The Ohio Divest Coalition

Divest from War. Invest in Ohio.

The Ohio Divest Coalition is the official sponsor of the #NoNewBonds campaign, a statewide effort calling for an end to Ohio's public investments in Israel Bonds and other forms of material support for the war crimes of the Israeli government.

NEW! Check out our Candidate Questionaire

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NEW! Check out our Candidate Questionaire 〰️

End Ohio’s Risky Investments in Israel Bonds

Over $330 million Ohio taxpayer dollars are currently invested in Israel Bonds. These investments are made using public funds, and without any public oversight. Join your neighbors in speaking up and demanding our representatives commit to No New Bonds.

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  • A bond is generally made by a company that needs capital investment.  The buyer of the bond goes into an agreement with the business, which will most commonly repay the principal amount plus interest at the time of the bond’s maturity date.

    “Israel Bonds” is the commonly known name for the Development Corporation for Israel (DCI), a business founded in 1951 and headquartered in New York City for the purpose of growing and developing the State of Israel.

    While the use of bonds as a form of investment in a state/country/region is not exclusive to Israel, this type of bond is often touted for its support of essential infrastructure and environmentally friendly initiatives, often in developing countries.

  • From israelbonds.com in December 2024, “Our President and CEO Dani Naveh […] highlighted the unprecedented surge in Israel Bonds sales following the events of October 7 and introduced the ‘Invest in Life’ campaign.”

    While the exact investments of the company are not required to be made clear, the above horrendously hypocritical and ironic statement, amongst others, gives a strong nod to the support of military defense, which in Israel’s case, is much more of an offensive strategy.

    To understand the extent to which this money is inherently tied to military action, Palestine/Israel as a whole is the size of New Jersey, and Israel has the 15th largest military budget in the world (a statistic from 2023, though the current accuracy is questionable). Military in Israel is a foundational aspect of the state, its occupation, and its expansion. With few exceptions, every Israeli citizen is required to serve two to four years in the military.

    It is absurd for any individuals, counties, institutions, states, or countries to profit (directly or indirectly) from military occupation, and profit is the promise of a bond investment – with returns of around 4-6% in the case of Israel Bonds.  However, the promise of that return is at risk.

  • Investors rely on bond rating agencies to know whether they can trust a company to make good on its returns. While ratings remain at investment grade for Israel Bonds, their ratings have been downgraded by the three largest international credit rating agencies: S&P, Moody’s, and Fitch.

    If a bond is downgraded, it means there is an increased risk of default, not only on a company’s interest payments, but also on an initial investment.

    The state of Ohio currently holds over $262 million in Israel Bonds, invested by State Treasurer Robert Sprague.  If ratings continue to drop and the state continues to invest, we have a higher risk losing this taxpayer money.

    In public reports, bond investments are accompanied by their Moody’s and S&P ratings, but in the case of Israel Bonds, ratings are unlisted at the county level.  If the ratings were to be shared in public reports, viewers could clearly see that they hold the lowest rating in Ohio’s portfolio.

    Fundamentally, these bonds are a house of cards.  There is no way that a business, or in this case the State of Israel, can sustain returns on investment without either expanding or continually selling more bonds.

    We are a populous state (amongst other states, counties, institutions, and individuals across multiple countries) investing in a state with the relative size and population of New Jersey.  It has never made sense to even allow Israel Bonds investments to be made at a county or state level.

