On Wednesday, June 17, the Maryland Break the Bonds coalition marked a historic victory for human rights, accountability, and grassroots organizing as more than one hundred Marylanders gathered in Baltimore to celebrate the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System’s (MSRPS) major reduction of Israeli bond holdings, and to call on state leaders to finish the job by moving from 85 percent divestment to 100 percent.
In a statement, CAIR’s Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry said:
“The Maryland Break the Bonds coalition has shown that sustained grassroots organizing can move powerful institutions. We urge Comptroller Brooke Lierman, Chief Investment Officer Dianne Sandoval and the MSRPS Board to finish the job and fully divest Maryland pension funds from Israeli bonds.”
About the Campaign: MDBTB.com
The Maryland Break the Bonds campaign, led by Jewish Voice for Peace and supported by more than 40 organizations across the state including CAIR, has mobilized Maryland advocates, retirees, state employees, faith leaders, labor partners and students to demand that public pension dollars not be invested in Israeli bonds.
The victory rally was organized to celebrate the pension system’s significant reduction in Israeli bond holdings, which have dropped by more than $60 million. The milestone, which represents the largest known state-level divestment in the United States and is one of the most significant divestment victories in Maryland’s history, is a powerful testament to sustained people-powered advocacy.
Following Wednesday’s rally, organizers led a march to the MSRPS Board offices, where state employees delivered hundreds of postcards from Maryland residents urging the Board to fully divest the remaining Israeli bond holdings.
The coalition then gathered outside the Office of Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman, the only elected official serving on the pension board, to call on her to use her authority and leadership to help move Maryland from 85 percent divestment to 100 percent divestment.
The victory rally closed with music, community fellowship, and food from a local Palestinian chef, underscoring the broad and growing movement across Maryland for ethical investment, Palestinian human rights, and public accountability.
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR Maryland Director Zainab Chaudry, zchaudry@cair.com, 410-971-6062; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com