The Dallas City Council on Wednesday unanimously approved a resolution condemning the attack on Israel by Hamas, which calls for peace in the Middle East and the return of all hostages.
The vote followed emotional testimony from North Texas residents and city council members.
Thousands of Palestinians filled the city council chambers, arguing that the resolution also condemned Israel's alleged abuses of the Gaza Strip, where Hamas had launched attacks.
Wednesday's city council meeting recalled decades of discord between Palestinians and Israelis.
“Gaza is a concentration camp. The Israeli government imposes calorie restrictions on Palestinians in Gaza, making 90% of Gaza's food insecure,” said Ryan Alsheikh Salama, a Gaza supporter. Told. “The Israeli government's ban on fuel entering Gaza means Gazans will only have access to electricity for six hours a day.”
Gaza advocate Faizan Saeed asked the city council to imagine life in Gaza, with a 40-foot-tall wall surrounding a small strip of land where millions of Palestinians live.
“What is the great sin of the Gazans being treated in this inhumane, apartheid, destructive and deplorable manner?” Said said. “I cannot support a bill that does not recognize the tremendous suffering and destruction that Israel has inflicted on the Gazan people.”
Israel's Jewish supporters, who were outnumbered by the opposition, countered that there was nothing to justify renewed Hamas attacks that claimed so many lives, including the kidnapping of hostages.
“You either support Israel or you support terrorists. There is simply no middle ground,” said Stuart Blaugland, president of the Dallas chapter of the American Jewish Committee.
That's the message Israel supporters wanted to send with Mayor Eric Johnson's determination.
“This is Israel's 9/11. The only way to fight it is with good, when good unites and the whole world unites,” said Israel supporter Eliyahu Kaufman.
Although there were disagreements among speakers and some were asked to leave the room for disrupting the meeting, there were no disagreements as council members debated the resolution.
City Council member Janie Schultz also said she is an Israeli citizen.
“This resolution is not about the Palestinian people. It is about their leaders and their willingness to kill innocent Jews and endanger their own people,” Schultz said.
Mayor Johnson said Palestinians who criticize the resolution misunderstand its purpose.
“What we're talking about is what I think is a very clear evil perpetuated by certain groups,” Johnson said.
City Councilwoman Carla Mendelsohn supported Dallas' action, citing President Joe Biden's statements about the attack.
“Its stated purpose is the annihilation of the state of Israel and the murder of the Jewish people,” she said.
Adam Bazaldua said this was unprovoked textbook terrorism.
“This was not about politics, it was about harming as many Jews as possible simply because they were Jewish,” Bazaldua said.
City leaders said Dallas strives to be welcoming to people of all nationalities, and aside from Wednesday's dispute, both sides of the debate have lived in relative peace.
Extra security was seen at Dallas City Hall during the debate.