🗳️ KNOW WHERE YOUR CANDIDATES STAND! Ohio voters deserve transparency and accountability. Our scorecards evaluate candidates’ responses to the 2026 Ohio Divest Candidate Questionnaire. The higher the rating, the stronger the candidate’
🗳️ KNOW WHERE YOUR CANDIDATES STAND! Ohio voters deserve transparency and accountability. Our scorecards evaluate candidates’ responses to the 2026 Ohio Divest Candidate Questionnaire. The higher the rating, the stronger the candidate’s alignment with policies that prioritize Ohio communities over powerful special interests and foreign influence. 💰 Your support matters beyond the ballot box! Candidates who reject AIPAC and Israel lobby PAC money are taking an important stand. If their positions align with your values, consider donating, volunteering, and amplifying their message. For more information about the candidate, their priorities, and ways to support their campaign, please visit their official campaign website. 📋 Read the full questionnaire responses at OHIODIVEST.ORG
EP. 6: WAR IN IRAN — WHAT HAS THIS WAR COST OHIO COMMUNITIES? Candidates across Ohio are asking for our votes. Before we cast them, we deserve to know where they stand on a war that has now stretched into its eighth month. The human cost has been devastating. But the financial and economic consequences are also being felt far beyond the battlefield, including here in Ohio communities. Tens of billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars have been spent on this war at a time when the national debt soars and communities here at home are confronting cuts to schools and critical public services, all while billions in wartime spending flows to arms manufacturers. And the consequences keep spreading. Local and state leaders help shape political priorities, control public resources, and often become tomorrow’s national leaders. Ohioans deserve to know whether the people asking for their votes support a war with no clear endgame or would push for an end to this growing quagmire before it’s too late. The effects of war are felt at home. Our elected leaders should be clear about where they stand on endless wars. So we’re asking candidates: What has this war accomplished? What is the strategy for ending it? How much more should American taxpayers be expected to spend? And what would you do to prevent the proliferation of war? Ohio voters deserve answers before Election Day. Where do you stand on the war in Iran?
EP. 5: OHIO-ISRAEL TRADE - BEHIND THE TRADE COMMISSION: FOREIGN INVESTMENT, PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY & WHO SHOULD OHIO INVEST IN? HB 188, the Ohio-Israel Trade and Innovation Partnership bill, would create a permanent state-backed body specifically dedicated to expanding Ohio’s economic and institutional relationship with Israel. This goes beyond simply allowing Ohio businesses to trade internationally, it puts a specific foreign relationship into Ohio law and creates a commission dedicated to advancing it. That is exactly why we need to pay attention and ask what Ohioans actually gain, who has influence over these decisions, and what accountability and safeguards are in place. Often, legislation flies under the radar that creates connections and leverages that our representatives deem best “for us.” If our elected representatives truly represented our values, we would not have to worry so much about legislative advocacy, but as it stands, we need to stay in constant awareness and need to ask the questions that matter the most.
EP. 4 - PART 2: ETHICS AND PUBLIC TRUST - DEMAND AIPAC OUT OF OHIO ELECTIONS Ohio has spent years confronting scandals, involving money, political influence, and public officials. In 2024, an investigation by The Guardian revealed how Israel Bonds built relationships with public officials investing our taxpayer dollars, and Ohio was right at the center of it. This lack of transparency continues with AIPAC-funded Ohio officials and political ads funded by pro-Israel groups that make no mention of Israel or the issues actually motivating their spending. So we’re asking Ohio voters, who is really serving you? Do these candidates have your best interests at heart or are they receiving money that will influence their decisions, like Robert Sprague? On Election Day, we want Ohio voters to ask these important questions before casting their ballots. And beyond the ballot box - we have launched a letter calling on candidates and elected officials to take NO material support from foreign governments or lobbying organizations, including Israel and AIPAC. We’re asking Ohioans to go to the link in our bio and sign on to demand that our elected officials put their constituents first. We want an Ohio government that is going to stand up for Ohioans and be accountable to us, not foreign interests or the Israel lobby. #ohio #ohiovoter #elections #ohiopolitics #vote
