Member-owners of the River Valley Co-op should vote “no” on the petition by some members to de-shelve and exclude Israeli products. Our local grocery store is not the place to solve fraught international problems. The proposed boycott is a distraction from serious efforts to bring dignity, justice, and peace to Palestinians and Israelis.

There are more effective avenues for pursuing these goals, and for supporting groups that work effectively for real change on the ground among Palestinians and Israelis.

The proposed boycott distracts from the core mission of the co-op — to promote a robust and resilient food supply system, especially vital in times of worsening climate crisis and pandemics. Formerly declining, agriculture in western Massachusetts has been revitalized in recent years, but its sustained growth is tenuous and not to be taken for granted. The co-op is at the heart of promoting local farms and the regional economy.

The proposed boycott is dividing membership and the public. It risks further weakening the co-op and all who depend on it. There is much at stake locally. The co-op must focus on nourishing our local and regional communities. Let’s do all we can to support and sustain our precious co-op; to strengthen local agriculture and our food supply systems; and to help our neighbors and build community.

Let individuals make their own decisions about which products to buy or not. International politics is beyond the scope of the co-op. Let’s re-commit to being “wild about local.”

Lois Dubin

Florence