Grassroots Movements in Toledo and Rome Defy IHRA Definition and Demand Divestment from Israel

Local activists in the U.S. and Italy are challenging government efforts to criminalize criticism of Israel's policies through the controversial IHRA definition of antisemitism.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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Grassroots movements in Toledo, Ohio and Rome, Italy are rising up to demand an end to their cities' ties with Israel, defying efforts by state and national governments to codify the controversial IHRA definition of antisemitism into law. The IHRA definition, pushed by pro-Israel lobbies, equates criticism of Zionism and Israel's actions with Jew-hatred, leading to a global campaign to silence solidarity with Palestine. But ordinary people in these two cities on opposite sides of the Atlantic are refusing to be silenced, organizing to divest public funds from Israeli bonds and terminate collaborations between their cities and Israeli entities.

Why it matters

The parallel movements in Toledo and Rome are part of a broader global effort to hold Israel accountable for its human rights abuses and violations of international law in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. By challenging the IHRA definition and demanding divestment, these grassroots groups are taking concrete action to cut financial and institutional ties that make their cities complicit in Israel's ongoing occupation and violence against Palestinians.

The details

In Toledo, a local campaign is pressing Lucas County to divest from Israeli bonds, with an advisory committee already voting to halt future investments. Activist attorney Terry Lodge is leading the statewide effort, criticizing Ohio's Zionist attorney general for trying to prevent counties from divesting. Meanwhile in Rome, a committee called 'Roma sa da che parte stare' (Rome knows which side to take) has proposed a popular initiative to the City Council, calling for the termination of all collaborations between Rome and Israeli entities due to Israel's violations of international law and human rights.

  • In November, $5 million in Israel Bonds held by Lucas County, Ohio will mature, at which point the local divestment movement hopes to end the county's investments in 'genocide'.
  • The Rome City Council is currently considering the proposal from the 'Roma sa da che parte stare' committee to terminate the city's collaborations with Israeli entities.

The players

Terry Lodge

A local activist attorney in Toledo, Ohio who is at the forefront of the statewide effort to divest public funds from Israeli bonds.

Afaf Adwan

A Toledo activist originally from Gaza who emphasizes the importance of breaking economic ties with Israel to stop the 'genocide of the Palestinian people'.

Elisabetta Valento

A key member of the 'Roma sa da che parte stare' committee in Rome, Italy that is demanding the city terminate collaborations with Israeli entities.

Giorgia Meloni

The far-right Prime Minister of Italy whose government is advancing a bill to adopt an extreme interpretation of the IHRA definition of antisemitism, criminalizing criticism of Israel's apartheid system and BDS campaigns.

Kenneth Stern

The original drafter of the IHRA definition of antisemitism, who has warned that it is being abused to chill free speech and attack academics, activists, and even Jewish critics of Israel.

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What they’re saying

“The Israel lobby's days are numbered.”

— Terry Lodge, Local activist attorney (CounterPunch)

“It is important that the economic ties to Israel are exposed throughout the country and that these ties are broken. Through Boycotting, Divestment and Sanctioning of Israel we can truly and effectively stop them from continuing the genocide of the Palestinian people and stop their violation of International laws from the West Bank to Gaza.”

— Afaf Adwan, Local Toledo activist (CounterPunch)

“The committee 'Roma sa da che parte stare' presented a proposal for a popular initiative to the City Council of Rome, calling for the termination of collaborations between Roma Capitale and its subsidiaries with Israeli entities due to violations of international law and human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and in Israel.”

— Elisabetta Valento, Member of AssoPacePalestina (CounterPunch)

What’s next

The Lucas County, Ohio advisory committee will decide in November whether to allow $5 million in maturing Israel Bonds to be reinvested, while the Rome City Council considers the proposal from the 'Roma sa da che parte stare' committee to terminate the city's collaborations with Israeli entities.

The takeaway

The parallel grassroots movements in Toledo and Rome demonstrate a growing global solidarity with the Palestinian struggle, as ordinary people refuse to be silenced by government efforts to criminalize criticism of Israel's human rights abuses through the IHRA definition of antisemitism. These local campaigns to divest from Israeli bonds and cut institutional ties with the Israeli government are concrete acts of resistance against complicity in the ongoing occupation and violence against Palestinians.