EP. 3 — PART 2: OHIO’S ANTI-ESG LAW & WHAT IT MEANS FOR COMMUNITY ORGANIZING Remember Ohio’s anti-BDS law from Part One? Anti-BDS and anti-ESG laws are examples of model legislation often promoted by corporations and special interest groups. They are template laws designed to be introduced and passed from statehouse to statehouse, often with little knowledge or pushback from lawmakers who should be considering their broader implications. ESG stands for Environmental, Social, and Governance. Ohio’s anti-ESG restrictions were initially aimed at how state pension funds could consider environmental, social, and ideological factors when investing public money, prioritizing financial returns over other non-financial considerations. Those restrictions have since expanded to local governments and have been invoked alongside Ohio’s anti-BDS law in the fight over Israel Bonds. This matters beyond Palestine. The implications can reach environmental justice, surveillance, data centers, human rights, and other issues communities organize around. Grassroots organizing is supposed to mean something. Communities organize, build public support, elect representatives, and advocate for change. When the state restricts the decisions local governments can make, it can also restrict what those organizing victories can accomplish. When laws are used to restrict local decision-making and disrupt the ability of communities to organize for change, we should be asking our leaders: Will you protect grassroots organizing and local democracy—or enable tactics that undermine them? #freepalestine #israel #ohiopolitics #esg #environment
EP. 4 — PART 1: CAMPAIGN FINANCE: AIPAC & THE ISRAEL LOBBY As we approach the October 5th deadline to register to vote, we want to remind voters why it matters who we elect—and who our elected officials answer to once they’re in office. In this episode, we’re talking about AIPAC, the Israel lobby, and the corrosive effect powerful special interests can have on our culture of governance. Campaign finance isn’t just about how politicians vote. It’s about who gets heard, who gets ignored, who gets access, and whether our leaders are willing to demonstrate courage and fight back against powerful interest when the moment demands. Public office should be earned from voters—not bought by special interests. 📢 OHIO VOTERS: TAKE ACTION. We’re asking candidates and elected representatives across Ohio to make a clear public commitment: No money. No gifts. No sponsored travel. No material support from foreign governments or lobbying organizations, including Israel and AIPAC. Send the letter. Call their campaigns. Ask them where they stand. And ask them to make the commitment publicly. 🔗 LINK IN BIO And make sure you’re registered to vote by October 5th. #ohio #ohiopolitics #freepalestine🇵🇸 #aipac #corruption
EP. 3 — PART 1: OHIO’S ANTI-BDS LAW & THE RIGHT TO BOYCOTT What does Ohio’s anti-BDS law have to do with free speech and local decision-making? BDS stands for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions. It’s using economic pressure to protest the actions and policies of the Israeli government. Ohio’s anti-BDS law was intended to restrict certain state contractors from boycotting Israel. But instead, state officials have also invoked the law to interfere in local decision-making by county governments and on college campuses in favor of Israel. Now, Representatives Munira Abdullahi and Tristan Rader have introduced legislation to repeal Ohio’s anti-BDS law. So we’re asking Ohio candidates where they stand on Ohio’s anti-BDS law, and whether they will protect local decision-making and the right of communities to organize and influence the decisions that affect them. Stay tuned for Part 2, because the tools used to restrict Palestine advocacy don’t stop with Palestinian human rights... they can reach other forms of community organizing and local decision-making too. #freepalestine #israel #ohiopolitics #bds #genocide
EP. 2: FREE SPEECH & RIGHT TO PROTEST - Why does SB 87 matter and why are we asking candidates about it? Ohio lawmakers have tried over and over again to push the IHRA definition into Ohio law. SB 87 is another attempt. This definition goes beyond protecting people from hate. Its examples reach into political speech about Israel and Zionism and can conflate criticism of Israel with hatred toward Jewish people. Those are not the same thing. This is how a political definition can be used to shield Israel from accountability and silence people speaking out against the crimes committed against Palestinians. And SB 87 goes even further. It expands Ohio’s ethnic intimidation law to include riot and aggravated riot under certain circumstances, meaning charges that are normally misdemeanors could be elevated to felonies. Depending on the underlying aggravated-riot offense, the penalty could be elevated as high as a second-degree felony. Think about what that means when people are protesting, organizing, and speaking out about what is happening to Palestinians. Yes, the bill says it should not infringe on First Amendment rights. But Ohioans still deserve to ask how these provisions will actually be used. Criticizing a foreign entity is protected political speech. Calling out the actions of Israel should not get you punished or silenced. Advocating for Palestinians should not cost you your job, your education, or your opportunities. This is why we need to know where candidates stand. Will they protect our First Amendment rights? Before they ask for our vote, we have every right to ask where they stand. #freepalesti̇ne #ohiodivest #SB87 #firstamendment #freespeech📣📣
