Israel has long been committing human rights violations against Palestinians, including mass murder, forced displacement, abusive incarceration, violent restrictions on movement, discriminatory policies, and illegal settlements. The State of Louisiana invests $35 million of our Education Quality Trust Fund and our Millennium Trust Fund -- funds earmarked for improving our local public education -- directly into this human rights-violating foreign country in the form of sovereign bonds of the State of Israel (i.e. "Israel Bonds"). In October 2023, shortly after Israel began its most recent genocidal campaign against Gaza, the Louisiana State Treasury purchased another $5 million in Israel Bonds. And in April 2024, purchased an additional $10 million bonds.

Rather than investing in the success of our public schools, the Louisiana State Treasury is violating ethical and fiduciary responsibility by investing in Israel Bonds. Israel's credit, loans, and currency ratings were downgraded in 2024 by the three international credit rating agencies. S&P, lowered its long-term foreign and local currency sovereign credit ratings on Israel to 'A' from 'A+'. Moody's also downgraded Government of Israel's long-term local and foreign-currency issuer ratings to Baa1 from A2. Fitch Ratings downgraded Israel’s Long Term Foreign-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) A+ to A, as well as its economic outlook to “Negative,” citing “heightened geopolitical risks,” expanding “military operations on multiple fronts,” and a troublingly high-and-rising budget deficit.

Our Louisiana community resources are put at risk not only by the growing financial liability of Israel Bonds, but also by their lack of a secondary market, which binds us to hold these risky bonds until maturation. Israel Bonds’ lack of secondary market means that Louisiana could likely be missing out on key returns for our community and public education that might be possible with other comparable fixed-rate investments.

On May 1st 2026, $10 million of Louisiana's investments in Israel Bonds are scheduled to mature. With this upcoming maturation deadline in mind, we are demanding that the Louisiana State Treasury commit to not reinvesting or purchasing new Israel Bonds. We do not want Louisiana money invested in a foreign entity that continuously violates human rights and puts our local resources at risk. Instead, we demand ethical investments with reliable return rates for the sake of our young people's educations and futures.

Sign this petition to tell our Treasurer, John Fleming, and our Chief Investments Officer, Amy Matthews, that we demand ethical and responsible investments for our Louisiana community.