Organizers withdraw petition to include Pittsburgh cutting ties with Israel on November ballot

Organizers leading a campaign that sought to put the question of the City of Pittsburgh’s divestment from the state of Israel on the November ballot announced on Monday they have withdrawn their effort.

The petition went back and forth over the last few weeks before it was withdrawn on Monday.

“Ultimately this isn’t about ballot access, this is about Palestinian people suffering unthinkable state violence paid for by our tax dollars and using the leverage we have for a cease-fire,” an organizer said.

But without enough valid signatures, the Pittsburgh Democratic Socialists for America are withdrawing their petition to create a ballot referendum that would halt its effort to require Pittsburgh to stop doing business with any and all companies that do business with Israel.

City Controller Rachael Heisler was very outspoken about the initiative and said it was a victory for the city.

“City residents do not want to lose access to the essential drugs our medics and EMTs carry, or the safety equipment that protects our firefighters, or the electricity that keeps the lights on. This is a fundamentally bad policy that would not make anyone safer – in Pittsburgh or in Gaza,” Heisler said.

But those legal challenges aren’t stopping organizers for the future.

“We aren’t going anywhere, we will be back, we will be stronger and we will use every avenue available to use to fight for peace equality and justice from Pittsburgh to Palestine,” an organizer said.

Mayor Ed Gainey issued the following statement late Monday afternoon:

“We know that here in Pittsburgh and across the world, there will continue to be conversation and efforts to end the war in Gaza until the conflict itself is ended. I believe the vast majority of our residents deeply wish for an end to hostilities in Gaza as well as for the return of all hostages, and we continue to pray for better, wiser leadership to emerge so that there can be peace. My role in this work is to keep Pittsburgh safe and to make common cause with those who refuse violence and who are actively listening to their neighbors and engaging in meaningful dialogue, as that is the only real path forward.”

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