EP. 1 — PART 2: ISRAEL BONDS & SETTLER VIOLENCE IN THE OCCUPIED WEST BANK What does Ohio investing hundreds of millions of public dollars in Israel Bonds have to do with the West Bank? In 1993, there were roughly 250,000 Israeli settlers living in the West Bank. Today, there are nearly 750,000. And the violence has escalated with that expansion. In 2026, the United Nations has documented nearly seven settler attacks every day resulting in the killng of Palestinians or property theft, the highest rate on record. These attacks have included assaults on Palestinians, destruction and theft of property, and attacks on livestock and agricultural livelihoods. In many documented incidents, settlers have also been accompanied by Israeli forces. At least six Palestinian Americans have also been murdered in the West Bank since 2024. And this isn’t happening somewhere disconnected from Ohio. Just this month, the home of a Palestinian American from Ohio was placed under siege by settlers. Roads were blocked, and residents reported that their access to water, electricity and food was cut off. Meanwhile, Ohio’s state and local governments have invested hundreds of millions of public dollars in Israel Bonds, providing general financing to the same government overseeing settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank. So we asked Ohio candidates a simple question: Should Ohio continue investing public dollars in the bonds of a foreign government while this is happening? That’s why this issue is on the Ohio Divest Candidate Questionnaire. #ohiopolitics #freepalestine #westbank #israel #settlerviolence
EP. 1 - PART 1: USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS & ISRAEL BONDS Before Election Day, every candidate is going to ask for your vote. We think you deserve some answers first. Ohio Divest asked candidates where they stand on Israel Bonds, and what they think about Ohio investing hundreds of millions of dollars in bonds issued by the government of Israel. Stay tuned for the next video in our video series, where Ohioans from across the state break down the issues in our Candidate Questionnaire. #palestine #israel #ohio #ohiopolitics #freepalesti̇ne
🗳️ KNOW WHERE YOUR CANDIDATES STAND! Ohio voters deserve transparency and accountability. Our scorecards evaluate candidates’ responses to the 2026 Ohio Divest Candidate Questionnaire. The higher the rating, the stronger the candidate’
EP. 6: WAR IN IRAN — WHAT HAS THIS WAR COST OHIO COMMUNITIES? Candidates across Ohio are asking for our votes. Before we cast them, we deserve to know where they stand on a war that has now stretched into its eighth month. The human cost has
EP. 5: OHIO-ISRAEL TRADE - BEHIND THE TRADE COMMISSION: FOREIGN INVESTMENT, PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY & WHO SHOULD OHIO INVEST IN? HB 188, the Ohio-Israel Trade and Innovation Partnership bill, would create a permanent state-backed body specifically
EP. 4 - PART 2: ETHICS AND PUBLIC TRUST - DEMAND AIPAC OUT OF OHIO ELECTIONS Ohio has spent years confronting scandals, involving money, political influence, and public officials. In 2024, an investigation by The Guardian revealed how Israel Bond
EP. 3 — PART 2: OHIO’S ANTI-ESG LAW & WHAT IT MEANS FOR COMMUNITY ORGANIZING Remember Ohio’s anti-BDS law from Part One? Anti-BDS and anti-ESG laws are examples of model legislation often promoted by corporations and special in
EP. 4 — PART 1: CAMPAIGN FINANCE: AIPAC & THE ISRAEL LOBBY As we approach the October 5th deadline to register to vote, we want to remind voters why it matters who we elect—and who our elected officials answer to once they’re
EP. 3 — PART 1: OHIO’S ANTI-BDS LAW & THE RIGHT TO BOYCOTT What does Ohio’s anti-BDS law have to do with free speech and local decision-making? BDS stands for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions. It’s using economic pressu
EP. 2: FREE SPEECH & RIGHT TO PROTEST - Why does SB 87 matter and why are we asking candidates about it? Ohio lawmakers have tried over and over again to push the IHRA definition into Ohio law. SB 87 is another attempt. This definition goes bey
EP. 1 — PART 2: ISRAEL BONDS & SETTLER VIOLENCE IN THE OCCUPIED WEST BANK What does Ohio investing hundreds of millions of public dollars in Israel Bonds have to do with the West Bank? In 1993, there were roughly 250,000 Israeli settlers
EP. 1 - PART 1: USE OF PUBLIC FUNDS & ISRAEL BONDS Before Election Day, every candidate is going to ask for your vote. We think you deserve some answers first. Ohio Divest asked candidates where they stand on Israel Bonds, and what they think a