. TO SAY OTHERWISE IS BLATANT GENOCIDE DENIAL. WE ARE FAR PAST DUE FOR MEANINGFUL MATERIAL CHANGE THAT WILL HOLD ISRAEL ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS. TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE EVEN THINKING OF, UM, DECIDING TONIGHT TO VOTE AGAINST DIVESTMENT, NOT ONLY ARE YOU COWARDS, NOT ONLY ARE YOU GENOCIDE DENIERS, BUT ARE FULL ON MURDERERS IF THAT'S WHAT, UH, THE DECISION THAT YOU WANNA MAKE. AS A LONG, UM, AS LONG AS CAMBRIDGE TAX DOLLARS ARE INVESTED IN COMPANIES THAT ARE ENABLE GENOCIDE, WE ARE SETTING OURSELVES [06:05:01] UP TO FACE THE IMMINENT CONSEQUENCES OF OUR OWN ACTIONS OR LACK THEREOF. CONSIDERING THE GLOBAL IMPLICATIONS OF LETTING A GENOCIDAL, EXPANSIONIST STATE GO ROGUE WITH ENDLESS VIOLENCE THAT HAS EVENTUALLY, THAT WILL EVENTUALLY LEAVE NO ONE ON EARTH UNTOUCHED. IT IS BEYOND OUTRAGEOUS THAT SO LITTLE MATERIAL CHANGE HAS BEEN MADE OVER. THANK YOU FOR JULIA. YOUR TIME HAS EXPIRED. THANK YOU. WE WILL GO TO KI NAAD FOLLOWED BY HEATHER HOFFMAN, THEN DAN TOTTEN KI HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE CAN. HI, MY NAME'S KI I LIVE IN PORTER AND I GO TO WORK EVERY DAY KNOWING THAT MY MONEY IS CAUSING FIRES THAT ARE BURNING PALESTINIAN JOURNALISTS, DOCTORS, AID WORKERS AND CIVILIANS TO DEATH. I'M DISGUSTED WITH MYSELF WHEN I SEE MY MONEY GOING TO COMPANIES LIKE RAYTHEON, LOCKHEED MARTIN, AND PALANTIR CORPORATIONS THAT MAKE MONEY FROM SLAUGHTERING AND OPPRESSING PEOPLE BOTH IN THE WELL-DOCUMENTED GENOCIDE AND PALESTINE AND IN AMERICA THROUGH AN EMERGING SURVEILLANCE STATE. I GO TO THE GYM AND WORK OUT EVERY DAY WONDERING HOW MANY PALESTINIAN ATHLETES HAVE BEEN RENDERED UNABLE TO PRACTICE WHATEVER ATHLETICS THEY LOVE BECAUSE THEY FACE STARVATION, AMPUTATION, AND TRAUMA FROM ISRAEL'S GENOCIDE, WHICH EVERYONE HERE HAS LIKELY FINANCIALLY CONTRIBUTED THROUGH THEIR PURCHASES AND OR TAXES. ISRAEL HAS CRIPPLED AN ENTIRE GENERATION OF PEOPLE AND IT'S INSANE TO ME THAT SOME SPEAKERS CLAIM TO BE FOR ALL CHILDREN WHILE ADVOCATING TO KEEP GIVING MONEY TO MAKE BOMBS THAT KILL THEM. THIS IS NOT A FOREIGN AFFAIR AS SOME SPEAKERS CLAIM, AS IT'S OUR MONEY GOING TO THESE DEFENSE CONTRACTORS AND THESE ATROCITIES. VOTE YES ON SEVEN AND EIGHT TO MAKE SURE OUR CITY ABIDES BY INTERNATIONAL LAW. EVERY DOLLAR NOT USED TO MAKE BOMBS, MAKES A DIFFERENCE AND CAN BE USED ELSEWHERE. WE'RE ALL SAFER WITH LESS MISSILES AND LESS BOMBS IN THE WORLD. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS HEATHER HOFFMAN, FOLLOWED BY DAN TOTTEN, THEN EUGENE LEE. HEATHER, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. HELLO, HEATHER HOFFMAN, TWO 13 HURLEY STREET. I'M GONNA START BY THANKING NAOMI FOR KEEPING HER COOL AND KEEPING HER PLACED IN THAT IMMENSE LIST. UM, I WILL REPEAT MY PERENNIAL REMARK ABOUT THE LIST OF LITIGATION THAT YOU GUYS DON'T EVEN CARE ABOUT ANYMORE. AND IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE INCLUSIONARY ZONING LAWSUITS, WHICH YOU SHOULD. UM, WITH RESPECT TO A FEAR FREE TEE, THAT WOULD BE FANTASTIC. UM, ANY SPEEDING UP OF THE NUMBER ONE WOULD BE GREAT. UM, AND MEDICARE FOR ALL BUT BETTER. ABSOLUTELY. PLEASE PROTECT MAGAZINE BEACH. AND WITH RESPECT TO THE COORDINATION OF PERMITTING AUTHORITIES, PERHAPS THEY SHOULD TALK TO EACH OTHER AND THEY SHOULD ALL KNOW THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE SAME THING AND MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAN TOTTEN, FOLLOWED BY EUGENE LEE. THEN LENA AURORA. DAN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. PLEASE GO AHEAD. ONE MINUTE. YES. HI, MY NAME IS DAN TOTTEN, 54 BISHOP ALLEN DRIVE. UM, I, I JUST, I THINK THE QUESTION IS REALLY HERE IS HOW, HOW DO YOU WANT TO BE REMEMBERED? BECAUSE IT'S JUST VERY OBVIOUS, UM, THAT THERE'S A GENOCIDE HAPPENING AND, UM, I THINK THAT TONIGHT IS ONE OF THOSE NIGHTS THAT, UM, PEOPLE WILL LOOK BACK ON AND, AND USE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT KIND OF CITY COUNSELOR YOU WERE. AND I'M NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT YOUR KIDS AND YOUR GRANDKIDS 'CAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'LL HAVE TO LIVE WITH YOURSELF. BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE 50 TO A HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW WHO, UM, LOOK BACK ON THIS TIME AND LOOK BACK ON THE EVOLUTION OF THE MOVEMENT IN SUPPORT OF PALESTINE, PARTICULARLY OVER THE LAST DECADE. AND, UM, WHO USED THIS VOTE ON THIS ISSUE TO EVALUATE YOUR CAREER. AND SO I JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO REALLY THINK ABOUT THAT. AND THEN FINALLY, I I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT ORDINANCES GENERALLY GET HEARINGS IN THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE, SO THAT WOULD BE THE NEXT STEP, AND I HOPE THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS EUGENE LEE, FOLLOWED BY LENA AURORA, THEN JAMES WILLIAMSON. EUGENE, WE DO NOT HAVE YOU EUGENE. WE WILL GO TO LENA AURORA, FOLLOWED BY JAMES WILLIAMSON, THEN MARTY LEVIN. LENA, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU HAVE ONE MINUTE. HI. THANK YOU. UM, YEAH, I AM A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT AND, UH, I'M SPEAKING IN SUPPORT OF POLICY ORDERS SEVEN AND EIGHT, UH, FOR DIVESTMENT. UM, YOU KNOW, AS A, A MEMBER OF THE THRIVING JEWISH COMMUNITY IN CAMBRIDGE, UM, I, I KNOW THAT SOME PEOPLE CONSIDER BDS TO, UM, THEY'VE BEEN RAISED TO UNDERSTAND [06:10:01] BDS TO BE SYNONYMOUS WITH ANTI-SEMITISM WITHOUT MUCH UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT BDS REALLY MEANS. AND SO I REALLY ENCOURAGE THOSE PEOPLE TO, TO LOOK INTO WHAT BDS MEANS AND TO UNDERSTAND IT. IT DOES NOT EQUATE TO ANTISEMITISM. IT EQUATES TO WHERE WE'RE SPENDING OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS. I'LL ALSO SAY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BRINGING UP, WHY ARE WE SINGLING OUT ISRAEL? WHY ARE WE NOT TALKING ABOUT SUDAN OR IRAN? THE KEY DIFFERENCE IS JUST WHERE OUR DOLLARS GO. UM, OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS DON'T GO TO FUND RAYTHEON, UM, CAUSING WIDESPREAD FAMINE, HUNGER AND CONFLICT IN SUDAN. IT DOES FOR ISRAEL. AND SO WE DO STAND AGAINST ALL IMMORAL ACTION, BUT IT'S ABOUT OUR DOLLARS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JAMES WILLIAMSON, FOLLOWED BY MARTY LEVIN. JAMES, PLEASE GO AHEAD. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. CAN YOU HEAR ME? WE, WE CAN. THANK YOU. SORRY. TRAIN IN THE BACKGROUND. HI, ALL. I WASN'T PLANNING TO SPEAK ABOUT THIS, BUT I FEEL I OBLIGED TO. UM, FIRST OF ALL, IMAGINE THAT YOU PARTICIPATED IN THE WARSAW GHETTO UPRISING AND YOU'VE BEEN ROUNDED UP, YOU MANAGED TO SURVIVE, YOU'VE BEEN ROUNDED UP IN YOUR WAITING DEPORTATION TO EXTERMINATION CAMP, MAYBE TO AUSCHWITZ. AND SOMEBODY COMES ALONG AND SAYS, DON'T BE TOO DISRUPTIVE. DON'T CLAP, DON'T YELL. JUST KEEP QUIET. BE CIVIL. UM, I WANNA POINT OUT TWO THINGS. UH, FIRST OF ALL, I, IF YOU LIKE DONALD TRUMP, YOU'RE REALLY GONNA NOT LIKE THIS RESOLUTION OF THIS POLICY ORDER. DONALD TRUMP AND ISRAEL, I BEEN, ARE JOINED AT THE HIP, UH, READ JOHN SCHEER'S BOOK FROM 20 YEARS AGO, THE ISRAEL LOBBY, AND LISTEN TO SOME OF HIS RECENT PODCASTS. THANK YOU. OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARTY LEVIN. MARTY, PLEASE GO AHEAD. I BELIEVE WHAT MAKES US TRULY HUMAN IN OUR IS OUR WISDOM, COMPASSION, AND LOVE. AND I MUST SAY I'M SICK AT HEART AND IN ANGUISH KNOWING THAT SO MANY PEOPLE IN PALESTINE HAVE BEEN MURDERED BY THE GENOCIDAL POLICIES OF THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT AND THE ISRAELI MILITARY, INCLUDING ACCORDING TO A, A REPORT BY A HIGHLY RESPECTED DOCTOR, BABIES WHO HAVE PURPOSELY BEEN SHOT IN THE HEAD BY THE ISRAELI MILITARY. HOW CAN WE IN CAMBRIDGE HAVING A REPUTATION OF BEING A VERY PROGRESSIVE AND CARING COMMUNITY, CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ACTIONS THAT DESTROY AND END PALESTINIAN LIVES, INCLUDING THE MOST VULNERABLE OF THE PALESTINIAN POPULATION, ITS BABIES. NOT TO MENTION DESTROYING THE INFRASTRUCTURE, WHICH MEANS DESTROYING THE FOUNDATION OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE. I URGE YOU TO DI DIVEST PLEASE MADAM MAYOR, THAT IS ALL THAT WE'RE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. SO THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. I WANNA THANK NAOMI FOR, UH, LEADING US THROUGH THE PUBLIC COMMENT. UM, I WANNA THANK ALL THE SPEAKERS WHO CAME OUT TONIGHT, UH, AT CITY HALL AND ON ZOOM WITH THAT ON A MOTION BY VICE VICE MAYOR TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO, THE HAVE IT. SO RIGHT NOW IT'S 1144. UH, WE HAVE, UH, A LOT OF THE AGENDA TO GET THROUGH. MY SUGGESTION WOULD BE TO, UM, RECESS UNTIL OUR 9:00 AM MEETING IN THE MORNING, UH, WHERE WE CAN CONTINUE THE, UM, REMAINING ITEMS. AND SO, UH, UH, I MOTION DO, DO NEED A MOTION FOR THAT? YES, I WOULD. THEN I WOULD MOVE THAT WE RECESS. SO, COUNCILOR SIMMONS MOVES THAT WE RECESS UNTIL OUR 9:00 AM CITY COUNCIL MEETING IN THE MORNING, WHERE WE'LL CONTINUE THE REMAINDER OF THE ITEMS. WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILOR ZUBIE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZE? YES. YES. COUNCIL OF FLAHERTY? YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNSELOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNSELOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNSELOR ZUEY? YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. GOODNIGHT. A QUORUM OF THE CITY COUNCIL BEING PRESENT. I CALL TODAY'S CONTINUATION OF THE OCTOBER 19TH, 2026 REGULAR MEETING OF THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL. TO ORDER THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS A ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS PRESENT. COUNCILOR ZUBE. PRESENT VICE MAYOR ZE. [06:15:01] PRESENT COUN COUNCIL, COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. ABSENT, COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. PRESENT. PRESENT. COUNCILOR NOLAN. PRESENT. PRESENT, COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. PRESENT. PRESENT, COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. PRESENT, PRESENT, COUNCILOR ZUI. ABSENT MAYOR SIDIKI. PRESENT. PRESENT, YOU HAVE SEVEN MEMBERS RECORDED AS PRESENT, AND TWO RECORDED AS ABSENT PER CHAPTER TWO OF THE ACTS OF 2025. ADOPTED BY MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL COURT AND APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR. THE CITY IS AUTHORIZED TO USE REMOTE PARTICIPATION AT MEETINGS OF THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL. YOU CAN ALSO VIEW THE ME MEETING VIA THE CITY'S OPEN MEETING PORTAL OR ON THE CITY'S CABLE CHANNEL 22. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDS THIS MEETING AND MAKES IT AVAILABLE FOR THE PUBLIC FOR FUTURE VIEWING. IN ADDITION, THIRD PARTIES MAY ALSO BE AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDING THIS MEETING. WE'LL RESUME THE MEETING WHERE WE LEFT OFF LAST EVENING. LAST EVENING. WE HAVE ONE SUBMISSION OF THE RECORD MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON THE CITY MANAGER'S 2026 PERFORMANCE REVIEW PROCESS HELD ON JUNE 23RD, 2026 ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR NOLAN TO ACCEPT THE REPORT AND PLACE ON FILE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO, THE AYES HAVE IT. THAT SUBMISSION OF THE RECORD'S BEEN PLACED ON FILE. WE MOVE ON TO THE CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA. OKAY. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY IS HERE. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. PRESENT. PRESENT. WE NOW MOVE ON TO THE BALANCE OF THE CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA ITEMS. WE WILL GO TO CITY MANAGER. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, THIS IS A COMMUNICATION TRANSMITTED FROM EON HUANG CITY MANAGER RELATIVE TO A POLICE REVIEW AND ADVISORY BOARD QUARTERLY REPORT FOR THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2026. COUNCILOR ZUBE, YOU PULLED THIS? YES. THANK YOU. THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR. I WILL BE CHAIRING A PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE HEARING ON THE POLICE REVIEW AND ADVISORY BOARD ON NOVEMBER 10TH FROM 12 TO 2:00 PM SO JUST WANTED TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ADD THAT TO THE MEETING. SO I'LL MOVE A MOTION TO REFER THIS REPORT TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE'S HEARING ON NOVEMBER 10TH. COUNCILOR ZUBY WILL BE MOVING CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, MEETING THAT'S HAPPENING ON NOVEMBER 10TH. SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON THAT MOTION. LORE ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR? YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SY AB ABSENT COUNT MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE EIGHT MEMBERS RECORDING THE AFFIRMATIVE. AND ONE RECORDED IS ABSENT. WE NOW MOVE ON TO CITY MANAGER. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE. THIS IS A COMMUNICATION TRANSMITTED FROM IAN WONG, CITY MANAGER RELATIVE TO A GREEN JOBS REPORT. COUNCILOR NOLAN, YOU PULL THIS FIRST. THANK YOU. UH, MAYOR SIDIKI. YES, I PULLED IT. 'CAUSE I THINK IT'S AN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT PART OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING CITYWIDE TO HELP OUR RESIDENTS, UH, TRANSITION TO GOOD PAYING, HIGH PAYING JOBS THAT ALSO HELP OUR, UH, CITY AND THE STATE AND FRANKLY, YOU KNOW, THE NATION TO MOVE FORWARD. SO I'D JUST LOVE TO HEAR, UH, AN UPDATE, UM, FOR ALL OF US FROM THE STAFF ON EXACTLY HOW WE'RE MEASURING PROGRESS, HOW MANY RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS, AND WHAT THE SMART GOALS ARE FOR US MOVING FORWARD TO ENSURE THAT THIS INVESTMENT, WHICH IS QUITE HIGH, WE HAVE I THINK, A FULL-TIME PERSON WORKING ON THIS TO HEAR, UH, WHAT THE MEASURABLE AND DELIVERABLE RESULTS WILL BE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. OKAY. ALRIGHT. GIVE THAT LITTLE WEIGHT, LITTLE BIT OF PHYSICS THERE. UM, THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR. UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UM, THIS OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THE GREEN JOBS REPORT AND THE WORK THAT'S BEHIND THE REPORT. UM, I'M SUE WALSH. I'M THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR ADULT AND FAMILY SERVICES FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICE PROGRAMS. AND THE WORK IS CENTERED WITHIN OUR OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. AND SO WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE RESOURCES THAT WE'VE DEDICATED TO, UM, BOTH RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT WHAT GREEN JOBS ARE, THE PATHWAYS IN ORDER TO ACCESS THEM, UM, AND DEEP AND INTENTIONAL OUTREACH TO RESIDENTS WHO WE THINK AND BENEFIT FROM THESE OPPORTUNITIES. UM, WE HAVE, UH, HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR, UH, FROM COUNCILOR NOLAN THAT THE ABILITY TO OUTLINE VERY CLEAR SMART GOALS WITHIN A BROAD INITIATIVE LIKE THIS HELPS US TO FOCUS OUR WORK AND OUR INTENTIONALITY. AND THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TRIED TO DO. UM, WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HIRE REBECCA WHO I WILL, UH, ASK TO INTRODUCE HERSELF. UM, AND WHAT WE HAVE TRIED TO [06:20:01] SUPPORT REBECCA IN DOING IS A THREE-PRONGED APPROACH TO ACHIEVING THE GOALS OF THIS INITIATIVE. AND I WOULD SAY THE CORNERSTONE OF THAT IS INDIVIDUALIZED CASE MANAGEMENT, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT NO OTHER MUNICIPALITY IS OFFERING AT THIS TIME TO ITS RESIDENTS. UM, REBECCA, GOOD MORNING COUNSELORS. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR PULLING THIS, UM, THIS REPORT, UH, SOMETHING I'M VERY, VERY EXCITED ABOUT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTIONS. UM, AND SO TO ANSWER, UH, COUNCILLOR NOLAN'S QUESTIONS, UH, ACTUALLY SMART GOALS ARE HOW I USUALLY FRAME MY WORK. UM, SO THAT WAS ACTUALLY VERY, UM, UH, JUST WORKED OUT PERFECTLY. UH, SO JUST FOR SOME CONTEXT, I WAS HIRED 15 MONTHS AGO AND I ALWAYS KNEW THAT THE FIRST YEAR WAS JUST GONNA BE, YOU KNOW, ME LEARNING ONBOARDING, UM, WITH THE BULK OF THE, THE, UM, HIRING AND THE PLACING INTO, UH, TRAINING PROGRAMS HAPPENING IN THE SECOND YEAR, WHICH IS WHAT, WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW. UM, AND SO TO ANSWER, ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS, I HAVE FRAMED EVERYTHING, UM, ALL OF MY WORK IN SMART GOALS THAT I SUBMITTED IN THE GREEN JOBS REPORT. UM, SO AS OF RIGHT, SO I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND READ, UH, SOME OF THOSE, SOME OF THOSE GOALS. SO IN FY 26, WE KNEW THAT WE WANTED TO, UM, ACTUALLY, SORRY, GIMME ONE SECOND. SO PART OF MY JOB IS I REALLY BREAK IT UP INTO TWO DIFFERENT, UM, UH, PIECES. HALF OF IT IS ME GOING OUT INTO COMMUNITY AND CONNECTING WITH RESIDENTS, EDUCATING THEM ON DIFFERENT GREEN JOBS PATHWAYS. UM, AND THEN THE OTHER HALF IS DOING ONE-ON-ONE CONSULTATIONS WITH, UH, CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS TO, UM, REALLY GO DEEPER ON, YOU KNOW, COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT ON WHAT GREEN JOBS THEY MIGHT BE BEST SUITED FOR. UM, AND I ALSO HELP CONNECT, UH, RESIDENTS TO DIFFERENT GREEN TRAINING PROGRAMS. ANYTHING FROM, YOU KNOW, ELECTRICIAN, UH, PRE APPRENTICESHIPS, UH, TO HVAC PROGRAMS. UM, AND I ALWAYS TELL FOLKS, YOU KNOW, IT IT, YOU REALLY CAN GET A, A, A GREEN JOB IN AN OFFICE OUTDOORS LABORATORIES. UM, AND I DO KNOW THAT THE FOCUS IS ON THE TRADES. UM, SO FOR, UH, CLIENT SUPPORT, UM, I PROVIDED INDIVIDUAL GREEN CAREER COUNSELING TO 23 RESIDENTS. 