(JTA) — The Pittsburgh group behind a ballot referendum that would compel the city to boycott Israel said it won’t defend the measure against multiple legal challenges, ending its longshot bid to make November’s ballot.

The Democratic Socialists of America chapter announced it would not defend the effort on Sunday night, the evening before a scheduled court date for multiple challenges to the referendum. The local Jewish federation, several rabbis and the city controller all challenged the referendum in court, while both of Pennsylvania’s US senators condemned it and a staffer in the mayor’s office resigned after revealing she had signed it.

“We have made the difficult but strategic decision to withdraw our petitions so that we can come back stronger, more experienced and fully ready to continue fighting for a free Palestine with all avenues available to us,” the Pittsburgh DSA chapter tweeted. 

Claiming that “politicians and interest groups” are “afraid of this referendum because they know if it goes to a vote, it wins,” the group added, “Unfortunately, today their efforts to push us off November’s ballot succeeded.”

Jewish groups celebrated the move as a victory. 

“The DSA’s proposed referendum initiative posed a grave threat to the core values and financial viability of the Jewish community, as well as to the entire city of Pittsburgh’s ability to provide vital city services in a lawful manner,” the federation said in a press release. 

DSA withdraws Pittsburgh referendum

It added, “In the end, it was their antisemitic and anti-Israel agenda that led to the referendum initiative’s defeat.”

The referendum would have added a clause to the city charter “prohibiting investment or allocation of public funds, including tax exemptions, to entities that conduct business operations with or in the state of Israel unless and until Israel ends its military action in Gaza, fully allows humanitarian assistance to reach the people of Gaza, and grants equal rights to every person living in the territories under Israeli control.”

The federation described the referendum efforts as the first time an “anti-Israel boycott and divestment proposal at the municipal level” would have faced a popular vote.

The DSA-backed organizing group, No War Crimes On Our Dime, submitted ballot signatures for approval earlier this month, but the federation quickly challenged the validity of the signatures, claiming they actually fell far below the required signature threshold. Four local rabbis from Reform, Conservative and Orthodox congregations joined the challenge.

Both the Jewish groups’ challenge and a separate legal challenge, from Pittsburgh City Controller Rachael Heisler, also maintained that the referendum violated state law that prohibits the government from doing business with companies that boycott Israel. Both challenges were scheduled to be heard Monday before the DSA dropped out.

In backing down, the DSA maintained that it had gathered enough signatures to make the ballot and framed its decision as a “strategic withdrawal, and by no means a loss.” It said it would continue pressing for its ultimate goal.

“This isn’t about us, and at the end of the day this isn’t about ballot access — this is about pressuring for a ceasefire and a Free Palestine,” the group wrote.

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A petition for a ballot referendum that Jewish organizations call antisemitic was dropped shortly before a judge was expected to hear objections to the case.

It would have prohibited Pittsburgh from doing business with anyone engaged in working with Israel. A judge said this withdrawal came down to the fact that the petitioners did not have the proper amount of valid signatures to put the referendum on the ballot.

“This is about something that was illegal and not appropriate to be on the ballot,” said Jeff Finkelstein, the CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh.

He referred to a petition for a referendum that sought to prevent the city from funding or engaging with any entity doing business with Israel, until “Israel ends its military action in Gaza.”

It came from a group called ‘No War Crimes On Our Dime,’ with the Pittsburgh Democratic Socialists of America.

Ben Case is one of the leaders.

“This grassroots coalition came together in a matter of weeks this summer on the energy of Pittsburghers who felt this was something we could do to support the people of Palestine and pressure for peace,” Case said.

The federation and other Jewish organizations, with the city controller, filed objections to the referendum, calling it antisemitic.

“If you look at the definition of antisemitism, which is called the IHRA definition, one of the things it talks about is when the State of Israel is held to a higher standard than any other country in the world,” Finkelstein said. “You don’t see any of these groups talking about any country in the world and putting any kinds of sanctions on them. It’s only the State of Israel.”

They also said it is a violation of state law.

“The state has legislation saying that you cannot boycott, divest, or have sanctions against the State of Israel,” Finkelstein said.

Those wanting the ballot question said the county elections office did an initial review of the signatures they submitted and told them the referendum could be on the ballot. Technically, it didn’t have the required number of valid signatures from registered voters in Pittsburgh.

However, both sides say the fight is not over.

“We’ll use every avenue available to us to fight for peace, equality, and justice, from Pittsburgh to Palestine,” Case said.

“This is a community that has persevered, suffered the worst antisemitic attack in American history, and will continue to be strong going forward,” Finkelstein said.

Last week, Mayor Ed Gainey’s office told KDKA-TV that the mayor had serious concerns regarding the implications of the proposed referendum if it were to pass, and wanted to prevent it from becoming part of the home rule charter.