Lawsuit filed in Palm Beach County against purchase of Israeli bonds

A Palm Beach County couple with family ties to war-ravaged Gaza has filed a lawsuit in circuit court to stop County Clerk and Comptroller Joseph Abruzzo from investing in Israel bonds.

The lawsuit claims that Florida law bars the investments because they were made for social, ideological, and political reasons. Gov. Ron DeSantis pushed for the law, saying it was designed to prevent “woke” investments based on religious, social or political beliefs. The lawsuit alleges that that is exactly what Abruzzo has done, making an investment not based on return, which is required by the DeSantis-approved law, but on his social and political beliefs.

The couple, identified only as John and Jane Doe, said they feel “anxiety, stress, depression, and guilt” knowing that their county taxes are being used to fund the death and destruction of their own family members, according to the lawsuit. They said 37 family members have died in the conflict.