38% WERE LOW INCOME, 50% WOMEN, 75, 70 5% WERE PEOPLE OF COLOR. UM, I DID SUPPORT A TWO RESIDENTS TO ENTER INTO A GREEN TRAINING PROGRAM OR FELLOWSHIP. UH, ONE OF THEM WAS ACTUALLY IN A BLUE JOB, WHICH WE NOW, NOW ARE LIKE OCEAN JOBS. UM, I ALSO HELPED, UH, ONE RESIDENT SECURE A GREEN JOB IN HVAC, UH, AND HOME ENERGY AUDIT SALES. UM, AND I, UH, PLANNED AND EXECUTED THE CITY'S FIRST EVER GREEN JOBS CAREER FAIR WITH AT LEAST 87 ATTENDEES. UM, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU WANTED ME TO READ ALL OF THE OKAY. YEP. COUNCILOR NOLAN. THANKS. I THINK, UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THIS MOVE FORWARD. I THINK AS WE GO ALONG, THE QUESTION IS HOW CAN WE OBVIOUSLY INCREASE AND WORK TOWARDS GETTING THESE GREAT JOBS, MANY OF WHICH CANNOT BE OUTSOURCED. WE HAVE TO REMEMBER, WE ARE IN AN ERA WHEN BETWEEN AI AND SO MANY OTHER, UM, WAYS THAT OUR WORKFORCE IS BEING DISRUPTED. AND PARTICULARLY FOR PEOPLE IN THE TRADES AND SUPPORTING THE UNIONS WHO HAVE THESE PROGRAMS, IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. I ALSO WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT WHAT YOU DO IN YOUR REPORT TO JUSTICE START, WHICH HAS A SOLAR TRAINING PROGRAM, WHICH HAS, UH, BEEN I THINK PRETTY SUCCESSFUL AT BRINGING IN AND BRINGING THESE OPPORTUNITIES TO PEOPLE IN CAMBRIDGE. WE SAY WE, WE CARE SO MUCH ABOUT MAKING THOSE CONNECTIONS AND THIS IS, I THINK, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WAYS WE CAN. SO I APPRECIATE IT AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT ITERATION SO THAT WE HAVE STRONGER, UM, GOALS AND EVEN MORE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THIS. 'CAUSE AGAIN, I THINK IT'S THE ONLY WAY FOR US TO, UH, WALK THE TALK OF MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ENSURING THAT RESIDENTS IN THIS CITY UNDERSTAND THE INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITIES. WHAT IS LAID OUT HERE IN TERMS OF ELECTRICIANS AND HVAC. THE, THE GROWTH THERE IS REALLY HIGH, WHEREAS IT IS DECLINING IN SO MANY OTHER AREAS THAT IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. IF WE CARE ABOUT ECONOMIC SECURITY, IF WE CARE ABOUT ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND MOVING PEOPLE INTO, UH, LIVABLE WAGE JOBS, THIS IS THE WAY TO GO. SO I, I WON'T TAKE ANY MORE TIME AND, AND MY QUESTIONS ARE DONE. OKAY. WE ARE GOING TO GO TO COUNCILOR SIMMONS AND THEN COUNSELOR . UH, THANK YOU THROUGH THE CHAIR TO, UM, I CAN'T SEE THE YOUNG LADY'S LAST NAME AND HOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE IT? THANK YOU. UM, YOU PRONOUNCE IT ANO. I ARIANO. YOU GOT IT. MS. ARIANO, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. UM, THE REPORT WAS VERY INTERESTING. UH, YOU KNOW, GREEN JOBS IS INITIATIVE THE CITY TOOK ON BACK TO 2008. AND AS I WAS READING THROUGH YOU THE REPORT, SOME OF THE DIFFICULTIES IT SEEMS THAT YOU STRUGGLE WITH NOW ARE STILL PRESENT. UH, ONE OF THEM, BUT YOU, WHICH IS NOT LISTED IN THE REPORT, WAS, UH, ONE OF THE IMPEDIMENTS WE FOUND, UH, YEARS AGO WHEN WE, WE LAUNCHED IT WAS THAT IF A, UM, APPLICANT DIDN'T HAVE A VEHICLE OR A DRIVER'S LICENSE. AND, UM, I WAS CURIOUS IF THAT'S STILL THE, THE CAUSE CASE AND DO WE DO ENOUGH SUPPORTS TO GET PEOPLE ACROSS THE FINISH LINE? 'CAUSE YOU'RE GONNA GO THROUGH THIS TRAININGS AND YOU DON'T HAVE A DRIVER'S [06:25:01] LICENSE BECAUSE OF ANY NUMBER OF THINGS. MISS CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENTS AND THEY TOOK IT AWAY. I, I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO MEASURE ALL THE, UH, NOT MEASURE, BUT OUTLINE ALL THE IMPEDIMENTS. BUT IT, IT SEEMS TO ME IF WE DON'T, UH, WHEN WE DO INTAKE FIGURE THAT OUT VERY EARLY ON, THEY'LL GET TO THE END OF THE TRAINING AND NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE A JOB BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A REC, ONE OF THE MAJOR RE REQUISITES, WHICH IS A DRIVER'S LICENSE. BUT THE OTHER QUESTIONS I, I HAD, AND I'LL JUST GO THROUGH 'EM AND YOU GET THROUGH AS TO AS MANY AS YOU CAN. AND THOSE THAT YOU CAN'T, IF YOU CAN SEND IT TO THE COUNCIL BY EMAIL, THAT WOULD BE GOOD. YOU TALK A LOT ABOUT THE OUTREACH EVENTS AND SO I'M CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS AT OUTREACH EVENTS AND WHAT SHARE THE ATTENDEES BECOME COUNSELING CLIENTS. WHAT ARE THE TYPICAL STARTING WAGES IN EMPLOYERS FOR HVAC, CLERICAL AND ENTITY AUDIT ROLES? THIS IS CRITICAL. HOW MANY RESIDENTS AND TRAINING PROGRAMS HAVE COMPLETED THEM? ARE HIRED, BEEN HIRED? AND CAN THE GREEN JOBS LIST BE SHARED WITH THE COUNCIL? AND THEN THE LAST TWO THAT I STUCK ON WAS TO WHAT DEGREE, AND MAYBE THIS WOULD BE IMPORTANT BECAUSE I, I BELIEVE AND BREED WHAT YOU NEED ARE, ARE YOU GOING TO THE HIGH SCHOOL WORKING AT, WITH RSTA STARTING AT THAT LEVEL? BECAUSE IF PEOPLE ARE NOT SORT OF FLOCKING TO THE PROGRAM, ONE CAPTIVE AUDIENCE IS THE HIGH SCHOOL. THEY HAVE A A, A LONGSTANDING VOCATIONAL PROGRAM. AND WHAT I HAVE FOUND IS THAT WE DON'T LINK UP WITH THE TRADES AS WELL AS WE COULD AS EARLY AS WE SHOULD TO GAIN THE INTEREST THAT WE NEED TO PLAY, PUT YOUNG PEOPLE INTO THESE, THESE, UM, JOBS. I MEAN, THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THE, THE HIGH SCHOOL WAS VERY COLLEGE BOUND, BUT THEY'VE REALLY PIVOTED. AND SO HERE'S A REALLY RIPE OPPORTUNITY TO ESTABLISH A LONGSTANDING ONGOING, MAYBE EVEN A SUMMER PROGRAM AROUND GREEN JOBS THAT WOULD ENGAGE MORE PEOPLE SO THAT AS THEY COME THROUGH THEIR, THE HIGH SCHOOL, BY THE TIME THEY GET TO THEIR SENIOR YEAR, THEY'RE NOT JUST CHOOSING COLLEGE TO SAY, HEY, MAYBE I WILL GO INTO THIS INDUSTRY. THIS IS THE MONEY THAT IT PAYS, THIS IS WHAT I NEED, ET CETERA, AND SO FORTH. SO STARTING AT THE END, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS YOUR CONTACT WITH RSTA? CAN THE GREEN JOBS LIST BE SHARED WITH THE COUNCIL? YOU KNOW, HOW MANY RESIDENTS ARE IN THE TRAINING PROGRAM THAT HAVE COMPLETED THEM, OR HIRING, BEING HIRED. BECAUSE IF YOU ARE BRINGING IN, YOU HAD A PRETTY HIGH NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING IN AND, AND LESS THAN 10% GET ACROSS THE FINISH LINE. THAT'S NO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE WERE DOING IN 2008. SO WHAT ARE WE DOING WRONG THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR? COUNCILOR SIMMONS, YOU MAKE MY HEART SING. UM, WELL, I'M NOT SINGING 'CAUSE I DON'T, I DON'T SING WELL BECAUSE IT'S, UM, AND I, WE SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UH, COUNCILOR SIMMONS, FORMER MAYOR HAD ABSOLUTELY SPEARHEADED A GREEN JOBS INITIATIVE MANY YEARS AGO. AND I WOULD SAY THAT THE INDUSTRY AND THE NEED HAS ACCELERATED SINCE THAT TIME. GREEN JOBS HAS BECOME MORE OF A THING, BUT THE IMPEDIMENTS THAT PREVENT OUR RESIDENTS FROM ACCESSING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE THE SAME, UM, TRANSPORTATION DRIVER'S LICENSE. AND SO THOSE SOCIAL SUPPORTS, THEY ARE STILL THE CHALLENGE THAT ARE PREVENTING OUR RESIDENTS FROM ACCESSING THEM. AND IRONICALLY AND TERRIBLY, UM, REBECCA JUST HAD AN INCIDENT WHERE SHE HAD WORKED, UM, AND ON INTAKE THOUGHT THIS INDIVIDUAL HAD A VEHICLE, GOT HIM INTO THE TRADE, THE PRE THE PRE-TRADE PROGRAM, TURNS OUT HE DID NOT HAVE A VEHICLE. AND SO AFTER MONTHS OF WORK, NOW WE'RE GONNA CATCH THAT YOUNG MAN AND SEE WHAT KIND OF REPAIR CAN WE DO AND WHAT CAN WE DO. MM-HMM . WITH THE UNION TO TRY TO, UM, BOTH HAVE BETTER COMMUNICATION AND BETTER INTAKE ON BOTH OUR SIDES. SO LONG ANSWER TO YOUR AMAZING QUESTIONS OF YES, THOSE BARRIERS STILL EXIST AND WE ARE STILL FIGHTING AGAINST THEM, THEIR CHILDCARE, THEIR TRANSPORTATION, UM, AND WE ARE WORKING WITH RISTA, UM, AND WE ARE PARTNERING WITH THEM AND JUSTICE START TO TRY TO ACCESS FUNDING FOR A PRE ELECTRICAL TRAINING PROGRAM. OH, THANK YOU. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. WE, WE, WE CAN COME BACK. I, I THINK THAT'S, WE, WE CAN COME BACK, BUT I CAN GIVE YOU THESE QUESTIONS AS WELL. MOST IMPORTANT IS, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN THE COUNCIL HELP, YOU KNOW, UH, MAKING THOSE CONTEXTS BECAUSE HERE'S A GREAT PROGRAM THAT'S BEING REALLY UNDERUTILIZED AND WE, WE, WE CAN DO BETTER. JUST WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT A PLAN HOW TO DO THAT. A YIELD. COUNCILLOR ZUZI. YEAH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH MAYOR SIDIKI, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR BEING A FEW MINUTES LATE. UM, THIS, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE GREEN JOBS REPORT. IT SEEMS LIKE VERY IMPORTANT WORK AND WE NEED TO BE FUNNELING CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS INTO THESE PROGRAMS. AGAIN. I WAS, IM IMPRESSED WITH THE, UM, I REALIZE [06:30:01] YOU'RE BUILDING THE POTENTIAL OF THE PROGRAM, BUT I WAS ALSO IMPRESSED WITH, UM, THE LACK OF RESULTS THAT ONLY TWO CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS. IT SOUNDS LIKE WE, WE, WE GOT TWO CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS JOBS OR PREPARED THEM FOR JOBS AND THAT THEY'VE GOTTEN JOBS. SO SOME OF MY QUESTIONS WERE, SO IN THE SCALE HVAC PROGRAM, UH, HOW MANY TOTAL SEATS WERE AVAILABLE IN THAT COHORT? WE GOT TWO RESIDENTS IN. AND WHAT STEPS CAN THE CITY TAKE TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF RESIDENTS ENROLLED IN FUTURE SCALE HVAC COHORTS THROUGH YOU? MADAM MAYOR? WE BELIEVE IT WAS ABOUT 12 SLOTS. IT COULD HAVE BEEN UP TO 15. AND THAT'S A REGIONAL PROGRAM OPEN TO, UM, RESIDENTS OF ANY, UH, CITY AND TOWN, UM, IN OUR METRO NORTH REGION. UM, OKAY. AND THEN WITH THE SKILLS SEEK PROGRAM, WHICH ALSO SOUNDS WONDERFUL, UH, HOW MANY CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS WERE REFERRED TO THAT PROGRAM AND PARTICIPATED IN IN IT, AND DO WE KNOW THEIR OUTCOMES? THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION, COUNSELOR. SO FOR SKILLS SEEK, UM, I KNOW AS FAR AS NUMBER OF RESIDENTS REFERRED, I TELL EVERYBODY ABOUT IT. SO I, I, I PASS OUT FLYERS. I ALWAYS SING, UH, PRIUS PRAISES WHO RUN SKILLS SEEK. UM, I KNOW I REFERRED AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT CLIENTS WHO DID APPLY. UM, ONE OF THEM DID GET IN, UM, AND I ACTUALLY JUST HAD, UH, ANOTHER CLIENT, UH, APPLY AND BE ACCEPTED TO SCALES HVAC PROGRAM AS WELL. AND ALSO JUST TO, UH, ANSWER YOUR QUESTION A LITTLE BIT MORE THOROUGHLY, UM, YES, UM, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, I ALWAYS KNEW THAT THE FIRST YEAR WAS GONNA BE LIGHT ON NUMBERS. UM, BUT TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF, OF A SNEAK PEAK, UM, AS OF RIGHT NOW IN, IN THE FIRST, UH, FISCAL YEAR, UM, I'VE GOTTEN SO FAR 10 PEOPLE INTO DIFFERENT, UH, GREEN JOBS FELLOWSHIPS OR TRAINING PROGRAMS. SO DEFINITELY, UH, GONNA SEE THAT THE, THE NUMBERS BE MUCH DIFFERENT NEXT YEAR. COUNCIL ZUI. YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT'S SO REASSURING TO HEAR. THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO HEAR. 'CAUSE IT SOUNDS AS THOUGH YOU'RE DOING, UM, TREMENDOUS WORK, TREMENDOUS OUTREACH. AND I GUESS WHAT WE WANNA SEE ARE RESULTS. UM, AND, UH, THESE DO, THESE ARE JOBS OF THE FUTURE. AND IT'S A LITTLE COUNTERINTUITIVE BECAUSE, UM, YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY KNOWS THE, UM, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS NOT SUPPORTING GREEN JOBS AND YET, UM, THERE WILL BE A GREATER NEED FOR THEM. AND WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE ELECTRIC VEHICLES ALL OVER TOWN. SO CLEARLY WE'RE MOVING IN THAT DIRECTION, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE HEADWINDS. MY LAST QUESTION IS JUST, UM, IS, UH, IS TRAINING FOR GREEN JOBS TYPICALLY MORE ARDUOUS THAN THE SAME JOB THAT'S NOT GREEN? FOR EXAMPLE, A GREEN ELECTRICIAN VERSUS AN ELECTRICIAN, CAN THOSE EMPLOYED EASILY SWITCH TO A GREEN VERSION OF THEIR JOB? YES. DO YOU MADAM MAYOR? UM, ACTUALLY MOST GREEN JOBS ARE JUST TRADITIONAL JOBS THAT ARE BEING GREENED UP. UM, SO UNLESS IT'S A, A SPECIFIC, LIKE AN HVAC, UH, OCCUPATION, UM, YOU'RE BEING TRAINED AS AN ELECTRICIAN AND THERE ARE ELEMENTS OF THAT CURRICULUM THAT ARE JUST GREEN. UM, SO MOST JOBS WILL BE GREENED UP, BUT THERE ARE TRADITIONAL JOBS. OKAY. AND, AND FINALLY, AND THIS IS MY LAST QUESTION, C. CAN YOU, AND MAYBE YOU SPOKE TO THIS IF YOU DID, DON'T BOTHER, BUT CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW ISTS, UH, HOW JUSTICE ART IS GONNA BE PARTNERING WITH RISTA? SURE. I'LL TAKE THE FIRST PART OF THAT, AND THEN I THINK, UH, REBECCA CAN, UH, ADD ON TO THAT. UM, AS COUNCILOR NOLAN MENTIONED, JUSTICE DOT HAD RUN A SOLAR PANEL PROGRAM WITH, UM, ADVICE BOTH FROM REBECCA AND FROM THE MASS CLEAN ENERGY CENTER. UH, THEY WERE ADVISED TO WALK AWAY FROM THAT PROGRAM AND TO MOVE TOWARDS A PRE ELECTRICAL. AND PART OF THAT IS THE IMPEDIMENT OF, UM, YOU CAN PUMP A BUNCH OF INSTALLERS INTO THE SYSTEM, BUT IN ORDER TO INSTALL YOU NEED A LICENSED ELECTRICIAN. AND SO WE NEEDED TO SHIFT, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING. VISTA WILL BE WORKING ON CURRICULUM AND, UM, TRYING TO GET YOUNG ADULTS, GRADUATES OF RISTA INTO, UM, THE TRAINING PROGRAM THAT WE HOPE WE CAN DEVELOP. YES. AND TO ADD TO THAT, UM, I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH RISTA WITH CRLS AND WITH THE CLS EXTENSION SCHOOL, UM, TO, UH, GET MYSELF IN THERE TO, YOU KNOW, UH, PRESENT THE IDEA OF GREEN JOBS TO MORE YOUTH AND ALSO TO, TO, UH, ANSWER YOUR, YOUR PREVIOUS QUESTION AS WELL. UM, UH, I ALWAYS SAY THAT THE TRADES ARE CURRENTLY BRINGING REBRANDED RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THEY ARE THE FRONTLINE TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE. AND THAT'S THE, THAT'S WHAT I'M, I'M TELLING THE YOUTH, THAT'S WHAT I'M TELLING. REALLY ANYBODY WHO WILL LISTEN IS THAT, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF FOLKS AND ESPECIALLY YOUNG [06:35:01] FOLKS, HAVE VALID CLIMATE ANXIETY. AND THESE JOBS ARE NOT ONLY REALLY, REALLY, UH, WELL PAYING AI PROOF, UM, BUT THEY'RE REALLY GOOD WAYS TO FIGHT BACK AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE. EXCELLENT. UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK AND I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR REPORT NEXT YEAR. ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS? YES. WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER, AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK. THANKS MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU. THANKS FOR THIS, UM, REPORT, WHICH WAS HELPFUL TO READ. I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT STIPENDS FOR CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS AND WHICH OF THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDE THEM. I KNOW, UH, ALL OF THEM HAVE SPOTS FOR CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS AND ARE OPEN, UH, BUT IF YOU ARE, YOU KNOW, A PERSON IN CAMBRIDGE WHO HAS TO PAY RENT, HAS A FAMILY, HAS CHILDCARE, CANNOT AFFORD TO LEAVE YOUR JOB TO DO A PROGRAM WITHOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, ANY FUNDING, UH, AND NEEDING A SALARY, WHICH OF THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDE STIPENDS, DO YOU KNOW? AND HOW MUCH ARE THOSE STIPENDS? GREAT QUESTION. SO I KNOW THAT MOST OF THE, ACTUALLY I THINK ALL OF THE, THE PROGRAMS I PROMOTE THAT ARE GREEN JOBS ARE, I, THEY'RE, THEY'RE EARN AND LEARN. SO YOU, UH, GET PAID A, A STIPEND TO ATTEND AND COMPLETE IT. MOST OF 'EM ARE ALSO OFFERED NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS. SO THAT GIVES PEOPLE SOME FLEXIBILITY. YES, THEY'D HAVE TO WORK A FULL-TIME JOB AND THEN DO, UH, TRAINING AFTERWARDS. UM, AND TO ALSO ANSWER THAT QUESTION AND COUNCILLOR SIMMONS EARLIER QUESTION, THERE IS A FANTASTIC NEW LOAN PROGRAM THAT I'M TRYING TO TELL EVERYBODY ABOUT. AND THAT'S ACTUALLY THE BEST WAY YOU CAN HELP OUT AS WELL. UM, IT'S CALLED THE CLIMATE CAREERS FUND. IT'S A NEW LOAN PROGRAM SET UP BY THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS, THE MASSACHUSETTS CLEAN ENERGY CENTER AND SOCIAL FINANCE, IT'S A LOAN PROGRAM. I THINK THEY PAY ANYWHERE FROM 10 TO $20,000 FOR A LEARNER TO MAKE IT THROUGH A GREEN TRAINING PROGRAM. IT'S A 0% INTEREST LOAN. THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY BACK UNTIL THEY'RE MAKING AT LEAST $47,000 A YEAR. WHEN THEY PAY IT BACK, THAT MONEY GOES BACK INTO THE FUND TO HELP THE NEXT LEARNER. UM, AND SO, UH, THAT FUND IS SPECIFICALLY TO HELP FOLKS GET, UH, THROUGH LIFE'S OBSTACLES, RENT, UTILITIES, BUYING THEIR FIRST CAR DAYCARE. THAT'S WHAT THAT FUND IS FOR. COUNCIL. THANK YOU. THAT'S HELPFUL. IF YOU HAVE ANY DATA ON THE, THE STIPENDS, UM, AND SPECIFICALLY I WOULD REALLY INTERESTED TO SEE THAT, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE HEAR AS A BARRIER FOR FOLKS OF EVEN, UH, THE LOAN PROGRAM, WHICH SOUNDS LIKE A, A GREAT RESOURCE, I'M GLAD THAT EXISTS AND WE'LL, WE'LL TELL FOLKS ABOUT THAT. BUT IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO MAKE THE LEAP TO A NEW CAREER TO BECOME AN HVAC TECHNICIAN, TO BECOME A, A GREEN BUILDINGS PERSON AND, AND DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE OF THAT INDUSTRY IS GONNA LOOK LIKE, ESPECIALLY NOW WITH ALL THIS UNCERTAINTY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE, WHAT ARE INTEREST RATES GONNA BE? WHAT ARE TARIFFS GONNA BE? CAN I AFFORD TO, UH, SWITCH? IS, IS THIS ACTUALLY GONNA MAKE SENSE? YOU KNOW, TAKING ON THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF, OF DEBT IS, CAN BE A, A SCARY POSSIBILITY. AND, AND SO STIPENDS ARE REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS, AND I BRING IT UP PARTLY BECAUSE, UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE BEEN WORKING ON IS A JOBS TRAINING TRUST, WHICH SOMERVILLE AND BOSTON HAVE, CAMBRIDGE DOES NOT YET HAVE. AND A NUMBER OF THE, THE ORGANIZATIONS LISTED IN THE GREEN JOBS REPORT GET FUNDING FROM THE JOBS TREATING TRUST IN SOMERVILLE OR BOSTON, INCLUDING JUSTICE ART, INCLUDING FRANKLIN CUMMINGS TAX, INCLUDING BUNKER HILL COMMUNITY COLLEGE. