St. Paul – On February 29, dozens of Palestine solidarity protesters packed into the Minnesota State Board of Investment (SBI)’s first quarterly meeting of the year to demand divestment from apartheid Israel.

The board heard testimony from a series of pensioners, workers and solidarity activists who chastised the SBI for its investments that enable Israel’s genocidal campaign in Gaza and its system of apartheid and occupation across Palestine.

The SBI manages $138.2 billion in assets, largely pension funds for public employees, including the Minnesota State Retirement System, Public Employees Retirement Association, and Teachers Retirement Association funds. Protesters highlighted that over $3 billion worth of investments are in weapons manufacturers like Elbit Systems and Lockheed Martin, which make the equipment used by the Israel to kill Palestinians; banks that fund illegal settlements; Israel Bonds, which directly finance the State of Israel; and a list of companies found to be enabling or profiting from Israel’s crimes. The criteria mirrored that used by the SBI in 1985, when it began a sweeping initiative of divestments from companies that helped prop up apartheid South Africa.

The SBI members are Governor Tim Walz, Attorney General Keith Ellison, State Auditor Julie Blaha and Secretary of State Steve Simon.

“I would rather than have no pension at all than to have my money contribute to your genocide,” Stephen Vizenor, a Minneapolis parks worker with LiUNA Local 363 and tribal member of the White Earth Nation, told the SBI. “The blood of Palestinians is on your hands, and you’ve been spreading it to every single public employee’s hands by investing our pensions in Zionism.”

Deb Konechne, a public health nurse and union activist with AFSCME Local 34 and Minnesota Workers United, also testified before the board. “When I started at Hennepin County 13 years ago, I was so happy to get a job that provides a pension,” she said. “Now I’m ashamed to find out that my pension is made up of blood money.”

“Do any of you have any humanity?” Samantha Alsadi of the Minnesota Anti-War Committee asked the SBI. “While you were sleeping last night, over 100 Palestinians were murdered and over 1000 were injured by Israeli occupation forces when they were trying to get flour. I truly have no idea how you all sleep at night.”

Alsadi, who is Palestinian-American, added: “You are complicit in murdering my relatives.”

Jess Sundin, a retired University of Minnesota clerical worker with an SBI-managed pension, spoke at a press conference held by the AWC after the board meeting. “We’re here because people in Gaza shouldn’t starve so that we can eat,” Sundin said. “People in Gaza shouldn’t lose their homes so that I can pay my mortgage. This isn’t right.”

The night before the SBI meeting, 14 protesters were arrested during a civil disobedience action as they occupied the property of the governor’s residence for over two hours in freezing temperatures to demand divestment.

As of press time, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, the number of Palestinians killed by Israel since October had surpassed 30,000.

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