From: Jonathan
To: City Manager"s Office
Date: Tuesday, September 16, 2025 7:31:59 AM
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Dear Merrit,
Last night the Arcata City Council voted to send a letter to CalPERS urging divestment from companies that support Israel's genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. Since the council chose only to address the "humanitarian crisis" in Gaza, I am writing to ask the official position of the City of Arcata on the cause of the famine and death in the Gaza Strip. Is it the City's official position that Gazan children spontaneously generate wounds on their flesh and starvation in their bellies? I will be emailing and calling to ask the city its position on this every day until I receive an answer. In the meantime, I suggest you make sure the Council is at least familiar with this article before making any more proclamations regarding Israel's genocide in Gaza: https://www.cnn.com/2025/09/15/middleeast/1-in-10-palestinians-killed-injured-gazaisrael-intl Sincerely,
Jonathan Abidari
P.S. I work for Humboldt County Public Health, a branch of DHHS with a few hundred employees on CalPERS retirement and insurance. In contrast, over 1400 healthcare workers have been killed in Gaza by Israeli bombing, shelling, and gunfire. More *healthcare workers* have been killed in Gaza than *all people* killed on October 7th, most of them while tending to those already injured, frequently in cruel and clearly intentional "double tap" strikes. I have multiple abundantly clear examples of this hideous practice and clearly, legally defined WAR CRIME saved on video that I would be happy to share if the council is still struggling to find the courage to simply name who is committing the genocide.
From: rose.
To: Beth Redfern; Alex Stillman; Meredith Matthews; Sarah Schaefer; Kimberley White; Rhea Varley Subject: Tonight"s CC meeting
Date: Monday, September 15, 2025 5:24:24 PM
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Why it’s wrong and unfair for Arcata City Council to Call On CalPERS to Divest From Companies That Support Israel
• Characterizes legitimate self-defense against terrorism as something requiring economic punishment
• Ignores that companies doing business with Israel often provide defensive technologies, medical supplies, or civilian infrastructure
• Treats commercial relationships with a democratic ally as inherently problematic Discriminatory Double Standard:
• No similar resolutions target countries with far worse human rights records (China, Iran, Russia, Syria)
• Singles out the only democracy in the Middle East for unique economic punishment • Ignores that many “companies that support Israel” also provide humanitarian aid and civilian goods
Local Government Overreach:
• City councils lack expertise in foreign policy and international relations • Arcata residents didn’t elect their council to make pronouncements on Middle East policy • Diverts attention from actual local issues like housing, infrastructure, and public safety Practical Futility:
• City councils have no actual authority over CalPERS investment decisions • Such resolutions are purely symbolic political theater that accomplish nothing constructive • Resources spent on this could address real local problems Divisive Impact:
• Unnecessarily polarizes the community on issues unrelated to local governance • May make Jewish residents feel unwelcome or targeted
• Sets precedent for councils to wade into any international controversy The resolution essentially asks a pension fund to punish companies for doing business with America’s democratic ally while it defends itself against designated terrorist organizations.
Sincerely,
Judith Schwartz
https://www.instagram.com/p/DBwdETsJl-K/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== From: Ryan
To: City Manager"s Office
Subject: Divestment letter
Date: Monday, September 15, 2025 4:18:57 PM
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Dear Arcata City Manager,
I am writing as a long-time resident of Arcata who feels a a minimal ethical and professional bar is to try to do as much as we can to make sure our associations and investments do not go to the most unethical ends, such as war profiteering or genocide.
As such, I was happy to see eureka vote to send a divestment letter to CalPERS and even more proud to see a divestment letter to CalPERS on the special meeting agenda for today.
I support Arcata sending this letter with one important change requested: please be explicit in stating that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians (as agreed upon by all major human rights orgs scholars, and international courts).
Using only language of “humanitarian disaster", human rights violations”, and “famine” obscures the underlying issue: Israel’s intentional and ongoing genocide, ethnic cleansing, and forced starvation of Palestinians and illegal occupation of Palestine.
Also, please name Palestine as a whole. Focusing on Gaza instead of naming Palestinians as one people is erasure, a tactic of anti-Palestinian racism (“failing to acknowledge Palestinians as an indigenous people with a collective identity, belonging, and rights in relation to occupied and historic Palestine.” - https://linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url? a=https%3a%2f%2fwww.antipalestinianracism.org&c=E,1,GkgNOAzgIU_- zw4rOTBVWBHj45NBCXPTzjoaTA8X1c4eX0bIY5iKj6UjGD7qEp9_FFr0zTmyd7z_mFpLei_qD3rNsnV17wiu4ow0pCdeQPjHCnITBmfQ0U,&typo=1). Not to mention that daily atrocities against Palestinians are also being committed in the West Bank and Jerusalem.
The city of Eureka was clear in naming Israel’s genocide, apartheid, and military occupation of Palestine in their letter to CalPERS. Let’s be just as clear and unequivocal in this important statement.
I also support the resolution demanding unrestricted humanitarian aid be let in to Gaza, with the same caveats.
How proud we could be as a municipal leader in this effort! Thank you,
Ryan Van Lenning
P.S. The bill some opponents are citing, AB 2844, does not restrict divesting from israel to protest its policies toward Palestinians - this is according to the Center for Constitutional Rights. AB 2844 is very limited in its scope and only applies when one submits a bid or proposal to enter a state contract worth more than $100,000. And when it does apply, it only prohibits discrimination in employment, housing, or public accommodation against individuals living in California. All we are doing is sending a letter. This is not illegal. Nor would it be illegal for CalPERS to change their investments in alignment with this letter. It simply does not apply.
See this document for reference and please put in the city record.
Sent from my iPhone
Sent from my iPhone