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THEY'RE ABLE TO USE IT FOR ARE STIPENDS FOR, UH, SPECIFICALLY FOR RESIDENTS. AND, AND HAVING THAT OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS, YOU KNOW, WHAT, NOT JUST, UM, YOU KNOW, EVEN A NOMINAL STIPEND, BUT HEY, THIS ACTUALLY WILL REPLACE THE INCOME. I'M GONNA, I WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE MY CURRENT JOB. I CANNOT AFFORD TO DO SO, I CANNOT AFFORD TO DO SO, EVEN IF I'M ONLY GETTING $200 A MONTH, LIKE I REALLY NEED TO BE ABLE TO PAY RENT. I NEED TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR MY KIDS' CHILDCARE. IF WE CAN, CAN MAKE UP THAT. I THINK IT BECOMES A MUCH MORE ATTRACTIVE OPPORTUNITY TO GET FOLKS INTO THE GREEN JOBS TRAINING PROGRAM. AND, UH, SO HOPE WE CAN CONTINUE TO, TO LOOK AT THAT. AND, UM, WE'D LOVE TO, YOU KNOW, READ ANY INFO YOU HAVE ON STATEMENTS, BUT THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS REPORT. WE GET BACK. BEFORE WE GO BACK TO COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, ANYONE WHO HASN'T SPOKEN ON THIS, COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, UH, THANK YOU THROUGH THE CHAIR TO MS. ANO. UH, JUST A CURIOSITY IN, IN, AND I KNOW ONE OF THE FOCUSED AREAS OR FOCUS GROUPS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO ARE, ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR. AND I'M JUST WONDERING TO WHAT DEGREE ARE YOU INTERFACING WITH GROUPS THAT REPRESENT OR HAVE ACCESS TO, UH, YOUNG MEN IN PARTICULAR, BUT WOMEN OF COLOR? I LOVE THAT QUESTION. UM, SO I ALWAYS DO MY WORK WITH, UH, LEADING WITH AN A LENS OF EQUITY. UM, I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, COMING FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITY MYSELF, HOW IMPORTANT, UM, IT IS TO REACH A, A DIFFERENT BLACK AND BROWN, UH, POPULATIONS. UM, AND SO, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, I MADE, UH, A STRATEGIC DECISION TO BEGIN MY OUTREACH AT THE, UM, CAMBRIDGE HOUSING AUTHORITY, UH, DEVELOPMENT. SO I'M TRYING TO PRESENT TO EVERY SINGLE COMMUNITY ROOM POSSIBLE. I'M TALKING TO DIFFERENT, UM, UH, FOLKS THAT I'M CONNECTED TO IN, IN THE BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES IN CAMBRIDGE. AND I'M ASKING THEM LIKE, I WILL PRESENT IN A HAIR SALON, I WILL PRESENT AT A CHURCH. LIKE I'M TRYING TO FIND AS MANY THIRD SPACES THAT, UH, REALLY WHERE, UH, MOST OF CAMBRIDGE, UH, BLACK AND BROWN POPULATIONS LIVE, WORK AND PLAY. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. THANK YOU THROUGH YOU, MADAM CHAIR, TO MS. ARIANO. UH, I GUESS THE LAST THING IS, HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT, OR DO YOU HAVE, I KNOW YOU HAVE THESE [06:40:01] COUNSELORS, AND I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHAT THEY DO, BUT I ALWAYS FIND THAT PEOPLE RESPOND TO PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE THEM, SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE, HANG OUT IN THE SAME PLACES. AND SO IF YOU HAVEN'T, ONE THING I WOULD STRONGLY RECOMMEND IS YOU GET A CORE OF ALMOST LIKE A C COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM. IF YOU LOOK AT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM, THEY'RE, THEY'RE PEOPLE THAT SPEAK, HA CREOLES SPEAK, CAPE VERDEAN SPEAK, PORTUGUESE, SPEAK THE LANGUAGE OF THE PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO REACH. AND SO IF, IF WE WANT TO INCREASE OUR OUTPUT, OR IN TERMS OF GETTING PEOPLE TO COME IN, IT WOULD BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO GET PEOPLE THAT LOOK LIKE THEM. YOU KNOW, I, I LIVE IN THE PORT WHEN I HAVE MEETINGS AND TALK TO THEM. AND EVEN IF, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A JOB, IT DOESN'T COME, IT DOESN'T RISE TO THE LEVEL OF INTEREST. IT'S NOT THAT PEOPLE DON'T CARE. I THINK THEY JUST DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT IT, AND THERE'S NO ONE THAT LOOKS LIKE THEM THAT'S TALKING AND SAY, OH, YOU SHOULD TRY THIS. DO YOU KNOW, IN FIVE YEARS YOU COULD BE MAKING $80,000? BECAUSE I THINK THE IDEA, THE CLIMATE SOMETHING LOAN WHERE IT'S INTERESTING, IT'S A LOAN, WHICH MEANS, OH, I HAVE TO BORROW THIS MONEY AND WHAT HAPPENS IF IT DOESN'T WORK? SO I, I THINK ONE THING THAT YOU REALLY SHOULD TRY, UM, AND I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR IF YOU ACTUALLY DO THIS, HOW THAT WORKS IS FINDING AMBASSADORS, YOUNG PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, TO TALK TO OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT, I THINK THIS IS REALLY A COOL THING TO DO. AND CAN YOU IMAGINE DRIVING A MERCEDES OR A BIG TRUCK OR WHATEVER TURNS YOUNG PEOPLE ON THESE DAYS? I REALLY DON'T KNOW. BUT I JUST THINK ONE WAY TO DRIVE, DRAW PEOPLE IN IS TO USE PEOPLE TO, NOT USE, BUT ENLIST PEOPLE WHO HAVE SIMILAR BACKGROUNDS TO TALK TO THEM. I YIELD. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR, UM, THE UPDATE. UM, I WANNA THANK DEPUTY CITY MANAGER WATKINS IN PARTICULAR, UM, BECAUSE OUR OFF MY OFFICE HAS BEEN WORKING ON THE PRE, UH, ELECTRICAL PROGRAM WITH JUSTICE STAR WITH YOU ALL. AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET SOME GOOD NEWS ON, YOU KNOW, THE GR THIS GRANT THAT, UH, HAD BEEN APPLIED FOR. BUT, UM, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK. SO HEARING NONE, I WILL GO AHEAD AND, UH, ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR SIMMONS TO PLACE CITY MANAGER. AGENDA NUMBER FIVE ON FILE. WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZI? YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. COUNCIL FLAHERTY ABSENT. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE EIGHT MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND ONE RECORDED IS ABSENT. WE'RE, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEM 12, JUST A TIME CHECK. IT'S 9 28. WE NEED TO BE OUT OF THIS ROOM BY 11 BECAUSE WE HAVE A, A COMMITTEE HEARING 1130 THAT WE NEED TO PREPARE FOR. SO JUST, UH, WANNA BE MINDFUL OF TIME. SO CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 12. THIS IS A COMMUNICATION FROM Y HUANG CITY MANAGER RELATIVE TO POLICY ORDER 26 DASH 81 AND A AWAITING REPORT 26 DASH 55 REGARDING MULTIFAMILY HOUSING COMMUNICATIONS. COUNCILLOR ZUI, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YEAH. THANK YOU, MAYOR SIKI. UM, SO I'M REALLY, UH, GRATEFUL FOR YOUR RESPONDING TO MY TWO POLICY ORDERS. ONE SUBMITTED IN APRIL, ANOTHER IN AUGUST, AND, UM, IT'S, UH, GREAT TO SEE THE CITY DASHBOARD, WHICH IS, LOOKS LIKE IT MAY HAVE BEEN INSPIRED BY MY OFFICE'S TRACKER. THEY LOOK VERY SIMILAR. IF ANYBODY'S COMPARED THE TWO, YOU'LL SEE THAT THE DASHBOARD INCLUDES 245 PROPERTIES WHILE THE TRACKER INCLUDES A HUNDRED FIFTY FOUR, A HUNDRED TWENTY NINE CONFIRMED PROJECTS. THERE ARE, THERE ARE DIFFERENCES, AND I JUST WANTED TO EXPLAIN THEM A LITTLE BIT. UM, THE DASHBOARD, UH, INCLUDES PROJECTS THAT AREN'T MULTIFAMILY HOUSING ORDINANCE RELATED. MM-HMM . NOT ALL MULTIFAMILY HOUSING PROJECTS ARE LISTED ONLY ONES WHERE THE NUMBER OF UNITS CHANGES. UM, SOME PROJECTS PREDATE THE PASSAGE OF THE MULTIFAMILY HOUSING ORDINANCE, UH, AND IT, AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT, IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO THE, UM, THE HOUSING START. THE HOUSING STARTS DATA BOARD OR DATABASE. UM, UH, THE TRACKER LISTS MORE IMPACTS. LIKE WE LIST THINGS LIKE PARKING, HOW, HOW, YOU KNOW, WHETHER PROJECTS WILL INCLUDE PARKING, UH, HOW TREES HAVE BEEN IMPACTED. AND WE ALSO INCLUDE, UH, RENDERINGS OF PROJECTS, PICTURES OF THE EXISTING PROJECTS AND, UM, THE PROJECTS THAT ARE BEING PROPOSED. SO ONE OF MY QUESTIONS IS, OH, OH, THE, THE BIG DIFFERENCE IS ALSO [06:45:01] THE DASHBOARD INCLUDES PROJECTS THAT WHERE PERMITS HAVE BEEN APPLIED FOR, UM, BUT HAVE NOT BEEN GRANTED. WHILE THE TRACKER ONLY LISTS PROJECTS, WELL, WE LIST PROJECTS ON OUR WATCH LIST, UM, THAT, THAT ARE ALSO IN THAT SORT OF, UM, LIMBO STATE THAT WE'VE HEARD ABOUT, BUT HAVEN'T ADVANCED FORWARD IN, UM, HAVEN'T ADVANCED FORWARD YET. SO A QUESTION IS, IF YOU'RE GONNA LIST, IF THE DASHBOARD IS GOING TO LIST PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN APPLIED FOR, UM, SHOULDN'T THOSE INFORMATION ABOUT THOSE PROJECTS BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC? UH, AND, AND I UNDERSTAND WHY YOU'RE INCLUDING THOSE PROJECTS BECAUSE THE CITY ATTORNEY, UM, SHARED WITH US THAT THIS, AS OF THIS SUMMER, NOW THAT ANY DEVELOPER WHO HAS APPLIED FOR A PERMIT, UM, WILL, WILL NOT BE IMPACTED BY REVISIONS TO ZONING. SO I UNDERSTAND WHY PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN APPLIED FOR AND ARE INCLUDED IN THE DASHBOARD, BUT SHOULDN'T THE PUBLIC HAVE ACCESS TO INFORMATION ABOUT THESE PROJECTS IF THEY'RE ON THE NEW DASHBOARD? THANK YOU. THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR. SO WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME THINKING CAREFULLY ABOUT WHICH PROJECTS TO INCLUDE. SO WE ARE INCLUDING ANYTHING THAT HAS STARTED AN OFFICIAL CITY PROCESS, WHICH INCLUDES PROJECTS THAT APPLIED FOR A BUILDING PERMIT. UM, WE ARE SIMULTANEOUSLY WORKING WITH IT AND INSPECTION SERVICES TO MAKE THOSE BUILDING PERMITS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. UM, DURING THAT APPLICATION PHASE, IT TAKES A DECENT AMOUNT OF WORK ON THE BACKEND, AND WE'RE WORKING WITH OPENGOV ON THAT CURRENTLY. SO I DON'T HAVE AN UPDATED TIMELINE, BUT I THINK THAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING RELATIVELY SOON. AND ONCE IT DOES, THE DASHBOARD WILL LINK DIRECTLY TO THAT SPECIFIC RECORD FOR THOSE PERMITS, COUNCILLOR ZUZI. SO THAT WILL INCLUDE, UM, PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN APPLIED FOR BUT NOT PERMITTED YET. AND ALSO, PLEASE ANSWER, WILL YOU BE INCLUDING MORE INFORMATION ABOUT IMPACTS ON THE DASHBOARD? SO IT WILL INCLUDE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN APPLIED, THAT HAVE APPLIED FOR A PERMIT, BUT IT HASN'T BEEN ISSUED YET. SO THOSE ARE IN THE DASHBOARD. THOSE RECORDS WILL ULTIMATELY BECOME PUBLIC. UM, AS FAR AS IMPACTS, WE ARE INCLUDING THE INFORMATION THAT IS READILY ACCESSIBLE THROUGH THE RECORDS THAT WE HAVE. SO AN IMPORTANT THING FOR US IN SETTING UP THIS DASHBOARD WAS THAT THIS IS SUSTAINABLE LONG TERM, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE RELATIVELY AUTOMATED, UH, SO THAT WE'RE JUST PULLING FROM RECORDS, UM, AND INFORMATION THAT EXISTS ELSEWHERE IN THE SYSTEM. SO WE'RE NOT PHYSICALLY GOING THROUGH EVERY FILE AND PULLING OUT SOME OF THE SPECIFICS THAT AREN'T EASY TO PULL DIRECTLY FROM THE PERMITTING RECORDS. UM, WE CAN LOOK AT WAYS TO SET THAT UP. IF THERE IS SPECIFIC INFORMATION THAT PEOPLE THINK WOULD BE REALLY IMPORTANT, WE CAN THEN WORK TO GET THAT INTO, SAY, THE PERMIT APPLICATION OR OTHER PLACES THAT WE'RE PULLING FROM COUNCILOR SUZI. YEAH. UNDER UNDERSTOOD. AND I REALIZE I'M ABOUT OUT OF TIME. OUR, THE TRACKER IS ALSO AUTOMATED, BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE DOCUMENT THE IMPACT. SO IT'LL BE GOOD THAT PEOPLE LOOK AT THE TRACKER TOO. THANK YOU. WE WILL GO TO COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, THROUGH YOU. UH, THANK YOU FOR THIS. UM, I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DIG TOO DEEP INTO THE, UH, HOW'S, UH, THE NEIGHBOR'S GUIDE, ALTHOUGH ON OUR, YOU KNOW, FIRST, FIRST QUICK LOOK, IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THERE, AND HOPEFULLY THAT WILL ANSWER, UH, A LOT OF PEOPLE'S QUESTIONS. UM, TWO QUESTIONS. ONE IS, UH, HOW ARE WE GONNA BE PROMOTING ALL, ALL OF THIS INFORMATION, UH, TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNOW THAT IT'S, THAT IT EXISTS? I'M SURE COUNSELORS WILL BE PROMOTING IT IN THEIR NEWSLETTERS AND WHATEVER, BUT, UM, WHAT'S THE OUTREACH GOING TO BE WOULD BE MY FIRST QUESTION. THANK YOU. THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR. WE ARE WORKING WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM NOW ON THAT OUTREACH. SO WE'RE WORKING ON A PRESS RELEASE, UM, AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, PUSHING THIS OUT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA AND ANY OTHER OPPORTUNITIES WE HAVE TO, UM, PUBLICIZE THAT THIS INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE. SO WE APPRECIATE COUNSELORS INCLUDING IT IN THEIR NEWSLETTER AS WELL. I MEAN, I THINK THIS IS SUCH A, UM, YOU KNOW, A CITYWIDE [06:50:01] ISSUE AND SUCH A BIG ISSUE THAT'S ON PEOPLE'S MINDS. SO I DON'T THINK WE CAN UNDERESTIMATE, YOU KNOW, EVEN THE MAILING OR, OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, I JUST DON'T THINK WE CAN UNDERESTIMATE, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, THE, THE INTEREST. UM, AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION, UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE, WE'VE OFTEN TALKED ABOUT IS, IS THE, UH, IT'S ONE THING TO SORT OF LAY OUT WHAT THE PERMITTING PROCESS IS, BUT A LOT OF TIMES WHAT WE'VE HEARD FRUSTRATION FROM DEVELOPERS AS WELL AS BUSINESS OWNERS AND RESIDENTS, IS THAT OFTEN THERE IS INCONSISTENCY BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS. SO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL SAY ONE THING, ISD WILL SAY ANOTHER THING, CDD WILL SAY A THIRD THING. AND THEN SOMETIMES EVEN WITHIN DEPARTMENTS, UM, THERE'S A LOT OF ROOM FOR INTERPRETATION. SO ONE INSPECTOR WILL SAY, YEAH, YOU KNOW, NO, YOU GOTTA DO A, B, AND C. AND SOMEBODY ELSE WILL SAY, NO, NO, NO, IT'S DE AND F. SO WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ALIGN WHAT IS BEING, YOU KNOW, THE, THE INFORMATION THAT'S GOING OUT TO PEOPLE? BECAUSE IT COSTS PEOPLE MONEY, IT COSTS PEOPLE TIME, AND AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF FRUSTRATION WHEN YOU GET TOLD, YOU KNOW, FOUR DIFFERENT THINGS FROM FOUR DIFFERENT PEOPLE. THANK YOU. THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR. UM, UNDERSTAND THIS IS A LARGER ISSUE AND THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN FOCUSING ON AND CONTINUING TO FOCUS ON. SO WE DID A SORT OF FULL EFFORT LOOKING AT THE RESIDENTIAL PERMITTING PROCESS AND HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THAT. WE'RE NOW WORKING WITH BLOOMBERG, HARVARD ON A VERY INTENSE EFFORT, LOOKING AT THE PROCESS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND SEEING WHERE WE CAN IMPROVE THAT PROCESS AS WELL. UH, WE'RE ALSO DOING MORE REGULAR COORDINATION AMONGST STAFF AND DEPARTMENTS. SO WE HAVE VERY REGULAR MEETINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING WITH THE SORT OF FRONTLINE PERMITTING STAFF, UM, ON COORDINATING ON EVERY PROJECT THAT'S COMING THROUGH. WE ALSO, AS PART OF THIS EFFORT AND OUR COMMUNICATION FOR, WE'RE HAVING, UM, OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER, MARLEYS WEST OHADA ACT AS A LIAISON TO THE COMMUNITY. SO OUR GOAL THERE IS, AT LEAST IN THIS PERIOD RIGHT NOW, WHERE THINGS ARE FAIRLY INTENSE AND WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF QUESTIONS, THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION HAVING QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS FUNNEL THROUGH HER AND HER COORDINATE WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTAL STAFF SO THAT WE ARE TRYING TO GET THE FULL PICTURE AND GIVE, UM, UH, A CONSISTENT MESSAGE TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS. BUT IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK ON AND IMPROVE ON. YEAH. CITY MANAGER, MANAGER, UM, I THINK, UM, I THINK I WOULD JUST NOTE, UM, ABSOLUTELY WE'RE DOING A LOT OF WORK ON COORDINATING THAT. UM, ALSO A LOT OF THAT IS EDUCATING FOLKS AND, AND MAKING SURE THAT PERMITTING MATERIALS ARE, ARE ACCURATE WHEN THEY COME IN. AND, AND I THINK THERE'S A WHOLE SET OF WORK THAT WE'RE DOING TO ENSURE THAT THAT COORDINATION AND COMMUNICATION IS GOING REALLY WELL. UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO ALSO SAY, UM, I THINK ON THE DASHBOARD, UM, I DO APPRECIATE, I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF EFFORT FROM COUNCILOR ZUI FROM FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY TO PUT MORE INFORMATION OUT. I THINK THAT IS BOTH THE POLICY ORDERS AND THE PUSH TO HAVE THE CITY CREATE MORE MATERIALS AND MORE INFORMATION THAT'S MORE TRANSPARENT. AND I JUST WANTED TO SHOUT OUT, SCOTT, FOR BUILDING THE DASHBOARD. UM, I THINK THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF WORK THAT WENT INTO THIS. UM, AND I, I THINK JUST ANOTHER INTERESTING BIT TO SHARE IS THAT SCOTT'S MOSTLY BEEN LIKE PROGRAMMING THIS DASHBOARD. UM, BUT I THINK AS WE'VE SEEN HOW QUICKLY THE COMMUNITY CAN PULL INFORMATION TOGETHER OFF OF OUR AMAZING OPEN DATA PORTAL, UH, I THINK IT'S ALSO BEEN A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY FOR US IN TERMS OF HOW AI CAN ACTUALLY GENERATE MORE INFORMATION MORE QUICKLY. AND THAT'S ACTUALLY HELPED US THINK ABOUT HOW WE CAN START PROVIDING THOSE TOOLS MORE INTERNALLY. SO LOTS MORE TO TALK ABOUT ON THAT, BUT I THINK REALLY APPRECIATE THIS WORK AND, AND THE PUSH FROM THE COUNCIL. WELL, THANK YOU. I JUST, I, I WANNA, I KNOW MY TIME'S UP. I DO WANT TO, UH, THANK YOU AND ALSO JUST TO PUBLICLY THANK C-D-D-I-S-D-D-P-W 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT, UM, YOU'VE BEEN SP THANK YOU AND I THINK, WELL, THIS WILL BE HELPFUL. YOU'VE BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF TIME WITH RESIDENTS, TIME THAT YOU HAVE OTHER THINGS, A LOT OF THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO. AND HOPEFULLY THIS INFORMATION WILL HELP ALLEVIATE SOME OF THAT SO PEOPLE CAN GET THEIR ANSWERS, UH, ONLINE. THANK YOU. WHO HASN'T SPOKEN? WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS? COUNCILOR NOLAN, I WILL BE SUPER BRIEF. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR ALL BUILDING PERMIT APPLICATIONS TO BE ONLINE AND AVAILABLE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. ANYONE ELSE WHO HASN'T SPOKEN BEFORE I GO BACK TO COUNCILOR ZUZI FOR ANOTHER QUESTION? GO AHEAD. COUNCILOR ZUZI, I ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE A QUESTION. I JUST HAVE A FEW COMMENTS. UM, I JUST WANTED TO, AGAIN, [06:55:01] I APPRECIATE YOUR RESPONSE AND, UM, I THINK THE SOONER WE CAN GIVE RESIDENTS AND DEVELOPERS, EVERYONE CONSISTENT ANSWERS, UH, THE BETTER EVERYTHING WILL BE. BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE GET PERMIT THAT PERMIT INFORMATION IS POSTED PROMPTLY BECAUSE THAT'S BEEN A, A PROBLEM. 'CAUSE OFTEN THERE'S A DELAY, UM, FOR WHEN PERMIT INFORMATION IS POSTED. ISD REALLY NEEDS MORE INSPECTORS SO THAT THEY CAN BETTER MONITOR PROJECTS. WE NEED TO EXTEND THE RECORD HOUR ROOMS AND, UM, GIVE GREATER RECORD ACCESS. UM, I LOOK FORWARD, UH, THANK YOU FOR DELIVERING THE GUIDE, WHICH AGAIN, WILL BE USEFUL TO EVERYONE. I THINK, AGAIN, WITH ADDITIONAL PERMITTING INFORMATION, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT THERE BE LIKE ONE POINT OF CONTACT THAT CAN TAKE PROJECTS, UH, THROUGH ALL THE STAGES. AND I THINK A PRE-PROJECT MEETING AND A MEETING AT THE PERMITTING STAGE AND STAMP DRAWINGS SO THAT WE CAN KNOW THAT EACH DEPARTMENT IS LOOKING AT THE SAME SET OF DRAWINGS. ALL THESE THINGS WILL CREATE CLARITY AND ALSO PREVENT THE CITY FROM BEING SNOOKERED, UH, LIKE BY, UH, BAD ACTOR DEVELOPERS PRESENTING DIFFERENT DRAWINGS TO DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS FOR APPROVALS. SO I REALIZE YOU'RE, WE'RE MAKING INCREMENTAL PROGRESS. UM, BUT ANYWAY, I, THE SOONER WE HAVE GREATER CLARITY, UH, THE BETTER WE'LL BE. THANK YOU. ANYONE ELSE ON THE DASHBOARD HEARING? NO ONE ELSE WILL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON PLACING CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEM FOUR 12 ON FILE. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR Z. VICE MAYOR ZE? YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. ABSENT. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. ABSENT. COUNCILOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUEY? YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI? YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE SEVEN MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND TWO RECORDED IS ABSENT. WE ARE THIS. OH, COUNCIL. COUNCIL MEMBER. YES. COUNCIL MCGOVERN WANTS TO BE RECORDED AS YES. YES. SO WE HAVE EIGHT MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, AND ONE RECORDED IS ABSENT CITY MANAGER. AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 12 IS PLACED ON FILE. [POLICY ORDERS] WE MOVE ON TO POLICY ORDERS AND RESOLUTIONS. PLEASURE OF THE CITY COUNCIL. MADAM MAYOR, WE WILL GO TO COUNCILOR GOVERN. COUNCILOR ZUBI. COUNCILOR NOLAN. COUNCILOR GOVERN, UH, NUMBER TWO, PLEASE. NUMBER TWO, COUNCILOR GOVERN POLLS. NUMBER TWO, COUNCILOR ZUBI. MADAM MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO PULL SEVEN AND EIGHT COUNCIL ZUBY POLLS SEVEN AND EIGHT. COUNCILOR NOLAN, UH, FOUR AND SIX. COUNCILOR NOLAN POLLS FOUR AND SIX. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, NUMBER ONE, . AND THEN COUNSELOR SIMMONS POLLS NUMBER ONE. OKAY. AND I'D LIKE, YES. COUNCILOR ZUZI. YEAH, I'M SORRY. I WOULD ALSO LIKE, UH, UH, 11 AND 12. COUNSELOR ZUI WILL PULL 11 AND 12. OKAY. SO WE WILL HAVE POLL, UM, ITEMS, POLICY ORDINANCE NUMBER 1, 2, 4, 6 7, 8, 11, AND 12. AND WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON THE BALANCE OF THE POLICY ORDERS. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR E. YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. ABSENT. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE EIGHT MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. AND ONE RECORDED IS ABSENT. THE BALANCE IS ADOPTED. WE ARE ONTO POLICY NUMBER ONE, THAT THE CITY MANAGERS REQUESTED TO DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO EVALUATE TRAFFIC AND SAFETY CONDITIONS AT THE INTERSECTION OF WESTERN AVENUE AND KENARD STREET, AND EXPLORE THE FEASIBILITY OF INSTALLING A TRAFFIC SIGNAL OR IMPLEMENTING OTHER APPROPRIATE TRAFFIC, CAMMING OR SAFETY MEASURES. THIS IS FILED BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS AND COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY, COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. UH, THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR, THROUGH MY, THROUGH YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES. I, UH, A COUPLE OF THINGS. FIRST, IT'S CO-WRITTEN WITH, UH, COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY. HE'S ON HIS WAY, STUCK IN CRAZY TRAFFIC. UH, I WANT TO SPEAK BRIEFLY IN SUPPORT OF THIS POLICY ORDER. YOU SEE RESIDENTS THAT ARE LIVING NEAR WESTERN AVENUE IN CANARD STREETS HAVE CONSISTENTLY RAISED SERIOUS SAFETY ALARMS. THEY'RE REPORTING FREQUENT NEAR MISSES, EXPRESSING DEEP [07:00:01] ANXIETY OVER THE POTENTIAL FOR A CATASTROPHIC COLLISION. AS ALL OF US ARE T REPRESENTATIVES OF THIS COMMUNITY IS OUR CORE DUTY TO LISTEN WHEN RESIDENTS POINT OUT AN ACT OF PUBLIC HAZARD. AND I ALSO WANNA JUST EMPHASIZE, UH, A CRITICAL POINT TO REASSURE MY COLLEAGUES WHO MIGHT HAVE RESERVATION THIS ORDER DOES NOT MANDATE AN IMMEDIATE INSTALLATION OF A TRAFFIC SIGNAL, NOR DOES IT FINALIZE A SPECIFIC ENGINEERING MEASURE TODAY. IT DOES SIMPLY REQUEST THAT OUR DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION CONDUCT A RIGOROUS PROFESSIONAL ASSESSMENT OF THE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS AT THIS INTERSECTION AND REPORT THE DATA-DRIVEN FINDINGS BACK TO THIS BOAT BODY. SO VOTING FOR THIS ORDER IS NOT AN IMMEDIATE APPROVAL OF ANY INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGES. RATHER, IT'S TO VOTE TOGETHER THE NECESSARY FACTS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE A SAFE AND INFORMED DECISION FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD. SO I DO URGE MY COLLEAGUES, UH, TO SUPPORT THIS MEASURE, AND I'M CERTAINLY INTERESTED IN HEARING ANY FEEDBACK. MY COUNCILS, MY COLLEAGUES HAVE, UH, THAT THEY WANNA ADD, I YIELD THE FLOOR. I WILL GO TO COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN AND THEN COUNCILLOR EY. UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU. UM, IF IT'S OKAY WITH COUNCILOR SIMMONS, I'D LIKE TO, TO BE ADDED. IT'S A COUPLE BLOCKS FROM MY HOUSE. AND ALSO, UM, I HAD REACHED OUT LAST YEAR, MAYBE A LITTLE LONGER TO THE TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT ABOUT A, UH, ONE OF THOSE BLINKING YELLOW PEDESTRIAN SIGNALS IN FRONT OF THE SPEARS, UH, FUNERAL HOME, UM, AT A, AT A REQUEST OF THE SPEARS FAMILY AND, AND OTHER FOLKS IN, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. THERE WERE SOME ISSUES WITH THAT PARTICULAR CROSSWALK IN THAT PARTICULAR LOCATION, BUT HOPEFULLY, UM, YOU KNOW, A FEW, YOU KNOW, A HUNDRED YARDS DOWN OR SO, THINGS WILL BE, UH, WILL BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT. SO, UM, IF IT'S OKAY WITH COUNCILOR SIMMONS, I'D LIKE TO BE ADDED TO THIS ORDER. YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND DO THAT AT THE END. YEAH. COUNCILOR ZUZI. UH, I ALSO HAVE BEEN HEARING FROM NEIGHBORS THAT THERE'S A NEED FOR TRAFFIC CALMING ON, UH, WESTERN AVE. AND ITS DIFFICULT CROSSING WESTERN AVE. BUT I, I DO WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT THIS IS NOT ONE OF OUR TOP 10, UH, DANGEROUS INTERSECTIONS AND APPARENTLY INTERSECTIONS ON WESTERN AVE. RANK IN THE HUNDREDS OF 300 INTERSEC INTERSECTIONS THAT ARE NEED ATTENTION, UM, IN THE PLACES THAT ARE NOTED AS NEEDING ATTENTION ARE AT PUTNAM AVE, GREEN STREET, HOWARD STREET, AND BLACKSTONE STREET. SO, I WILL SUPPORT THIS POLICY ORDER, BUT I, I DO, UM, DEPEND ON, I THINK WE ALL DEPEND ON THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT TO REALLY PRIORITIZE THE MOST DANGEROUS INTERSECTIONS. AND I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, I KNOW, UH, ALBANY STREET IN MASS IS OUR MOST DANGEROUS, AND I'VE BEEN WORKING FOR ALMOST A YEAR WITH COUNSELOR, UH, SABRINA WHEELER AND MY INCREDIBLE A NATALIE ON IMPROVING THE INTERSECTION AT MUSEUM WAY, WHICH IS MORE COMPLICATED BECAUSE IT'S MUSEUM WAY AND THE CHARLES RIVER DAM ROAD. THERE'S SOME OTHER INTERSECTIONS THAT LIKE, ARE, ARE REALLY, UH, DEATH WISH INTERSECTIONS THAT I REALLY THINK WE MUST ATTEND TO PUT OUR MOST ATTENTION TO. THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. YES, COUNCILOR ZUBIE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO BE ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR TO THIS AS JUST SOMEONE WHO RECOGNIZES THAT THERE ARE USUALLY A LOT OF CARS THAT ARE DRIVING PRETTY QUICKLY. AND I RECOGNIZE AND APPRECIATE COUNCILOR SIMMONS AND FLAHERTY'S INTENTIONALITY WITH TRYING TO GET THIS ADDRESSED. ANYONE ELSE BEFORE WE GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON ADDING COUNSELOR, UH, MCGOVERN AND COUNSELOR, UH, ZUBI. HEARING NONE WILL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL. COUNCILOR ZUBI? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZE? YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? UH, YES. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUEY. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDING THE AFFIRMATIVE. THE ORDER HAS BEEN AMENDED. WELL, COUNCIL COUNCILOR FLAHERTY, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANTED TO SAY ON THE POLICY RULE NUMBER ONE BEFORE WE ADOPT AS AMENDED? NO, AFTER IT'S BEING AMENDED, CAN'T HEAR HIM. OKAY. UM, JUST SPEAKING TO THE MIC. SURE. NO. SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON ADOPTING THE ORDER NUMBER ONE AS AMENDED. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILLOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE POLICY ORDER. NUMBER ONE, AS AMENDED IS ADOPTED, WE GO ON TO POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO. THIS IS THAT THE CITY MANAGER IS REQUESTED TO REVIEW AND RECONSIDER THE HARVARD SQUARE KIOSK OPERATING AND STEWARDSHIP MODEL. THIS WAS FILED BY COUNCILLOR GOVERNOR, MYSELF, COUNCILOR SIMMONS, AND WE WILL GO AHEAD TO COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU. UM, WE HEARD A, WE HEARD A, UH, [07:05:01] A FEW COMMENTS LAST NIGHT FROM, UH, ARTISTS AND, AND, AND FOLKS IN, UH, IN SUPPORT OF THE KIOSK, UM, AND CULTURE HOUSE. AND I JUST, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT THAT RIGHT OFF THE TOP, THAT, UM, MY CONCERN ABOUT, UH, THE KIOSK AND THE ACTIVITY OF THE KIOSK IS REALLY, IS NOT, UM, ABOUT CULTURE HOUSE. UM, CULTURE HOUSE IS DOING WHAT THEY DO, AND THEY DO A VERY GOOD JOB AT, AT WHAT THEY DO. UM, I JUST DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT'S THE LOCATION FOR WHAT THEY DO. UM, THE KIOSK IS THE MOST PROMINENT LOCATION IN HARVARD SQUARE. UM, THE, THE, THE, WELL I STILL CALL IT THE PIT, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT GONNA BE A PIT ANYMORE, UM, IS GONNA BE FINISHED SOON. AND I THINK THAT, UM, MY ISSUE IS REALLY WITH WHAT THE ORIGINAL RFP ALLOWED IN THAT SPACE. AND, UM, YOU KNOW, IT ALLOWED THAT SPACE TO THE KIND OF, THE RES, THE CONSTRAINTS, UH, ON WHAT THEY CAN DO IN THAT SPACE IN TERMS OF THE LEVEL OF NOISE, THE LEVEL OF ACTIVITY, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT CENTRAL LOCATION NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S INCREDIBLY EXCITING, INCREDIBLY INVITING, UM, NOT NECESSARILY JUST A SPACE WHERE PEOPLE MAY COME, YOU KNOW, FOR ONE EVENT ONE DAY AND THEN MAYBE A FEW MONTHS LATER COME BACK FOR ANOTHER EVENT. UM, IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING THAT IS INCREDIBLY VIBRANT AND, UM, AND ATTRACTS PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, ALL DAY LONG AND, AND MULTIPLE TIMES. UM, SO THIS ORDER IS TO ASK THE CITY TO, UM, RECONSIDER, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE USAGE IS IN THAT SPACE, UM, AND TO, YOU KNOW, ISSUE ANOTHER RFP IF, IF, IF, IF REQUIRED. UM, UH, AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT, THAT THAT INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT CENTRAL SPACE IN HARVARD SQUARE, UH, IS USED IN A WAY THAT, UM, MORE, MORE, MORE TO WHAT IT WAS BACK IN THE DAY WHEN IT WAS THE OUT OF TOWN NEWS AS A PLACE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD FIND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE AT A TIME, UM, IN, IN THAT SPACE. SO THAT'S THE POINT OF THIS. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T, UM, WANTED TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNEW THAT I'M, YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T ABOUT CULTURE HEALTH SPECIFICALLY. UM, I THINK THEIR, YOU KNOW, THEIR HANDS WERE TIED A LITTLE BIT BASED ON WHAT THE CITY, UM, SAID COULD BE ALLOWED IN THAT SPACE. SO, UM, HOPEFULLY THIS WILL PASS AND WE CAN TAKE ANOTHER LOOK. IT'S BEEN A YEAR, UM, HOPEFULLY WE COULD TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AND FIGURE OUT A WAY TO MAKE THAT SPACE MORE VIBRANT. THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY ALSO HAD CO-SPONSORED THIS AND LEFT YOUR NAME OFF. UM, MY MISTAKE. WE HAVE A FEW HANDS. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. I HAVE COUNCILOR NOLAN AND COUNCILLOR, SABRINA WHEELER, AND THEN COUNCILLOR EY. UH, THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR THROUGH YOU. TO MY COLLEAGUES. UH, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA THANK COUNCILOR MCGOVERN FOR TAKING A LEAD ON THIS IMPORTANT, UH, POLICY ORDER. I'M NOT GONNA REPEAT WHAT HE SAID. I CERTAINLY DO CONCUR. THE ONLY THING I WANNA ADD THAT WAS ALSO IN THIS POLICY ORDER IS THAT BRINGING THE NA, BRINGING THE NAME THAT WAS ON THE BUILDING, UH, BACK TO BEING ON THE BUILDING, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN BARELY WATCH A MOVIE ABOUT CAMBRIDGE AND NOT SEE A PICTURE OF THE OUT OF TOWN TICKET AGENCY. WHAT WAS FORMALLY WAS CALLED, UM, THERE. AND SO, TWO THINGS. ONE, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HONOR, ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HISTORY, SO LET'S PUT THAT SIGN BACK. UH, THE SECOND PIECE IS THE ACTIVITIES OF THE KIOSK HAS ALWAYS BEEN ONE, OR SHOULD HAVE BEEN ONE THAT WAS ROBUST AND ENGAGES PEOPLE. AND AGAIN, AS YOU SAID, COUNCILOR MCGOVERN, TY COIN, A VERNACULAR TERM NOT TO PUT ANY SHADE ON, UH, CULTURE HOUSE, IT'S JUST, IT'S NOT DOING WHAT WE NORMALLY DO OR WHAT WE'VE SEEN HAPPEN, BE EVEN WHEN IT WAS IN ITS EARLY STAGES OF REDEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF THE HSBA AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. IT WAS JUST A ROBUST FULL OF ACTIVITY. IT WAS A PLACE THAT YOU WANTED TO GO TO BEYOND THE PIT THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO DO THAT, MARK, BUT I'M GONNA LIVE VICARIOUSLY THROUGH YOU . UM, SO I'M, I'M HOPING THAT THIS POLICY ORDER PASSES. I THINK MY COLLEAGUES ALL THAT SIGNED ON. AND LASTLY, JUST WANTED TO DRIVE HOME THE WHOLE IDEA OF RESTORING SOME OF ITS HISTORICAL HISTORICAL INTEGRITY. I YIELD THE FLOOR, WE WILL GO TO COUNCILLOR NOLAN. THANK YOU. I'M HAPPY TO SEE THIS. CAN WE JUST QUICKLY, IS THERE ANY SENSE OF WHEN THIS CONSTRUCTION WILL BE OPEN? THIS PROJECT STARTED IN 2017. THE CITY BUDGET OF FY 20 21, 20 22 HAD OPERATING, HAD FUNDS ALLOCATED ON BOND PROCEEDS TO FINISH THE KIOSK AND THE CONSTRUCTION. THAT WAS, UH, FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO. I, I KNOW LOTS OF COMPLICATIONS HAPPEN, BUT IT'S JUST UNBELIEVABLY FRUSTRATING FOR THIS CENTRAL [07:10:01] PART OF OUR CITY TO CONTINUE TO BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION. AND I KNOW IT'S MBTA AND A TILE FELL DOWN, BUT I JUST, IT'LL BE REALLY HELPFUL FOR US ALL TO KNOW HOW SOLID IS THE DATE THAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE? 2022, THEN 23, THEN 24, 20, 25. NOW WE'RE EVEN HEARING 27. SO IF THROUGH YOU, MAYOR, WE COULD JUST GET A QUICK ANSWER FROM THE CITY ON WHAT WE KNOW, IF YOU CAN BRIEFLY SHARE YEAH. AND WE CAN GET BACK WITH THAT INFORMATION TOO, UH, THROUGH YOU. UH, MAYOR, I THINK, UM, ONE OPTION WOULD BE, AND I THINK WE SHOULD INCLUDE SOME UPDATES ON THE CONSTRUCTION AND THE RESPONSE. SO EVEN WITHOUT AMENDING THE ORDER, WE CAN DO THAT. I WOULD SAY YOU ARE CORRECT. THIS HAS BEEN AN EXTREMELY COMPLICATED PROCESS THAT STARTED, YOU KNOW, WITH THE BUILDING DURING COVID VID, THERE'S BEEN A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF DELAYS. UM, WE HAVE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE MBTA, BUT THE CHALLENGES AROUND THE STATION ARE QUITE SIGNIFICANT, BOTH IN TERMS OF STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS WITH THE MBTA, THE WATERPROOFING WITH THE MBTA. UM, AND SO THERE HAVE BEEN SUBSTANTIAL DELAYS ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMPLEXITY OF CONSTRUCTION AROUND THE, YOU KNOW, THAT TUNNEL AND PARTICULARLY WATERPROOFING. YOU MAY RECALL THAT, YOU KNOW, DURING CONSTRUCTION THERE WERE A NUMBER OF INCIDENTS THAT HAPPENED IN THE TUNNEL. UM, AND SO THE MBTA BECAME OBVIOUSLY MUCH MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION IN AND AROUND THE TUNNEL. SO WE'VE MADE GOOD PROGRESS WITH THEM. THE CONTRACTOR, WE'VE MET WITH THEM RECENTLY AND BEEN VERY CLEAR ABOUT THEY NEED TO FULLY STAFF THIS PROJECT, MAKE PROGRESS. UM, AND A LOT OF THE WORK IS WEATHER DEPENDENT, BUT THEY'RE WORKING ON THE WATERPROOFING, WORKING ON THE BRICK PLAZA AREA. WE BELIEVE THAT A SUBSTANTIAL PAR PORTION OF THE PLAZA WILL BE COMPLETED THIS YEAR. UM, THERE WAS STILL CONSTRUCTION THAT WILL BE GOING INTO NEXT YEAR AROUND THE ROADS AND PARTICULARLY THE NORTHERN TIP OF THE PLAZA. AND THEN DEPENDING ON, UM, SOME OF THE WATERPROOFING AREAS, BUT WE WILL SEE SUBSTANTIAL AREAS OF THE PLAZA BEING REOPENED THIS FALL. COUNCILOR NOLAN, THANKS. IT'S WOULD JUST BE GOOD TO KNOW IF WE HAD ANY KIND OF SAW DATE AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR THAT. AND ALSO TO FURTHER OUR LOOKING INTO, UM, PEDESTRIANIZATION OF OTHER SUITS IN HARVARD SQUARE, 'CAUSE IT'S PART OF IT, BUT THIS IS ABOUT THE KIOSK AND I AGREE WITH COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. THIS MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE ABOUT CULTURE HOUSE PER SE, BUT IT'S THE WRONG MODEL FOR WHAT'S GOING THERE NOW. IT'S NOT WORKING. SO I REALLY HOPE THAT WE CAN BRING SOMETHING THAT IS MUCH MORE VIBRANT AND EXTENDS INTO THE CITY. WE HAVE COUNCILLOR SABRINA WHEELER NEXT, AND THEN COUNCILLOR ZUI. THANKS. UH, MADAM MAYOR, I AM HAP HAPPY TO DO A REVIEW. I THINK IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO, UH, LOOK AT THINGS AFTER THEY'RE STARTED, WHAT'S WORKING, WHAT'S NOT. UM, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE POLICY ORDER THAT I WANT TO CHECK IN WITH THE, THE CO SPONSORS ABOUT. SO IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I'M GONNA EXERCISE MY CHARTER RATE COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER EXERCISES HIS CHARTER RATE. WE MOVE ON TO POLICY RULE NUMBER FOUR THAT THE CITY MANAGERS REQUESTED TO WORK WITH THE ELECTION COMMISSION COMMUNICATION STAFF AND OTHER RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS TO ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO UTILIZE THEIR EARLY VOTING SITES OR VOTE BY MAIL AND TO PRIORITIZE COMMUNICATION OF THE NEED FOR VOTERS TO PLAN FOR ENOUGH TIME TO VOTE GIVEN THE COMPLEXITY OF THE BALLOTS. THIS WAS FILED BY COUNCILLOR NOLAN, COUNCILLOR EY, MYSELF, COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. COUNCILLOR NOLAN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU MAYOR SIKI, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR SPONSORING. I THINK WE KNOW PEOPLE ARE ALREADY VOTING. IT'S A REALLY COMPLEX ELECTION BECAUSE THERE ARE NINE BALLOT QUESTIONS STATEWIDE, AND IN MOST OF CAMBRIDGE, THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL 10TH QUESTION PEOPLE SHOW UP AT THE POLLS. UH, NOT EVERY POLL WORKER HAS A A POLL PAD THAT WE'RE USING. IT JUST, WE'VE HEARD, WE HEARD IN OUR, UM, RESPONSE TO THIS POLICY ORDER, SEVERAL POLL WORKERS URGED US TO PASS THIS. AND I THINK THE, THE IDEA SIMPLY IS FOR ALL OF US AND FOR THE CITY TO DO EVERYTHING IT CAN TO GET THE WORD OUT. THAT EARLY VOTING MAKES A LOT OF SENSE, PARTICULARLY IN THIS ELECTION, BECAUSE WHAT WE TREASURE AND HONOR IS THE ABILITY OF PEOPLE TO VOTE. AND IF YOU SHOW UP AND IT ENDS UP BEING A HALF HOUR, HOUR LINE, THAT'S TERRIFIC BECAUSE IT MEANS THERE'S LOTS OF PEOPLE WANTING TO VOTE. BUT IT ALSO MEANS FOR SOME PEOPLE, IT BECOMES A HARDSHIP IN ORDER TO VOTE. SO ONE, TO GET THE WORD OUT THAT EARLY VOTING MAKES A LOT OF SENSE. AND TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE KNOW IN THAT COMMUNICATION. HEY, IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THROUGH THAT 50 PAGE DOCUMENT THAT FOR INFORMATION FOR VOTERS, IT WAS SENT TO YOU, IT'S GONNA TAKE MORE TIME AT THE VOTING. SO BE PREPARED TO, IT'S NOT GONNA BE A QUICK IN AND OUT. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR CO-SPONSORS. PLEASE CITY DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PUBLISH THIS COUNCILLOR . I JUST WANTED TO ADD ON TO COUNCILLOR NOLAN'S COMMENTS. I THINK WE'VE BEEN HEARING BACK FROM POLL WORKERS WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE LACK OF INTERNAL COMMUNICATION. UM, AND THERE'S A REAL, UH, CONCERN ABOUT NOT HAVING ENOUGH POLE PADS FOR THE SELECTION. AND I'M WONDERING IF THERE AREN'T ENOUGH POLE PADS, MAYBE WE SHOULDN'T BE USING POLE PADS. THEY'RE LIKE A NEW TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'RE INCLUDING ANYWAY, BUT I THINK IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE ELECTION COMMISSION, UH, LISTEN TO THE FEEDBACK OF THE POLL WORKERS. UM, UH, AND, UM, I, OF COURSE I SUPPORT THIS POLICY ORDER. THANK YOU. HEARING NO ONE ELSE ON POLICY NUMBER FOUR. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON ADOPTING [07:15:01] THE ORDER. COUNCIL. COUNCIL COUNCILOR ZUBIE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZE. YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE POLICY NUMBER FOUR IS ADOPTED. WE GO ON TO FIVE TO NUMBER SIX. EXCUSE ME. THIS IS FOR A FAIR FREE MBTA ROUTE ONE DEVELOPED JOINTLY WITH THE CITY OF BOSTON. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY COUNCILOR ZUBE, VICE MAYOR, COUNCILLOR SERENA WHEELER AND COUNCILOR GOVERN. AND, UM, PULLED BY COUNCILLOR NOLAN. NOLAN. I'LL GO TO THE CHIEF SPONSOR COUNSELOR ZUBI, UNLESS SHE YIELDS, AND THEN I CAN GO TO, UH, COUNCILOR NOLAN. YEAH, SURE. THANK YOU. THREE. MADAM MAYOR, THANK YOU TO MY CO-SPONSORS AND ALSO WANNA THANK LIVABLE STREETS ALLIANCE FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND WORK ON THIS. AS WE KNOW, THE ONE BUS RUNS DOWN MASS AVE FROM HARVARD SQUARE TO NUBIAN STATION. IT CARRIES MORE THAN 10,000 RIDERS ON AN AVERAGE WEEKDAY, AND IT'S ONE OF THE SLOWEST ROUTES THAT THE MBTA RUNS IN 24. THE COUNCIL ASKED THE MANAGER TO WORK TOWARD A FAIR FREE ROUTE ONE, AND WE HAD A WORKING GROUP TOO BACK IN 2022. THE ANSWER WE GOT AT THAT TIME WAS AT LEAST 1 MILLION TO 1.3 MILLION A YEAR FOR OUR SHARE, UM, IN COLLABORATION WITH BOSTON AND TO COME BACK LATER IN THE BUDGET CYCLE. I KNOW BACK AT THAT TIME, THERE WAS A MAJOR BARRIER WITH THE STATE LEVEL, WHICH I DON'T WANNA LOSE SIGHT OF, BUT RIGHT NOW, BOSTON'S FAIR FREE PROGRAM IS FUNDED THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST, AND BOSTON IS WORKING OUT WITH THE MBTA, WHAT COMES AFTER THAT. SO IF WE WANT THE ONE IN THAT CONVERSATION, WE HAVE TO SAY, SO THIS FALL, SO WE CAN GO IN WITH BOSTON CITY COUNCIL ON MAKING THIS HAPPEN. LEMME BE CLEAR, THIS ORDER DOES NOT SPEND ANYTHING. IT'S JUST ASKING THE MANAGER TO GET THE MBTS BOARDING DATA SO THAT WE KNOW OUR ACTUAL UPDATED SHARE TO ASK WHETHER THE T HAS THE BUSES AND OPERATORS TO CHECK AGAINST FEDERAL FAIR EQUITY RULES AND TO TALK WITH BOSTON JUST IN TIME FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 28 BUDGET IN THE CITY'S 2025 RESIDENT SURVEY, PUBLIC TRANSIT WAS THE SECOND MOST IMPORTANT THING BEHIND HOUSING. 55% CALLED TRANSPORTATION EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, AND ONLY 27% RATED OUR CITY'S PERFORMANCE AS EXCELLENT. SO I HOPE THIS CAN PASS. IT'S ASKING FOR MORE INFORMATION AND I'LL YIELD COUNCILOR NOLAN. THANK YOU. NO, I AGREE TOTALLY. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT WE SHOULD DO. I'VE SUPPORTED IN THE PAST, I CAN'T WAIT FOR OUR EXTENDED WORK ON HOPEFULLY EVEN MORE THE CITYWIDE, UH, FAIR FREE, RELIABLE FREQUENT SHUTTLE. SO I PULLED IT IN ORDER TO BE ASKED TO BE ADDED. I THINK IT'S A REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF OUR TRANSPORTATION PLAN, AND WE NEED TO BE DOING MORE TO MAKE PUBLIC TRANSIT THE MODE OF CHOICE FOR MANY, MANY MORE PEOPLE IN CAMBRIDGE. COUNCILOR NE NOLAN YIELDS, WE'LL GO TO COUNCILOR MCGOVERN AND THEN COUNCILLOR SUZI. UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU. UH, REALLY QUICKLY THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR ZUBIE FOR PUTTING THIS IN AND, UH, BEING THE LEAD SPONSOR. UM, I KNOW YOU'RE PROBABLY SICK OF ME TALKING ABOUT THE CONFERENCE I WENT TO, UM, A COUPLE LAST MONTH IN THE, IN, IN THE NETHERLANDS. BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE CENTRAL QUESTION OF THAT URBAN MOBILITY CONFERENCE WAS WHAT KIND OF CITY DO YOU WANT TO BE? AND, YOU KNOW, IF WE WANT TO BE A CITY THAT TRULY EMBRACES MULTIPLE MODES OF TRANSPORTATION, WORKS TO, YOU KNOW, PROVIDE PEOPLE WITH, UM, ACCESS TO VARIOUS TYPES OF TRANSPORTATION, TO UM, REALLY CONNECT COMMUNITIES, CONNECT WITHIN COMMUNITIES, THEN THAT TAKES TIME AND IT TAKES INVESTMENT. AND SO THESE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT ARE PART OF THAT INVESTMENT TO MAKE, UH, TAKING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION MORE RELIABLE, LESS EXPENSIVE, UM, AND GET MORE PEOPLE, UM, YOU KNOW, USING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION THE BEST. WE ALWAYS HEAR LIKE, YOU KNOW, TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC, AND WE DON'T WANNA MOVE AWAY FROM CARS. THE BEST THING WE CAN DO TO ALLEVIATE TRAFFIC IS TO GET MORE PEOPLE ON THE BUS OR MORE PEOPLE ON BIKES AND GET FEWER CARS ON THE ROAD. BUT YOU CAN ONLY DO THAT IF THE OTHER SERVICES YOU'RE PROVIDING ARE RELIABLE AND ACCESSIBLE. SO, UM, VERY HAPPY TO BE PART OF THIS AND, AND I HOPE WE CAN, UH, CONTINUE. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR ZUZI. UH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY, I WAS COMING BACK FROM THE AIRPORT, UM, SUNDAY, AND I WAS SO HAPPY FOR THE SILVER LINE BECAUSE SINCE THE SILVER LINE IS FREE, UH, UM, EVERYBODY USES THE SILVER R OR, OR MANY, MANY PEOPLE DO LEAVING THE AIRPORT, WHICH WAS LIKE SUCH A GOOD IDEA, RIGHT? TO MAKE IT FREE. SO I, I SUPPORT THE IDEA OF FAIR FREE TRANSIT, AND I LOVE THAT SENATOR MARKEY AND REPRESENTATIVE PRESLEY ARE SUPPORTING GREATER FEDERAL SUPPORT FOR THIS. I ALSO APPRECIATE THAT ROUTE ONE IS HEAVILY USED, BUT I WONDER IF IT'S THE ROUTE THAT WE SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON. UM, UH, APPARENTLY, UH, ACCORDING TO THE CITY TRANSPORTATION [07:20:02] DATA, 15% OF LOWER INCOME WORKERS ARE COMING FROM BOSTON AND 8% FROM SOMERVILLE, BUT MANY OF THEM LIVE IN WALTHAM, MALDEN, EVERETT, CHELSEA, LYNN, AND RANDOLPH. AND, UM, I WONDER IF WHAT WE REALLY SHOULDN'T BE FOCUSED ON IS THE MBTA IS LIKE FIGURING OUT THE BUNCHING ISSUE. ACTUALLY, UH, STEVE KAISER, WHO SADLY WE LOST RECENTLY, WAS REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE BUNCHING ISSUE BECAUSE THAT'S A VERY, UM, IF, IF WE COULD JUST SOLVE THAT, UH, WE WOULD HAVE BETTER PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, THAT WOULD DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE THE ROUTE I QUESTION WHETHER WE'VE GOT THE MONEY, UH, ONE TO 1.3 MILLION TO PAY FOR THIS JUST NOW, AND WHETHER THERE MIGHT BE, IT MIGHT BE A MORE EFFECTIVE WAY TO SUBSIDIZE OR UNDERWRITE THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION COSTS OF LOW INCOME WORKERS. MIT HAS AN INTERESTING MODEL WHERE THEY ONLY PAY FOR THE RIDES THAT WORKERS, UM, TAKE. AND, UM, I'M WONDERING IF WE'RE STILL PAYING, I KNOW WE'RE, UH, PAYING HALF A MILLION FOR CRLS KIDS WHO MAY OR MAY NOT BE USING THE MBTA BENEFIT. UM, SO I, I, AGAIN, I SUPPORT THIS, UH, IN, IN THEORY, BUT I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S ACTUALLY GONNA SOLVE THE PROBLEM OR IS THE BEST WAY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I, EVEN THOUGH ROUTE ONE IS A VERY POPULAR ROUTE, THE MBTA IS UNDERFUNDED, AND I DON'T KNOW, THERE MAY BE SOME OTHER WAY THAT WE CAN BETTER SUPPORT LOW INCOME WORKERS. THANK YOU. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO SPEAK WHO HASN'T SPOKEN ON THIS? I'LL JUST SAY BRIEFLY THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I SUPPORT THE ORDER, UH, MY SECOND TERM, MY OFFICE ESTABLISHED THE FEAR FREE WORKING GROUP, UH, WITH CDD. AND, UH, THERE WAS A LOT OF, UM, GOOD DATA THAT WE REVIEWED, RECOMMENDATIONS WERE MADE, AND THE STRONGEST RECOMMENDATION WAS AROUND ROUTE ONE. UM, FOR MANY OF THE REASONS THAT HAVE BEEN STATED, WE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATION WITH THE MBTA, UM, AND BOSTON, WE WERE WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS A REALITY. UH, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF, UM, OBSTACLES AND SO I'M HOPEFUL HERE, UH, BECAUSE I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AND, UM, WITH THE CAVEAT THAT, UH, IT'S, IT'S GOING TO, YOU KNOW, THIS RENEWED EFFORT. UM, I'M, I'M HOPING IT, IT, IT WORKS, BUT, UH, IT WAS QUITE CHALLENGING, UH, TO, TO, UM, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN. BUT, UM, I'M HOPEFUL AND SO THAT'S WHY I'LL SUPPORT, UM, THE POLICY ORDER. WE HAVE COUNSELOR NOLAN, WHO LIKES, WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED. SO WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL ON THAT. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR Z? YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNSELOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNSELOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THE POLICY ORDER HAS BEEN AMENDED HEARING FROM NO ONE ELSE. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON ADOPTING POLICY ORDER NUMBER SIX AS AMENDED. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZIM? YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR ZUI. