The Port Townsend Food Co-op board Tuesday voted 4 to 2 to reject a proposed boycott of products made in Israel.
After listening to more than 50 co-op members speak passionately for and against the proposal, the board approved a motion stating that the proposal was inconsistent with the co-op’s boycott policy.
The board concluded that policy does not allow the co-op to take a stand on issues involving countries.
“We are not in the business, fundamentally, of adjudicating international issues,” said board member Rick Sepler.
“That is [just] not the business the co-op is in,” said board member Steve Moore, adding, “It is not why we were elected.”
Board President Sam Gibboney and board member Janet Welch joined Sepler and Moore in rejecting the boycott proposal while board members Dan Goldstein and Dorn Campbell voted against the motion by Sepler.
Noting that Sept. 21 is the International Day of Peace, board members briefly tried to reword Sepler’s motion to show support for peace efforts in the Middle East and elsewhere.
When they could not agree on how to amend Sepler’s motion, they left the motion as Sepler had first proposed.
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