Portland Mayor Mark Dion says he regrets voting to divest from companies doing business in Israel

Mark Dion answers a question during a Portland mayoral debate in October 2023. Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer, file

Portland Mayor Mark Dion started Monday night’s City Council meeting with an unscheduled announcement expressing his regret for a vote he cast early last month to divest the city’s funds from companies doing business in Israel.

Dion said that he has always believed that city government should stay focused on city issues and expressed regret for getting involved in international politics.

“I not only failed to stay in my lane, but I went totally off the road,” he said in council chambers Monday night.

He went on to say he believes the vote to divest has accomplished nothing besides marginalizing Portland’s Jewish community.

“My vote was a betrayal,” Dion said.

Councilor April Fournier brought forth the resolution to divest, and it was unanimously supported by the council at its Sept. 4 meeting following a brief deliberation that came after 3 ½ hours of impassioned public comment.

However, within two weeks of passage, it became clear that the city did not have any funds invested in companies doing business with Israel at the time of the vote – something Dion and several other councilors said they had been unaware of when casting their votes.

Hamas invaded Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 Israelis and abducting around 250 hostages. The New York Times reported Tuesday that 60 living hostages and bodies of 35 others remain in Gaza.

The Gaza Health Ministry said Sunday that 42,603 Palestinians have been killed in the fighting since Israel retaliated for Hamas’ attack.

Dion said Monday that he has now reached the conclusion that his vote for divestment was wrong.

“As an individual I have also hurt, damaged and broken personal relationships – emotional ties which may never be repaired,” he said.

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