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE POLICY ORDER. SIX. AS AMENDED IS ADOPTED, WE MOVE ON TO POLICY NUMBER SEVEN. THIS IS THE CITY COUNCIL DIVESTMENT FROM ORDER FROM COMPANIES COMPLICIT IN THE GENOCIDE, APARTHEID AND OCCUPATION OF PALESTINIANS. THIS WAS FILED BY COUNSELOR ZUBI AND COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER. MAYOR SIDIKI. I, YES. I WILL GO TO, I HAVE COUNSELOR ZUBI FIRST, AND THEN I SAW VICE MAYOR, AND THEN I'LL GO TO COUNCILOR NOLAN. I WANNA JUST SAY BEFORE WE START DISCUSSION ON THIS, UM, I MENTIONED RULES OF COURTESY YESTERDAY. THIS IS A TIME THAT THE COUNCIL WILL DEBATE, UM, AND IT'S OUR TIME AND THIS IS WHAT WE DO. UH, AND SO I WOULD REALLY ASK THE AUDIENCE, UM, TO, UM, RESPECT, ORDER. UM, AND AS I SAID, ORDER MATTERS BECAUSE WE DO WANT THIS PLACE TO BE WELCOMING, UM, FOR EVERYONE. AND WE MAY HAVE VIGOROUS DI DISAGREEMENTS, UH, ON THIS ISSUE. UH, AND IT'S OUR JOB, UH, TO DO THAT WITH EACH OTHER RESPECTFULLY. AND SO, UM, JUST WANNA BE MINDFUL OF THAT AS WE GO INTO DISCUSSION. SO I HAVE COUNCILOR ZUBIE. THANK YOU ZU, YOU MADAM MAYOR. I WANNA THANK COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER FOR CO-SPONSORING THIS WITH ME, CAMBRIDGE FOR PALESTINE, AND EVERYONE WHO CAME OUT LAST NIGHT. AND TODAY, THIS SPECIFIC ITEM IS A DIVESTMENT POLICY ORDER REGARDING THE RETIREMENT BOARD AND TRUST THAT THE DIVESTMENT PO IS ABOUT OUR CITY'S MONEY. IT NAMES THE HARMS DONE BY THE STATE OF ISRAEL AND THE COMPANIES. THE OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS TRUST HAS $3 MILLION IN GE AEROSPACE, ONE OF THESE COMPLICIT COMPANIES, AND [07:25:01] IT'S ALREADY FLAGGED AS A CONCENTRATION RISK. ANYWAYS, THE CITY PENSION FUND INCLUDES $2.6 MILLION INVESTED IN PALANTIR, A DATA ANALYTICS AND AI FIRM ENABLING ISRAELI MILITARY TARGETING OPERATIONS AND IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENTS, ISIS SURVEILLANCE AND DEPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE. IN ADDITION TO THAT $18.2 MILLION INVESTED IN WEAPONS MANUFACTURERS SUCH AS ELBIT SYSTEMS, MILITARY CONTRACTORS SUCH AS LOCKHEED MARTIN AND OTHER COMPANIES IDENTIFIED BY THE AMERICAN FRIEND SERVICE COMMITTEE, DIVESTMENT SHORTLIST AS HAVING SEVERE AND CONSISTENT INVOLVEMENT DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTING TO THE GENOCIDE, APARTHEID, AND OCCUPATION OF PALESTINIANS. SO IN OTHER WORDS, IT ASKS THE CAMBRIDGE RETIREMENT BOARD AND THE TRUSTEE OF A RETIREE HEALTH TRUST TO MOVE OUTTA COMPANIES. THE AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE HAS FOUND DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN WHAT I JUST STATED, AS PERPETUATED BY THE STATE OF ISRAEL. THIS FOCUSES ON THE MOST EGREGIOUS HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN PALESTINE, AND IT'S ABOUT 1% OF OUR PENSION FUND. IT ALSO ASKS THE CITY MANAGER TO ADD THAT STANDARD TO OUR INVESTMENT POLICY AND REPORT BACK TO US. ALSO FROM MY COLLEAGUES WHO MIGHT RAISE LEGAL CONCERNS TO EXCUSE THEIR VOTE, THIS ORDERS ON SOLID LEGAL GROUND STATE LAW GIVES PENSION DECISIONS TO THE RETIREMENT BOARD AND THE CITY INVESTMENTS ARE THE MANAGER'S CALL. SO EVERY LINE IN THIS ORDER IS A REQUEST. IT DOESN'T SPEND MONEY AND IT DOESN'T BIND ANYONE. WHEN NORTHAMPTON PASSED A MEASURE LIKE THIS AND WAS SUED, THE COURT DISMISSED IT. TWO MAJOR ARGUMENTS I'VE RECEIVED AS I'VE TALKED TO LOTS OF PEOPLE. FIRST, THE CLAIM THAT, QUOTE UNQUOTE, FOREIGN AFFAIRS HAVE NO PLACE IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT. FOREIGN AFFAIRS ARE INEXTRICABLY LINKED WITH DOMESTIC AFFAIRS. IF YOU CAN'T TELL BY THE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THAT SPOKE, THEY DO CARE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. ALSO, CAMBRIDGE HAS PRECEDENT AND DONE THIS BEFORE WE STOOD AGAINST APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA AND POLAROID IN 2021, LED BY COUNCILLOR NOLAN, THIS COUNCIL VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO KEEP CITY FUNDS OUT OF FOSSIL FUELS IN PRIVATE PRISONS. TAKE THIS, THE CLIMATE CRISIS IS A GLOBAL PROBLEM, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE ARE POWERLESS TO ACT ON IT LOCALLY. IN FACT, WE RECOGNIZE THAT LOCAL ACTION IS NECESSARY TO ADDRESS A GLOBAL ISSUE. SO WHY SHOULD WE TREAT GLOBAL INJUSTICE ANY DIFFERENTLY? IF INJUSTICE IS HAPPENING IN PALESTINE, THAT DOESN'T MEAN OUR RESPONSE HAS TO BE LIMITED TO PALESTINE ITSELF. WE CAN AND SHOULD ACT LOCALLY BECAUSE GLOBAL INJUSTICES ARE CONNECTED TO THE POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL SYSTEMS THAT WE PARTICIPATE IN. HERE WHERE OUR WORKERS' RETIREMENT MONEY GOES IS OUR BUSINESS AND WHERE WE INVEST OUR MONEY IN OPERATIONS SHOULD SPEAK TO OUR RESIDENTS VALUES, AND THAT IS A RIGHT THAT WE HAVE. I ALSO WANNA ADDRESS THE SECOND MAJOR ARGUMENT OPPOSING THIS, WHICH IS, WHY ARE YOU SINGLING OUT ISRAEL? OR WHY ARE YOU MAKING THEM LOOK BAD? I'M NOT MAKING THEM LOOK BAD. I AM SPEAKING THE TRUTH. IF THE TRUTH MAKES SOMEONE QUOTE, UNQUOTE, LOOK BAD, THEN WE MUST INTERROGATE WHY WE ARE PROTECTING PERPETUATORS OF HARM FOR COMFORT. THE TRUTH IS UNCOMFORTABLE. WE HAVE TO BE WILLING TO NAME WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR INJUSTICE. JUST AS WE SHOULDN'T AVOID NAMING THE CORNELL SEVEN BECAUSE DOING SO WOULD SINGLE THEM OUT OR MAKE THEM LOOK BAD. WE SHOULDN'T AVOID NAMING ISRAEL WHEN DISCUSSING THE GENOCIDE IN PALESTINE SIMPLY BECAUSE IT MAKES ISRAEL QUOTE UNQUOTE LOOK BAD. IF OUR CONCERN IS JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY, THEN PROTECTING THE REPUTATION OF THOSE BEING ACCUSED CANNOT BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN HONESTLY CONFRONTING THE HARM BEING DONE. NAMING RESPONSIBILITY IS NOT THE SAME AS UNFAIRLY TARGETING SOMEONE. IT IS HOLDING A PEOPLE AND INSTITUTIONS ACCOUNT. IT'S HOLDING INSTITUTIONS SPECIFICALLY ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS. AND AS FOR S, THE SINGLING OUT PEACE, THE STANDARD BASELINE FOR ISRAEL HAS BEEN IMPUNITY. SO I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY IT MIGHT FEEL LIKE THE SINGLES OUT ISRAEL, BUT IN REALITY IT DOES THE BARE MINIMUM. IN FACT, HISTORICALLY, ISRAEL HAS BEEN THE EXCEPTION. THE UNITED STATES HAS PUT SANCTIONS ON COUNTRIES LIKE CHINA, SYRIA, IRAN, AND RUSSIA, BUT GIVES BLANK CHECKS TO ISRAEL. IF OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND STATE GOVERNMENT WON'T ACT, WE SHOULD. OUR RESIDENTS DESERVE TO KNOW THEIR SAVINGS ARE NOT INVESTED IN THE WEAPONS USED AGAINST FAMILIES. IN ZA, YES, THERE MIGHT BE LEGAL CONCERNS, HOWEVER, THAT SHOULD NEVER STOP US FROM DOING THE RIGHT THING. AFTER ALL, THE LAW ONCE ALLOWED FOR THE ENSLAVEMENT OF BLACK PEOPLE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL THROUGH SLAVE CODES, THROUGH SLAVE CODES AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, MORALITY AND LEGALITY, HAVEN'T EVER REALLY BEEN FRIENDS. THE LAW IS A SHARP, SHARP WEAPON. WE CAN DO WHAT WE CAN DO BETTER AND WE SHOULD DO BETTER. SO I HOPE WE CAN PASS THIS ONE. A YIELD COUNSELOR ZU YIELD. SO I HAVE A BUNCH OF PEOPLE WHO'D LIKE TO TALK, SO I'M GONNA TRY TO TAKE EVERYONE IN THE ORDER. UM, I, I HAD COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER, VICE MAYOR, UM, ZE, COUNCILLOR NOLAN, COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN, COUNCILLOR ZUZI, AND THEN COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY. SAVE THE BEST FOR LAST. NO, UM, I'M JUST KIDDING. GO. LET'S GO AHEAD. GO TO COUNCILLOR SABRINA WHEELER. THANKS, UH, MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU. UM, I'M GONNA READ FROM PARTS OF A POLICY ORDER FROM 1980 THAT WAS INTRODUCED BY CITY COUNCILOR DAVID SULLIVAN, WHO I KNOW A NUMBER OF US KNOW FROM HIS WORK ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND VOTING RIGHTS ISSUES IN CAMBRIDGE. UM, QUOTE, [07:30:01] BOTH IN ORDER TO AVOID, SORRY, LEMME START WITH ANOTHER PART, QUOTE. THE GOVERNMENT OF SOUTH AFRICA CONTINUES TO ENGAGE IN THE RACIST POLICY OF APARTHEID, THE PRACTICE OF WHICH IS ABHORRENT TO EVERY PRINCIPLE OF HUMAN RIGHTS, AND BOTH IN ORDER TO AVOID PARTICIPATION AND INJUSTICE AND IN ORDER TO TAKE SOME SMALL ACTION TO BEGIN TO END IT, IT IS THEREFORE ESSENTIAL FOR THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE TO EXAMINE ALL ITS INVESTMENTS WITH A VIEW TOWARD REDIRECTING THEM WITH CONSISTENT WITH THESE ENDS, THEREFORE BE IT QUOTE, UH, THE CITY GOVERNMENT TO REFRAIN FROM INVESTING MONIES AND BANKS AND OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS DOING BUSINESS IN OR WITH THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA. AND I READ THAT BECAUSE MOST OF THAT POLICY ORDER, UH, COULD APPLY HERE IN 2026 WITH ONLY THE NAME OF THE COUNTRY CHANGED. IN ONE SENSE, IT'S SAD THAT WE'RE HAVING THE SAME CONVERSATION ALMOST HALF A CENTURY LATER, BUT I THINK THE LESSON HERE IS NOT ABOUT CAMBRIDGE DOING SOMETHING IN ISOLATION OR TAKING ACTION THAT ISN'T GONNA HAVE A REAL IMPACT. AND THAT'S BECAUSE IN 1980, AFTER CAMBRIDGE VOTED TO DIVEST FROM COMPANIES UPHOLDING APARTHEID IN SOUTH AFRICA, TWO YEARS LATER, MASSACHUSETTS DIVESTED ITS PENSIONS FROM COMPANIES DOING BUSINESS WITH APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA. AND THEN SIX YEARS AFTER THAT, IN 1986, THE US CONGRESS PASSED FEDERAL SANCTIONS ON SOUTH AFRICAN GOVERNMENT FOR UPHOLDING APARTHEID. AND THEN IN THE EARLY 1990S, APARTHEID ENDED IN SOUTH AFRICA AND THE COUNTRY TRANSITIONED TO BEING A STATE WITH EQUAL RIGHTS FOR ALL ITS PEOPLE. THIS POLICY IS BEFORE US TODAY IN 2026, JUST AS A SIMILAR ONE, UH, WAS BEFORE CITY COUNCILORS HERE IN 1980, JUST AS CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS WERE HERE ALMOST 50 YEARS AGO. ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS, ARGUING ABOUT WHETHER THE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD SPEND ITS TIME TALKING ABOUT, UH, SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, INVOLVED A COUNTRY FAR AWAY TALKING ABOUT WHETHER THE VIOLENCE AND DISCRIMINATION AND APARTHEID WAS WORTH IT. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TODAY, JUST LIKE OUR COUNTERPARTS DID IN 1980 QUOTE, BOTH IN ORDER TO AVOID PARTICIPATION IN INJUSTICE AND TO TAKE SLUM SMALL ACTION TO BEGIN TO END IT. AND I HOPE WE CAN DO THAT TODAY. I GO BACK, WE'LL GO TO THE VICE MAYOR AND THEN COUNCILOR NOLAN. UH, THANK YOU. UM, I FOUND PUBLIC COMMENT YESTERDAY QUITE INFORMING, USUALLY I FEEL LIKE PUBLIC COMMENT IS JUST A REITERATION OF WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW FROM PEOPLE. WE ALREADY KNOW IT, BUT I FOUND IT ACTUALLY DEEPLY MOVING EVEN MORE THAN I EXPECTED, ESPECIALLY THE CONSTANT THROUGH LINE OF VERY CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF ANTISEMITISM IN OUR CITY, WHICH I DO BELIEVE IS MORE RAMPANT NOW THAN I DID EVEN BEFORE. AND THAT WE DO NEED TO DO MUCH MORE. I'VE SAID BEFORE THAT I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD GET INVOLVED IN FOREIGN POLICY, AND I DO STILL THINK THAT, UM, IT JUST DO NOT BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE ENGAGED IN FOREIGN POLICY FOR THIS WHOLE TIME AND THEN DRAW THE LINE RIGHT NOW AT THIS MOMENT ON THE TOPIC OF ISRAEL AND PALESTINE, THAT DOESN'T SIT RIGHT BY ME. AND SO PERHAPS SOMETHING WE CAN REVISIT IN THE FUTURE, BUT HERE WE ARE TODAY. YOU KNOW, I I TEND NOT TO TALK TOO MUCH ABOUT FOREIGN POLICY, BUT I DID WANNA TALK ABOUT A PARTICULAR PIECE THAT I FOUND DEEPLY INFORMATIVE IN MY OWN POLITICS, WHICH WAS A PIECE BY ANDREW MILLER IN FOREIGN AFFAIRS, WHO IS DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE FOR ISRAEL AND PALESTINE AFFAIRS IN THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, ONE OF THE MOST PRO-ISRAEL ADMINISTRATIONS THAT I THINK DEMOCRATS REASONABLY EXPECT TO HAVE. AND I QUOTE, BUT THE GAZA WAR ALSO MADE CLEAR THAT MAINTAINING THIS TYPE OF BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP COMES WITH STEEP COSTS WITH FEW EXCEPTIONS, MOST NOTABLY, THE CEASEFIRE THAT WENT INTO EFFECT IN EARLY 2025. WASHINGTON HAS STRUGGLED WITHOUT SUCCESS TO SHAPE ISRAEL'S CONDUCT OF THE WAR. THAT FAILURE IS NOT AN ANOMALY. IT IS ROOTED IN THE NATURE OF THE US ISRAELI RELATIONSHIP. ALTHOUGH THE UNITED STATES AND THE UNITED KINGDOM MAY HAVE A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP, THE UNITED STATES AND ISRAEL HAVE AN EXCEPTIONAL RELATIONSHIP. ISRAEL RECEIVES TREATMENT THAT NO OTHER ALLY OR PARTNER ENJOYS. WHEN ONE COUNTRY BUYS US WEAPONS, THE SALES ARE SUBJECT TO A BEVY OF US LAWS. ISRAEL HAS NEVER BEEN TRULY COMPELLED TO COMPLY. OTHER PARTNERS REFER FROM DISPLAYING OVERT PREFERENCES FOR ONE AMERICAN POLITICAL PARTY. ISRAEL LEADERS DO SO AND FACE NO CONSEQUENCES, AND WASHINGTON DOES NOT TYPICALLY DEFEND ANOTHER COUNTRY'S POLICIES THAT ARE CONTRARY TO ITS OWN, NOR DOES IT BACK MILD C CRITICISM OF THEM IN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS. BUT THIS IS STANDARD PRACTICE WHEN DEALING WITH ISRAEL. MANY HAVE SAID TODAY THAT WE SHOULD NOT SINGLE OUT ISRAEL. I STRONGLY AGREE. I DO NOT THINK THAT ISRAEL IS THE SINGLE WORST COUNTRY ON EARTH. I DO NOT BELIEVE IN A CALL FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF ISRAEL. I DO NOT HAVE AN INNATE DESIRE TO BE CRITICAL OF ISRAEL. IN FACT, I WOULD RATHER BE TALKING ABOUT MORE OR LESS ANYTHING ELSE AT THIS MOMENT. UM, AND I BELIEVE THAT ISRAELIS SHOULD BE ABLE TO LIVE IN PEACE, AND ISRAELIS WILL ALSO BE THE FIRST TO SAY THAT THEY HAVE A COMPLICATED NEIGHBORHOOD. I THINK THE QUESTION I STRUGGLE WITH IS THAT IF IT IS SO COMPLICATED, WHY SHOULD WE BE INVOLVED? I AM, UH, NOT BELIEVING THAT ISRAEL IS HANDLING HIMSELF SO EXCEPTIONALLY THAT DESERVES SPECIAL TREATMENT MORE SO THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY. [07:35:02] YOU KNOW, SENATOR JOHN OSSOFF QUOTED PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN EARLIER LAST YEAR OR THIS YEAR, UH, TEMPORARILY SAYING THAT PRESIDENT REAGAN TEMPORARY SUSPENDED OR DELAYED SPECIFIC WEAPONS DELIVERIES TO ISRAEL ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS DURING HIS PRESIDENCY IN RESPONSE TO MILITARY ACTIONS THAT THE UNITED STATES DISAGREES WITH. TO ME, THIS FITS INTO A LINE OF AMERICAN TRADITION WHERE I WOULD RATHER NOT BE HERE. AND IF ISRAEL CHANGES ITS ACTIONS, I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T NEED TO BE DOING THIS. UM, BUT I DO NOT THINK THAT IS THE CURRENT CASE. YOU KNOW, I DO ALSO FEEL THAT THIS IS A VERY SENSITIVE TOPIC, AND I GO BACK TO THE, THE PUBLIC COMMENT WE HAD YESTERDAY THAT I FOUND WAS DEEPLY MOVING, AND I DO BELIEVE LEAVES PLACE FOR BETTER LANGUAGE. YOU KNOW, WE ONLY HAVE 40 MINUTES UNTIL WE HAVE TO BE OUT OF THIS ROOM AND STILL A DEEP AND LONG AGENDA AHEAD OF US. I'M HOPING THAT WE CAN HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING WHERE WE CAN WORK ON LANGUAGE AND PASS SOMETHING. BUT FOR TODAY, I WILL EXERCISE MY CHARTER. RIGHT? THANK YOU. SO THE VICE MAYOR EXERCISE, UM, HIS CHARTER, RIGHT, SO WE WILL END DEBATE. WE WILL GO ON TO POLICY ORDER NUMBER EIGHT. THIS IS THAT THE CITY MANAGER IS REQUESTED TO DIRECT THE CITY SOLICITOR TO PROVIDE THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE BEFORE ITS HEARING WITH AN OPTION ON THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE UNDER MASS GENERAL LAW, CHAPTER 30 B, AND APPLICABLE FEDERAL LAW TO BOYCOTT COMPANIES COMPLICIT IN ISRAEL'S APARTHEID, GENOCIDE, AND ILLEGAL OCCUPATION OF PALESTINE. THIS WAS FILED BY COUNCILOR ZUBE COUNCILLOR, SABRINA WHEELER, COUNCILLOR ZUBE. AND THEN I'LL GO TO COUNCILLOR SABRINA WHEELER AND COUNCILLOR NOLAN. THANK YOU THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR. THE SECOND ITEM REFERS TO THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS AND SPECIFICALLY NEW CONTRACTS NOT EXISTING, UH, NOT NOT THE EXISTING ONES. SO THESE ARE THE COMPANIES, AGAIN, BASED OFF OF A FSC THAT SUSTAIN ISRAEL'S APARTHEID, GENOCIDE, AND ILLEGAL OCCUPATION OF PALESTINE, UM, INCLUDING MULTIPLE CONTRACTS OF WHICH I WON'T LIST BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY IN THE PO WHO SUPPLY CENTRAL INFRASTRUCTURE USING THE ILLEGAL ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS AND PRISONS, AND ALSO PROVIDE FACIAL RECOGNITION, TRACKING AND SURVEILLANCE UNDER THEIR SUBSIDIARY VIGILANT SOLUTIONS TO ICE. SO IT PROPOSES THAT THE CITY NOT ENTER INTO CONTRACTS FOR GOODS AND SERVICES WITH THESE COMPLICIT COMPANIES THROUGH A FSC, AND THAT THERE IS AN EXCEPTION CLAUSE WHERE THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO ALTERNATIVE. I WOULD LIKE TO CLARIFY THAT THE POLICY ORDER HERE ISN'T ADOPTING ANYTHING BUT AN ORDER FOR A COMMITTEE DISCUSSION. AT FIRST, I WAS GONNA PLAN TO MOVE A MOTION TO REFER TO THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE, BUT AFTER DISCUSSION WITH THE CITY SOLICITOR, THAT IS ACTUALLY WHAT IS ALREADY IN THE PO. SO IT'S NOT EVEN NECESSARY TO DO THE EXTRA VOTE. SO I HOPE THAT WE CAN ADJUST, ADOPT THIS PO BECAUSE IT'S CALLING FOR AN ORDINANCE COMMITTEE HEARING ALREADY. IT ALSO ASKS THE CITY SOLICITOR FOR AN OPINION UNDER CHARTER 30 B BEFORE THE HEARING. SO LEGAL RELATED QUESTIONS, IF YOU'RE VERY CONCERNED, CAN BE ANSWERED BY OUR LAW DEPARTMENT AT A PUBLIC HEARING. THAT'S WHAT THE COMMITTEE PROCESS IS FOR. I THINK HAVING THAT FEEDBACK IS VERY FAIR, BUT AGAIN, LIKE I SHARED, I HOLD THE PERSPECTIVE THAT I DO NOT WANT US TO ALLOW LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS TO STOP US FROM DOING THE MORAL THING. THIS IS THE WORST ATROCITY OF OUR LIFETIME, AND WE ARE INVESTED IN IT. AT THE END OF THE DAY, I DON'T WANT BLOOD ON MY HANDS AND NEITHER SHOULD ANY OF US. I'LL YIELD COUNCILOR WHEELER, COUNCILOR NOLAN, AND THEN COUNCILOR SIMMONS. THANKS, UH, MADAM MAYOR, UH, AS ONE OF THE CO-CHAIRS OF THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE, I JUST WANTED TO TALK FOR A MOMENT ABOUT HOW IT FITS INTO THE CONTEXT OF OTHER ORDINANCES WE DISCUSS AND, UH, SORT OF ADDRESS THE CRITIQUE THAT IT'S NOT A PRACTICAL CITY ISSUE