Cambridge Council to Weigh Cutting Contracts With Israeli Firms

The Cambridge City Council scheduled a special session for 3 p.m. on October 28 at City Hall to take up proposals that would end municipal business with companies tied to Israel, Contrarian Boston reported.

Approval could unwind purchasing and service agreements covering communications gear, officer-worn cameras and other equipment used by the city's police and fire departments, according to the report. Two unions representing Cambridge police officers have raised objections to the proposals.

The debate follows the council's reversal on ShotSpotter, the gunshot detection system it had shut off over concerns about policing in minority neighborhoods. The council voted in August 2026 to bring the technology back on a temporary basis after the July 4 shooting death of Xavier Bautista, a 32-year-old city Department of Public Works employee and father. Cambridge police have said officers might have reached Bautista faster, before he bled to death on an empty street, if the system had still been running.

Contrarian Boston, which publishes commentary, characterized the divestment push as political posturing on foreign policy using public safety contracts, and disputed activists' description of Israel's conduct in Gaza.

This story was first reported by Contrarian Boston.