OR THAT IT'S JUST SYMBOLIC. UH, BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS THAT ALL THE ORDINANCES THAT WE TALK ABOUT THAT WE PASS OF BOTH THE PRACTICAL COMPONENT AND A SYMBOLIC PO COMPONENT, THE PRACTICAL COMPONENT OF THIS ORDINANCE IS REDIRECTING CITY FUNDS. AND THOSE ARE REAL DOLLARS AND REAL INVESTMENTS IN CITY CONTRACTS. AND THE SYMBOLIC COMPONENT IS CONDEMNING VIOLENCE AND GENOCIDE. THAT THAT PART, THAT THERE'S BOTH A PRACTICAL COMPONENT AND A SYMBOLIC COMPONENT IS TRUE OF EVERY ORDINANCE WE PASS. AS ONE EXAMPLE, WHEN THE CITY COUNCIL PASSED A FOSSIL FUEL FREE ORDINANCE, WE KNEW THAT IT WASN'T GOING TO END CLIMATE CHANGE BY ITSELF. CLIMATE CHANGE IS A GLOBAL ISSUE, AND A CITY WITH A HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE ISN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO SOLVE IT ON ITS OWN. SO WHY DID WE PASS THAT ORDINANCE? PART OF IT WAS A PRACTICAL REASON BECAUSE REDUCING FOSSIL FUELS IN NEW BUILDINGS WOULD HAVE A SMALL BUT REAL IMPACT IN CAMBRIDGE AND BEYOND. BUT A BIG PART OF IT WAS ALSO SYMBOLIC. THE CITY COUNCIL WANTED TO SHOW THAT CAMBRIDGE WAS SERIOUS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE, THAT CAMBRIDGE TRUSTED THE SCIENCE AND THE FACTS AND THE INTERNATIONAL CONSENSUS THAT CAMBRIDGE SHOULD BE AN EXAMPLE FOR THE REST OF THE WORLD IN ADDRESSING THIS CRISIS. WHEN THE CITY COUNCIL PASSED AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING OVERLAY, WE KNEW THAT IT WASN'T GONNA END THE HOUSING CRISIS BY ITSELF. AND THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE AT THE TIME AND ACTUALLY STILL WHO SAID, YOU KNOW, THE HOUSING CRISIS IS A REGIONAL ISSUE AND IT'S A NATIONAL ISSUE, AND CAMBRIDGE IS NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO SOLVE IT ON ITS OWN. WE CANNOT HAVE HOUSING FOR EVERYBODY IN CAMBRIDGE. AND THIS WAS SO DIVISIVE. WHY DO SOMETHING THAT WAS JUST SO DIVISIVE HERE WHEN WE WEREN'T GONNA BE ABLE TO SOLVE THIS CRISIS? WE PASSED THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OVERLAY BECAUSE WE KNEW IT MATTERED. IT WAS A SMALL THING IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS, BUT WE KNEW IT WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE, AND PART OF IT WAS ALSO SYMBOLIC. WE WANTED TO SHOW THAT CAMBRIDGE COULD LEAD ON THE HOUSING CRISIS AND [07:40:01] INSPIRE OUR NEIGHBORS LIKE SOMERVILLE AND BELMONT AND ARLINGTON TO DO MORE LIKE OTHER ORDINANCES. GETTING THE DETAILS ON THIS RIGHT IS IMPORTANT. THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS ALREADY WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND THE LAW DEPARTMENT AT ABOUT IMPLEMENTATION, AND WE'LL HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IT IN THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE. UH, AS WAS MENTIONED BEFORE, THE ONLY VOTE TODAY IS TO SEND THIS ON TO THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE LIKE WE DO FOR ALL ORDINANCES FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION. AND, UH, LOOK FORWARD TO FURTHER CONVERSATION THERE AND HOPE WE CAN DO THAT TODAY. YOU'LL BACK COUNCILOR NOLAN AND THEN COUNCILOR SIMMONS, AND THEN COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. THANKS. THIS IS REALLY HARD. AND IF THE INTENT IS TO ENSURE OUR CITY FUNDS DO NOT FUND TERROR OR WAR CRIMES OR EQUALLY HORRIFIC ACTS, THEN THE PROCESS MUST BE JUST AND FAIR AND INCLUDE ALL PROBLEMATIC COMPANIES AS WRITTEN. THE POLICY ORDERS ARE NOT FAIR OR EQUITABLE OR JUST THEY SINGLE OUT ONE COUNTRY. INSTEAD OF ASKING FOR A REVIEW OF ALL FUNDS THAT MIGHT BE TIED TO ANY AND ALL COMPANIES IN WHICH WE ARE INVESTED, THAT ARE TIED TO ANY AND ALL COUNTRIES OR ORGANIZATIONS TIED TO TERROR OR WAR CRIMES. WHAT ABOUT OUR OWN GOVERNMENT'S ACTIONS? CHINA'S BRUTAL REPRESSION, RUSSIA'S TARGETING CIVILIANS, SOUTH SUDAN'S MASSAC COURSE, WE COULD GO ON AND ON AND ON. WHICH COMPANIES THAT WERE INVESTED IN ARE TIED TO THOSE DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY AND DI DESERVE DIVESTMENT? I CAN SUPPORT DIVESTMENT NOT THIS LANGUAGE. AND GIVEN THAT MY COLLEAGUE ARTIE EXERCISED HIS CHARTER RIGHT ON THE FIRST ONE, I THINK THESE ARE IN INEX, INEXTRICABLY TIED, AND I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION TOGETHER, UM, AND COME TO A PLACE WHERE WE CAN DIVEST AND NOT DO FURTHER HARM, WHICH I THINK THE LANGUAGE CURRENTLY WRITTEN DOES. SO I WILL EXERCISE MY CHARTER RIGHT ON THIS ONE. COUNCILOR NOLAN EXERCISES HER CHARTER, RIGHT? SO FOR THE FOLKS WHO ARE WONDERING WHAT HAPPENS NEXT, UM, THERE'S A FEW OPTIONS I JUST WANTED TO EXPLAIN. UM, WE HAVE OUR NEXT REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 2ND, WHICH IS A LONG WAYS AWAY AS, UM, MAYOR, I HAVE THE, UM, AUTHORITY TO CALL A SPECIAL MEETING. UM, AND I THINK GIVEN THE, THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS, UH, YOU KNOW, TO THE SUGGESTION EARLIER, WE CAN CALL A SPECIAL MEETING, UM, I THINK, UM, WE WILL, YOU KNOW, I THINK I MAY NEED TO, I'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO SUBMIT A LATE ORDER. AND SO, UM, WE CAN, WE CAN DO THAT, BUT THAT'S FOR THE FOLKS. WE WILL, IF THERE IS A SPECIAL MEETING, WE WILL NOTICE IT, UM, AND GO FROM THERE. SO, BUT CHARTER RIGHT ENDS DISCUSSION. MADAM MAYOR. YES. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, UH, THANK YOU, UH, THREW YOU INTO YOU. I, I THINK THAT'S A THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS. I THINK THAT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY IDEA. I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY SHOULD TAKE TIME, UM, TO REALLY TALK THROUGH. SO I CERTAINLY BE, I DON'T, I KNOW YOU DON'T NEED A MOTION TO DO THAT, BUT I CERTAINLY SUPPORT THE IDEA OF HAVING A SPECIAL MEETING SO WE CAN REALLY THOROUGHLY TAKE UP BOTH POLICY ORDERS A YIELD. SO WE MOVE ON FROM POLICY ORDER NUMBER, UH, SEVEN AND EIGHT, AND WE'LL GO TO POLICY ORDER NUMBER 11. THIS IS THAT THE MWRA, WE CAN, WE NEED SOME DECORUM THAT THE MWRA FOLKS WE HAVE TO GET THROUGH OUR MEETING. THANK YOU THAT THE MWRA, WE CONSIDER PLANS TO CONSTRUCT A 10 MILLION GALLON CSO STORAGE TANK BENEATH MAGAZINE BEACH. THIS WAS FILED BY COUNCILLOR ZUI, COUNCILLOR NOLAN, MYSELF, VICE MAYOR, COUNSELOR ZUI. RIGHT NOW IT'S ABOUT 10 30, SO WE HAVE A HALF AN HOUR TO GET THROUGH THIS. SO COUNCILOR ZZI, I'LL GO TO YOU. UH, I, I GUESS I REALLY DIDN'T NEED TO PULL THIS. IJI JUST, UH, THIS POLICY ORDER. UH, I THINK YOU'RE ALL GONNA SUPPORT IT. I HOPE YOU WILL. THIS IS SOMETHING THE CITY, UH, THE CITY MANAGER WROTE A LETTER IN SUPPORT OF, UH, ASKING THE MWRA TO RECONSIDER ITS PLANS FOR MAGAZINE BEACHES. I THINK ALL OF, YOU KNOW, SINCE THE 1990S, THE CI, THE CITY HAS INVESTED OVER 12 MILLION OR, OR THE CITY AND THE STATE OF INVESTED OVER $12 MILLION INTO ACTUALLY REVITALIZING THIS ONCE VERY DERELICT, UH, PARK ALONG THE CHARLES RIVER. IT'S A 17 ACRE PARK, OUR SECOND LARGEST PARK, AND IT'S BEEN, IT, IT IS AN EXTRAORDINARY CAN YOU CLOSE, WE'RE GONNA PAUSE MOMENTARILY. YEAH, WE'VE, WE'RE PAUSING. [07:45:07] UM, I THINK IT'S OKAY. PLEASE CONTINUE. OKAY. BACK TO MAGAZINE BEACH. THIS PARK IS AN EXTRAORDINARY RESOURCE FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT, UM, AGAIN, IT WAS THE COMMUNITY THAT HAS LED, UM, EFFORTS TO REVITALIZE THIS PARK. FIRST, THE FRIENDS OF MAGAZINE, BEACH PARK, AND THEN THE CAMBRIDGEPORT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. WE HAD A MAGAZINE, BEACH COMMITTEE, AND THEN WE SPUN OFF A MAGAZINE, BEACH PARTNERS. AND I THINK MANY, OR I THINK YOU ALL KNOW THAT I'VE BEEN LEADING THIS EFFORT SINCE 2010. BUT THIS PARK IS AN EXTRAORDINARY AMENITY AND A MUCH NEEDED PUBLIC RESOURCE FOR THE CITY. UM, UH, WE ALL THE CHARLES RIVER CONSERVANCY, THE WATERSHED ASSOCIATION, THE CITY MAGAZINE, BEACH PARTNERS, THE CNA, WE ALL SUPPORT THE NEED FOR BETTER STORMWATER MANAGEMENT AND IN INVESTMENT AND CSO INFRASTRUCTURE. BUT OUR, WE THOUGHT WHEN THE CITY FIRST PRESENTED THIS PROJECT TO US AND THE MWRA DID, WE UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE WAS SOME FLEXIBILITY ABOUT THIS 10 MILLION GALLON TANK THAT WAS PROPOSED FOR THE PARK. WE WERE TOLD THAT IT WOULDN'T NEED TO BE FENCED OFF, THAT THERE WOULDN'T NEED TO BE A HEAD HOUSE ON TOP OF THE PROJECT, THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO MOVE IT AROUND MAYBE CLOSER TO THE COTTAGE FARM PLANT. WE WEREN'T IMAGINING THAT THE STATE WOULD TURN THE 8.3 ACRES OF THE PARK INTO A CONSTRUCTION SITE FOR SIX TO EIGHT YEARS WITH 35 TRUCKS REMOVING SOIL, UM, A DAY FOR SIX TO EIGHT YEARS. UM, WE WERE, WE WEREN'T UNDERSTANDING THE FULL IMPACTS OF WHAT IT, IT WAS BEING PROPOSED. SO WE'RE ASKING THE MWRA TO SORT OF COME BACK AND TO RETHINK WHAT IS BEING PROPOSED FOR THE SITE. MAYBE THEY CAN MOVE IT TO GOOSE MEADOW, WHICH WOULD BE MUCH LESS DISRUPTIVE. MAYBE THE TANK DOESN'T HAVE TO BE 10 MILLION GALLONS. MAYBE IT COULD BE 5 MILLION GALLONS. UM, I THINK THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT CAN BE RECONSIDERED, BUT WE CERTAINLY AFTER, UM, ADVOCATING FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THIS PUBLIC AMENITY SINCE THE 1990S AND INVESTING SO MUCH TIME AND ENERGY INTO IMPROVING THE PARK, WE DON'T WANNA FORFEIT IT TO AND, AND TURN AND TO HAVE THE AREA TURNED INTO A CONSTRUCTION SITE AND HAVE THE SOCCER FIELD FENCED OFF FOREVER. SO THAT IS WHAT THIS POLICY ORDER ASKS FOR. AND, UM, AND I'VE, AND DCR DOESN'T WANT THIS TO HAPPEN EITHER. MM-HMM . SO I HOPE YOU ALL WILL SUPPORT, UM, ME IN THIS. AND, UM, THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. THANK YOU. WE'LL GO TO COUNCILOR MCGOVERN AND THEN COUNCILOR SIMMONS. UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. UH, THANK YOU TO COUNCILLOR ZUZI FOR THIS. UM, I WAS ACTUALLY THE PRESIDENT OF THE CENTRAL DIVISION LITTLE LEAGUE AND WORKED WITH DCR TO WHEN THAT BASEBALL FIELD WENT IN. AND, AND, AND THE LOSS OF THAT SPACE WOULD, WOULD REALLY BE DETRIMENTAL TO THE CHILDREN OF, OF THE CAMBRIDGE PORT NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, THIS MIGHT, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR MY COLLEAGUES, BUT THIS MIGHT BE ONE OF THOSE POLICY ORDERS THAT WE ALL SHOULD CO-SPONSOR TO SEND A MESSAGE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALL ON BOARD, UH, WITH THIS POSITION. SO I WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED, BUT I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR ANYBODY ELSE. ? YES. COUNCILOR SIMS. I THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, THROUGH YOU TO, UH, MY COLLEAGUES. FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA JUST, UH, ACKNOWLEDGE COUNCILOR SUZI, THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS. WHEN I SAW IT AND READ IT, I WAS APPALLED. I KNOW, FIRST OF ALL, YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK AROUND MAGAZINE BEACH, BUT IT IS, AS YOU SAY, IN AS IT SAID IN IN THE, IN OUR BOOKLET, THIS IS AN IMPORTANT AMENITY IN TO COST SO MUCH AND TAKE AN AMENITY FROM THAT AREA OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS STUNNING TO ME. SO, I, I MEAN, I, I'M VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THIS ORDER DOES AND DOES NOT DO. THE ORDER DOES NOT STOP PROGRESS ON ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS, AND IT DOESN'T REJECT THE MRMW A'S WASTE NEED TO MANAGE WASTEWATER. IT ASKS THE CITY MANAGER AND THE CITY MANAGER HAS BEEN VERY CLEAR THAT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT, THAT, UH, SHOULD HAPPEN. SO I FULLY STAND IN SUPPORT OF IT. UH, I WOULD LOVE TO BE, UM, ADDED AS A CO-SPONSOR. I HOPE IT PASSED BECAUSE I THINK WE SHOULD START, SEND A STRONG MESSAGE. NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT. I YIELD THE FLOOR. WE WILL GO TO COUNCILOR FAHERTY. AND VERY QUICKLY THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR, I WANT TO JOIN IN THIS AND BE ADDED AS WELL. AND, UH, AND I WANNA STATE FOR THE RECORD THAT I APPLAUD THE CITY MANAGER'S OBJECTION TO THE MWRA WHEN THEY REVERSED COURSE AT THE MOST RECENT, UH, MEETING. [07:50:01] AND, UH, I WAS SHOCKED BY IT. AND, UH, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE A FIGHT WITH SOMEONE, THIS IS THE FIGHT WE SHOULD HAVE. ALL RIGHT. THIS IS THE FIGHT. MAYBE ALL OF US CAN JOIN IN AND FIGHT TO PRESERVE A PUBLIC PARK AND THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE THAT IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE. SO I YIELD ANYONE ELSE WHO HASN'T SPOKEN ON THIS. YES, COUNCILLOR NOLAN. JUST VERY QUICKLY, IF THE CITY MANAGER COULD EXPLAIN, HE SENT A LETTER AND IT WOULD JUST BE GOOD JUST WITH ONE MINUTE TO HAVE IT ON THE RECORD. IT WAS INCREDIBLY POWERFUL AND IMPORTANT. SO TO LET PEOPLE KNOW IT'S NOT JUST THE COUNCIL DOING THIS. IT WAS, I THINK, A SHOCK TO THE CITY TO UNDERSTAND THIS. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO EMPHASIZE ANYTHING. DCM WATKINS OR CM HUANG, YOU DID DO A NICE JOB WRITING HIS LETTER, CITY MANAGER THROUGH, UM, MAYOR SADIKI. UM, I THINK WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY, UH, OBVIOUSLY WITH THE MWA ON THE CSO. I THINK IT WAS A BIG SURPRISE, UM, NOT NECESSARILY THAT THERE WAS A PLAN FOR A STORMWATER TANK, UM, BUT IT HAD NOT BEEN SHARED WITH US THAT THE IDEA WOULD BE FOR A PERMANENT FENCING OFF. UM, I THINK IN PARTICULAR, YOU KNOW, THE CITY HAS HAD A NUMBER OF THESE PROJECTS, MAYBE NOT AT THIS FULL SCALE, UH, BUT WHERE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, FROM AN ENGINEERING PERSPECTIVE, UH, SATISFY THE STORMWATER REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE NEEDED, UH, BUT ALSO PRESERVE PUBLIC SPACE. UM, SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF PARKS, UH, INCLUDING THE SPACE IN FRONT OF THE LIBRARY WHERE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PRESERVE PUBLIC SPACE, AND YOU HAVE THIS KIND OF INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, AND WHEN THE PROJECT'S COMPLETED, IT GOES BACK TO BEING A SPACE FOR OUR COMMUNITY. UM, SO I THINK WE, WE ARE ALL CERTAINLY ON THE SAME PAGE. THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT PROJECT, UM, BUT ALSO ONE THAT WE NEED TO DO. RIGHT. UH, AND THE PROPOSAL THAT WAS SHARED WAS BOTH SURPRISING, UH, AND, AND ONE THAT WE'RE CERTAINLY IN OPPOSITION TO, UH, I'LL JUST DEFER TO DEPUTY CITY MANAGER WATKINS. UH, AND, AND I THINK FOR ANYTHING THAT I'VE MISSED SURE. THROUGH YOU, MAYOR SIDIKI, I MEAN, I THINK THE CITY MANAGER HIT THE KEY POINTS, WHICH IS THAT WE HAVE ALWAYS CO-LOCATED THESE FACILITIES QUITE WELL. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF THEM UNDER PUBLIC STREETS, IN PUBLIC PARKS. ONCE THEY'RE CONSTRUCTED, NO ONE KNOWS THEY'RE THERE. THEY'RE THE HIDDEN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT PROTECTS OUR CITY. AND SO WE'VE BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH THE MWA FOR, YOU KNOW, THIS IS GOING ON CLOSE TO FIVE YEARS ABOUT THE PLAN. UM, AND I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, THE ENGINEERS THAT ARE WORKING ON THE DETAILS, THEY HAD NEVER BEEN SHARED THIS IDEA OF IT BEING FENCED OFF. AND SO WE HAVE BEEN VERY CLEAR WITH THE MB, UH, MWA STAFF, UM, BOTH IN CONVERSATION AND THROUGH THE FORMAL LETTER SAYING THAT THIS IS NOT A VIABLE PROPOSAL. IT IS NOT GONNA BE SUPPORTED BY THE CITY, IT'S NOT GONNA BE SUPPORTED BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE, AND IT'S NOT GONNA BE SUPPORTED BY DCR. AND SO, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE PART, YOU KNOW, THE, THE OBJECTIVE OF THE DRAFT PLAN IS IT IS A DRAFT PLAN, AND THEN PEOPLE PROVIDE FEEDBACK. AND I THINK WE'VE ALL BEEN, HAVE PROVIDED VERY CLEAR FEEDBACK THAT THIS IS NOT A VIABLE OPTION, THAT WE DO NEED TO REDUCE CSOS AND IMPROVE STORM WATER MANAGEMENT, BUT WE'RE NOT DOING THAT THROUGH THE LOSS OF A CRITICAL PARK. AND SO I THINK IT IS REALLY HELPFUL FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO ALSO BE VERY CLEAR ON THAT MESSAGE. COUNCILOR NOLAN, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ADD, UH, A FEW FOLKS WHO'D LIKE TO BE ADDED. COUNCILOR GOVERN COUNCILLOR SIMMONS AND COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY ON ADDING THEM TO POLICY ORDER NUMBER 11. YES. OH, YOU WANTED TO SPEAK AND YOU BOTH MOTION TO ADD EVERYONE. YEAH. MOTION TO ADD EVERYONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO, THE AYES HAVE IT. POLICY ORDER 11 HAS BEEN AMENDED WITH THE ALL THE COUNCIL. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON ADOPTING POLICY ORDER NUMBER 11 AS AMENDED. COUNCILOR ZUBE? YES. YES. VICE MAYOR ZI? YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY. YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR NOLAN. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS. YES. YES. COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNCILOR EY. YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI. YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE POLICY. NUMBER 11, AS AMEND IS ADOPTED, WE'RE REGARD TO POLICY RULE NUMBER 12. THIS IS REAFFIRMING THE CITY COUNCIL'S COMMITMENT TO HIGH QUALITY HEALTHCARE FOR ALL RESIDENTS, AND ITS STRONG SUPPORT OF HOUSE BILL 1405 AND SENATE BILL EIGHT 60 IN ACT, ESTABLISHING MEDICARE FOR ALL IN MASSACHUSETTS. THIS WAS FILED BY COUNCILOR ZUBE, COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER, COUNCILOR NOLAN, MYSELF. AND WE WILL GO TO COUNCILOR ZUBY FIRST, AND THEN COUNSELOR, UH, ZUZI WHO POLL. THANK YOU. ZU. MADAM MAYOR, THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR CO-SPONSORING THIS IN 24. THIS COUNCIL VOTED EIGHT O TO SUPPORT MEDICARE FOR ALL. THE BILLS DIDN'T ACTUALLY PASS BEFORE FORMAL SESSIONS ENDED ON JULY 31ST, AND SO NEED TO BE REFILED IN JANUARY, AND THIS ESSENTIALLY WOULD RENEW OUR SUPPORT FOR THE NEXT SESSION. AS WE KNOW, HEALTHCARE IS A HUMAN RIGHT, IT IS ALSO ALIGNED IN OUR BUDGET. THIS YEAR, WE SET ASIDE AROUND $120 MILLION FOR HEALTH INSURANCE FOR CITY AND SCHOOL EMPLOYEES AND RETIREES, AND IT COMES UP IN EVERY CONTRACT NEGOTIATION. IF WE USE MASS CARE'S METHOD, THE CITY WOULD ACTUALLY SAVE AN ESTIMATED 69 MILLION TO 90 MILLION A YEAR UNDER [07:55:01] THE SINGLE PAYER BILL. OUR WORKERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO TRADE WAGES FOR PREMIUMS AT THE BARGAINING TABLE. AND I HOPE THAT OUR SUPPORT AT THE COUNCIL LEVEL CAN BE SHARED AT THE STATE. I COUNCILLOR ZUI, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. UM, I WILL SUPPORT THIS. I JUST WANTED, UM, TO SHARE, YOU KNOW, OVER THE LAST MONTHS I'VE BEEN HELPING MY NEIGHBOR, STEVE KAISER, WHO SADLY PASSED AWAY THIS WEEKEND WHO DID NOT HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE AND, UH, FOR COMPLICATED REASONS, BUT I, IT REALLY, UH, JUST IN TRYING TO BRING HIM SUPPORTS, UH, THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE ALWAYS GOT IN THE WAY. SOMERVILLE, CAMBRIDGE ELDER SERVICES WAS ABSOLUTELY EXTRAORDINARY. THEY WERE NOT REIMBURSED FOR SERVICES BECAUSE HE DID NOT HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE. BUT EVERY STEP OF THE WAY, I, YOU KNOW, I TOOK HIM TO THE DOCTORS. UH, I DON'T KNOW HOW HE'S GONNA PAY THAT BILL OR, YOU KNOW, I GUESS IT'LL BE PAID FROM HIS ESTATE. BUT, UM, HE NEEDED TESTS. HE COULDN'T PAY FOR THE TESTS. UH, HE WAS AT THE HOSPITAL. YOU KNOW, THE, UM, UH, THEY'RE GONNA BE HUGE COSTS FOR HIS HOSPITAL STAYS. ANYWAY. IT, IT JUST, UH, WE'VE GOTTA FIX OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IN AMERICA AND EVERYONE NEEDS TO HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE. THANK YOU. I YIELD, DID ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING? DID YOU WANNA BE ADDED OR YOU JUST WANTED TO MAKE A STATEMENT? COUNCILLOR , YOU'RE GOOD. OKAY. SO HEARING NO ONE ELSE ON POLICY NUMBER 12, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND DO A VOICE VOTE ON ADOPTING THE ORDER. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. POLICY NUMBER 12 IS ADOPTED. THERE ARE NO ITEMS ON THE CALENDAR. [APPLICATIONS] THERE'S ONE APPLICATION WHICH WAS RECEIVED FROM MARISSA CALDO REQUESTING PERMISSION FOR A CURB CUT. YES. COUNSELOR NOLAN, YOU'D LIKE TO PULL THIS? YEAH, YEAH. I JUST, A QUICK COMMENT. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT JUST SIMPLY EXTENDS AN EXISTING CURB CUT. SO I'M GONNA VOTE IN FAVOR OF IT JUST TO LET PEOPLE KNOW. SOMETIMES, UM, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF HANDING OVER CURB CUTS. THIS IS ONE THAT JUST EXTENDS IT, WHICH WAS NOT CLEAR TO ME UNTIL I READ THE REVIEWED THE APPLICATION. ANYONE ELSE ON THIS? ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR NOLAN TO ADOPT THE APPLICATION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. THE APPLICATION IS ADOPTED. [COMMUNICATIONS] WE NOW MOVE ON TO COMMUNICATIONS. THERE ARE 875 COMMUNICATIONS PLACE ON FILE. AND THEN YES, , WE'LL GO AHEAD ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS TO PLACE ALL COMMUNICATIONS ON FILE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. THE COMMUNICATIONS ARE PLACED ON [RESOLUTIONS] FILE. WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE CONSENT RESOLUTIONS. ARE THERE ANY THAT MY COLLEAGUES WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS? MOVE THE ADOPTION, MAKING THE UNANIMOUS UPON ADOPTION. COUNSELOR SIMMONS MOVES TO ADOPT THE, UH, TWO RESOLUTIONS AND MAKING THEM UNANIMOUS UPON ADOPTION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. THE TWO RESOLUTIONS ARE ADOPTED. [COMMITTEE REPORTS] THERE'S ONE COMMITTEE REPORT. THIS IS FROM THE HOUSING COMMITTEE, A ROUND TABLE PLACE ON FILE ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS TO ACCEPT THE REPORT AND PLACE ON FILE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. THE REPORT IS PLACED ON FILE. [ROUNDTABLE/WORKING MEETING SUBMISSION OF THE RECORD] WE HAVE ONE ROUND TABLE WORKING MEETING SUBMISSION OF THE RECORD FROM JUNE 29TH ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR ZUZI TO ACCEPT THIS REPORT AND PLACE ON FILE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. THE MINUTES ARE ACCEPTED AND PLACED ON FILE. [COMMUNICATIONS FROM OTHER CITY OFFICERS] WE HAVE TWO COMMUNICATIONS AND REPORTS FROM OTHER CITY OFFICERS ON A MOTION BY COUNSELOR FLAHERTY TO PLACE BOTH OF THESE COMMUNICATIONS ON FILE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAIN SAY NO, THE AYES HAVE IT. THOSE TWO, UH, COMMUNICATION REPORTS FROM OTHER CITY OFFICERS ARE PLACED ON FILE. [LATE AGENDA ITEMS REQUIRING SUSPENSION OF THE RULES PER RULE 36A] WE MAY NOW MOVE ON TO LATE RESOLUTIONS. WE DO HAVE SOME LATE RESOLUTIONS, AND I HAVE THE LATE PO AROUND THE SPECIAL MEETING, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON SUB SUB, UM, SUSPENSION. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. WE ARE IN SUSPENSION. WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE LATE RESOLUTION. THIS WAS THE LATE RESOLUTION THAT WAS FILED BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS ON THE PASSING OF MADELINE OR, OR A COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR. UH, MADELINE ARROYO, WE OFTEN CALLED MADDIE AND, UH, WE LIT. WE WENT. HER FUNERAL WAS, UH, LAST FRIDAY, [08:00:01] BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS STILL IMPORTANT TO BRING IN THIS RESOLUTION, BUT MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT MAD. SHE WORKED FOR THE CITY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES PROGRAM, MOSTLY IN, UM, THE NORTH CAMBRIDGE AREA. THIS, SHE WAS A YOUNG WOMAN OF 55. UM, AND JUST TO HAVE THE, HAVE THE FACT THAT SHE'S PASSED AWAY, AND I'M, I'M STILL NOT SURE OF ALL THE DETAILS. I JUST THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FITTING TO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE HER PASSING SO MUCH, BUT ACKNOWLEDGE HER LIVING. UH, PARTICULARLY BECAUSE NOT ONLY WAS SHE SOMEONE WHO LIVED IN CAMBRIDGE A GREAT NUMBER OF YEARS, BUT BECAUSE SHE WORKED FOR THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE FOR SO MANY YEARS. SO I HOPE MY COLLEAGUES WILL FEEL IT RIGHT AND PRUDENT TO SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION IN, IN ACKNOWLEDGING HER LIFE AND, UM, ACKNOWLEDGING HER PASSING I YIELD. DID ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING ON THE LATE RESOLUTION? HEARING NONE. UH, WE'LL, GO AHEAD. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO. THE RESOLUTION HAS BEEN LATE. RESOLUTION'S BEEN ADOPTED. [APPENDED INFORMATION] UM, THERE IS A LATE POLICY ORDER. IT'S BEING PRINTED RIGHT NOW, UM, CONFERRED WITH THE SOLICITOR ON THIS. ESSENTIALLY, I, WE CAN CALL A SPECIAL MEETING, UM, BECAUSE WE'VE, UM, IT'S A CONTINUATION. I HAD ASKED ABOUT PUBLIC COMMENT, AND IT'S MY RECOMMENDATION THAT GIVEN THAT WE'VE HAD, UM, EXTENSIVE PUBLIC COMMENT THAT WE VOTE IN THE PO TO NOT HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT AT THE SPECIAL MEETING SO WE CAN GET STRAIGHT TO THE SUBSTANCE. AND SO THAT'S WHAT THE PO, UM, BASICALLY SAYS, BUT IT'S BEING PRINTED. SO JUST, UM, HOLD ON MOMENTARILY AS IT, UM, GETS IN FRONT OF US. MADAM MAYOR. YEAH, WE, WE, WE MOVED SUSPENSION ON THE LATES. UH, BUT WE CAN, YEAH, WE DID BOTH. AND THE POLICY ORDER. YES. COUNCILMAN MCGOVERN. UH, THANKS. UH, JUST WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR THAT, I KNOW WE DID ANNOUNCEMENTS, UM, YESTERDAY, BUT JUST TO REMIND FOLKS, UH, THAT TONIGHT AT FIVE 30 THERE'S A, UM, A VIGIL OR A A A A, UH, AT, IN FRONT OF THE CITY HALL, UH, AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. UM, THERE'S GONNA BE A NUMBER OF SPEAKERS AND, UM, JUST WANNA MAKE SURE, UH, WE DIDN'T ANNOUNCE THAT YESTERDAY, SO, UM, I'LL BE THERE. I'M SURE MOST OF US WILL BE THERE WHILE WE WAIT. I THOUGHT I'D PUT THAT UP THERE. MADAM MAYOR. YES. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. ON THE ANNOUNCEMENT SIDE, AS WE CLOSE OUT OCTOBER, MANY OF YOU KNOW THAT OCTOBER IS BREAST CANCER, UH, MONTH. AND, UH, THERE'S GOING TO BE THE, THE, THE MASS BREAST CANCER COALITION HAS A FUNDRAISER TO RAISE MONEY TO SUPPORT, HELP, AND INFORM FAMILIES AROUND, UH, BREAST CANCER. AS YOU, AS MANY OF YOU PROBABLY KNOW, BREAST CANCER HITS THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY COMMUNITY OF COLOR HARDER THAN IT HITS OTHER, OTHER COMMUNITIES. AND SO IF YOU, IF YOU WANNA HAVE A LITTLE FUN, UM, ALSO, REVEREND IEM MONROE IS BEING HONORED. I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU COME AT SATURDAY EVENING AND IT'S AT CLUB CAFE A YIELD. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN. I GOT ONE MORE, SORRY. UM, THIS FRIDAY, UH, I'M, I'M GONNA BE SPONSORING ALONG WITH THE BID A PUMPKIN PAINTING PARTY IN THE NEW CARL BARRON PLAZA. SO WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE PUMPKINS, WE HAVE HOT, WARM CIDER, DONUTS, SWEETS, UH, MUSIC. AND SO ANYONE WANT TO COME DOWN AND PAINT THE PUMPKIN, UM, FROM FOUR TO 6:00 PM AT CARL BARON PLAZA. AND COUNCILOR NOLAN, DO YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR MEETING? AND SHORTLY, RIGHT, RIGHT AFTER THIS, AT, UM, 1130, WE'LL BE HAVING WHAT I THINK IS ONE OF THE MOST SUBSTANTIVE, SIGNIFICANT AND, UH, MEANINGFUL MEETINGS ABOUT OUR FUTURE AS A CITY FROM A SUSTAINABILITY PERSPECTIVE AND, AND PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, WHICH IS A MEETING ON SOMETHING CALLED 10, WHICH IS THE, UH, THE, THE NAME USED FOR THERMAL ENERGY NETWORKS. THEY'VE BEEN CALLED GEOTHERMAL. THEY'VE BEEN CALLED GROUND SOURCE HEAT EXCHANGE. THERE'S A WHOLE RANGE, BUT IT, IT, AS WE MOVE, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING ELEMENTS THAT NATIONWIDE AND IN EUROPE, THEY'RE LOOKING AT AS, AS WAYS FOR CITIES TO EQUITABLY, UH, EXCUSE ME, GET OFF FOSSIL FUELS. AND SO WE'LL BE HAVING, AND AT THAT MEETING, THERE'LL BE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM EVERSOURCE VICINITY ENERGY WILL BE TALKING MIT, UM, UH, HEAT BLACK SWAN LAB. SO WE'LL HAVE VERY SHORT PRESENTATIONS. THE C WILL BE PRESENTING THE RESULTS OF A FEASIBILITY STUDY, AND WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT NEXT STEPS ON THAT. SO I HOPE I WOULD LOVE TO SEE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE AT THAT MEETING AT 1130, WHICH HAP WILL HAPPEN RIGHT AFTER THIS. COUNCIL ZUZI, UH, I APOLOGIZE 'CAUSE I WAS LATE YESTERDAY, BUT I, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT THE SMALL BUSINESS ANTI DISPLACEMENT PROGRAM THAT IS GONNA BE HELD AT STREET THEORY COLLECTIVE TODAY AT 4:00 PM UM, AND THEN ON ON THURSDAY [08:05:01] THERE WILL BE, THERE'S A MEETING ABOUT THE REUSE OF THE BUILDING AT, UH, THE LOWELL SCHOOL, WHICH IS THE SCHOOL OF MUSIC AT 6:00 PM AND THEN, UM, THE MORS MARATHON IS FRIDAY MORNING, AND THEN ON NEXT WEEK, TUESDAY, I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY AT WHAT TIME, I WOULD THINK SIX. UM, THE MWRA IS GONNA BE PRESENTING TO THE CNA AND MAGAZINE BEACH PARTNERS AND THE GENERAL COMMUNITY ABOUT THE PROJECT AT MAGAZINE BEACH ON TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27TH. UM, UH, DEPUTY CITY MAN, CITY MANAGER, WATKINS, DO YOU KNOW, IS IT AT SIX? YEAH. OKAY. I, SO I WILL, UH, ANYWAY, I'LL POST THAT TO THE CNA LISTERV ONCE I KNOW ABOUT THE TIME. OKAY. SO SHOUT OUT TO MY AMAZING CHIEF OF STAFF, BENJI. SHE'S PRINTING, PRINTING THEM FOR YOU ALL. AND I JUST SENT IT TO NAOMI. SO ESSENTIALLY IT SAYS, WHEREAS THE OCTOBER 19TH, 2026 MEETING OF THE REGULAR CITY COUNCIL DREW MORE THAN FOUR, 350 INDIVIDUALS TO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT WITH THOUSANDS MORE SUBMITTING WRITTEN COMMENTS AND STAFF ACROSS CITY DEPARTMENTS HAVE WORKED TO PREPARE FOR SIGNIFICANT IN-PERSON AND WROTE PARTICIPATION. AND WHEREAS THE OCTOBER 19TH MEETING WAS RECESSED AT THE CONCLUSION OF PUBLIC COMMENT JUST BEFORE MIDNIGHT AND RECONVENED AT 9:00 AM ON OCTOBER 20TH. AND WHEREAS DURING THIS CONTINUED SESSION, THE CHARTER RIGHT WAS EXERCISED ON POR 1 95, 1 96, POSTPONING THAT THOSE MEASURES TO THE NEXT REGULAR OR SPECIAL MEETING PURCHASED COUNCIL RULE 19. AND WHEREAS THE NEXT REGULAR MEETING IN THE CITY COUNCIL IS NOVEMBER 2ND, 2026. AND WHEREAS PROLONGING THIS CONVERSATION SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECTS COMMUNITY AS WELL AS CITY STAFF. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT THAT THE MAYOR WORKED WITH THE CITY COUNCIL OFFICE, THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, AND OTHER CITY STAFF TO CALL AND NOTICE A SPECIAL MEETING TO TAKE PLACE THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 26TH TO CONTINUE DISCUSSION ON THE POLICY, THE 9 1 95 1 96, AND BE IT FURTHER THAT THIS, BECAUSE THE PUBLIC HAD AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON THESE MATTERS ON OCTOBER 9TH, AND STILL HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS THAT THE COUNCIL SUSPEND ITS RULES SO THAT THIS MEETING BE HELD WITHOUT PUBLIC COMMENT AND BE IT FURTHER THAT THE CITY PUBLICIZE THE DATE TIME LOCATION OF THE SPECIAL MEETING, ALONG WITH INSTRUCTIONS FOR WATCHING IT AND FOR SUBMITTING WRITTEN COMMENTS TO THE CITY COUNCIL. MADAM MAYOR, DISCUSSION? YES. COUNCILLOR SIMMONS. UM, I, I HAD SENT THE TEXT SAYING I WANTED TO BE ADDED. SO IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND ADDING ME AS A CO-SPONSOR, SO COUNCILOR SIMMONS WILL ADD YOU AS A CO-SPONSOR. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO. UH, I HAVE COUNCILOR ZUBIE AND THEN COUNSELOR AND VICE MAYOR THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR, I JUST WANNA NOTE FOR THE RECORD, I WILL BE A NO VOTE ON THIS BECAUSE IT DOES REMOVE PUBLIC COMMENT. ALL YIELD VICE MAYOR. UM, THANK YOU. I KNOW WE ONLY HAVE A FEW MINUTES. UM, I DID JUST WANNA CLARIFY THAT I THOUGHT THAT A SPECIAL MEETING WOULD BE HELPFUL SINCE WE WERE TIME LIMITED, BUT THAT SHOULD NOT BE SEEN AS, YOU KNOW, I WAS NOT SUPPORTIVE OF, YOU KNOW, MANY OR MOST OF THE LARGE ELEMENTS OF THE INITIAL ORDER AND NOT OF THE SUBSTITUTE. I JUST THINK THAT WE CAN TONE IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT THAT IS THE EXTENT OF IT. I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO GET THE MISIMPRESSION THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN, LIKE MY WHOLE SPEECH WAS ABOUT HOW, LIKE, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, IT'S IN THE AMERICAN TRADITION TO LIMIT WEAPONS TO ISRAEL. AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT SLIGHTLY IN CASE THERE WAS ANY MISUNDERSTANDINGS. THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS? COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? NO, TH THANK YOU. UM, YOU KNOW, I, I I KNOW, UM, I KNOW IT'S HARD TO TO SAY NO PUBLIC COMMENT. UM, BUT ON AN ISSUE LIKE THIS, I MEAN, IF WE HAVE SIX MORE HOURS OF PUBLIC COMMENT, WE WILL BE IN THE SAME SITUATION AND WE'LL NEVER ACTUALLY GET TO DELIBERATION. SO, UM, I'M SURE WE'LL BE RECEIVING A LOT OF EMAILS, UM, AND, AND, AND WHATNOT OVER THE, UNTIL THIS, UH, THIS MEETING HAPPENS. UM, SO THERE'LL BE OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO BE HEARD AGAIN. UM, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, I'M GONNA SUPPORT THIS OBVIOUSLY. OKAY. SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON THE ORDER AS AMENDED. COUNCILOR ZUBIE? NO. VICE MAYOR? YES. YES. COUNCILOR FLAHERTY? YES. YES. COUNCILOR MCGOVERN? YES. YES. COUNSELOR NOLAN? YES. YES. COUNCILOR SIMMONS? YES. YES. COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER. YES. YES. COUNSELOR ZUI? YES. YES. MAYOR SIDIKI? YES. YES. AND YOU HAVE EIGHT MEMBERS RECORDING THE AFFIRMATIVE AND ONE RECORDED IN THE NEGATIVE. THE LAY PAUL STEWART, AS AMENDED IS PASSED. WE CAN GO AHEAD ON A MOTION, BUT SHE ALREADY TOOK THE VOTE. I TOOK THE VOTE, YEAH. UM, ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR GOVERNOR TO ADJOURN. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. AYE. THOSE AGAINST SAY NO. THE AYES HAVE IT. DID WE ACCEPT THE COMMUNICATIONS FROM OTHER CITY OFFICES? YES, WE DID. OKAY. MAKING SURE WE'RE ADJOURNED. SORRY, I MISSED THAT. * This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.