The Dallas City Council on Wednesday approved a resolution supporting Israel in its war with the militant group Hamas, by a 14-0 vote. Many residents called instead to express support for Palestinians who are being affected by the Israeli government.
Mayor Eric Johnson and several other City Council members told the crowd at City Hall that this was a condemnation of the attack on Hamas and Israel, not the Palestinian community as a whole. City Councilman Jaime Rezendes was absent from Wednesday's meeting.
The vote came after more than 2,000 people, including Mr. Johnson and Sen. Ted Cruz, rallied in support of Israel during Tuesday's service at the North Dallas synagogue Temple Emanuel.
“The City of Dallas stands with Israel in its fight against Hamas, prays for those who have lost family and friends, calls for the prompt return of all hostages, and hopes for a lasting solution,” the city resolution said.
Johnson, who introduced the resolution, said he “supports every word” of that part.
“If in your head, we're voting for something different, that's exactly what it is. It's in your heart,” the mayor said. “But we are voting on a piece of paper that has words on it that we think are important to express what we as a city stand for.”
Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel on Saturday, and the Israeli government officially declared war. The attacks by Hamas and the Israeli response had left more than 2,000 people dead and thousands injured on both sides as of Wednesday morning, according to the Associated Press.
The Dallas resolution includes supporters on both sides of the issue urging the City Council to “stand up for what's right.”
Supporters of the Dallas Declaration described it as the city taking a strong stance against terrorism and anti-Semitism.
“This resolution is a good one,” said Eliyahu Kaufman, a rabbi and one of the founders of the Texas Torah Institute. “This resolution represents the moral clarity needed on this issue and brings people around the world together to recognize that this is wrong.”
But at least 18 of the 26 people who spoke to the City Council ahead of the vote said the language lacked context and spoke to Palestinians affected by years of land conflict and restrictions imposed by the Israeli government. He called on members of Congress to reject the resolution, citing silence. .
“I hope you vote no,” said Noor Wadi, a Palestinian-American lawyer who works in Dallas. “Or better yet, withdraw the resolution and instead acknowledge the suffering and inhumane conditions that Palestinians have faced and continue to face at the hands of Israel, and recognize our diverse It’s about presenting resolutions that reflect the city and our values.”
Several City Council members said they felt the resolution was necessary to send a strong message that Dallas does not tolerate terrorism and supports Israel.
City Councilor Janie Schultz, who is Jewish and an Israeli citizen, acknowledged that Israel “has made a lot of mistakes regarding Palestinians” but that the weekend's attacks “changed everything.”
“There is absolutely nothing that justifies what Hamas did,” said Schultz, the North Dallas representative. “There is absolutely no justification for the anti-Semitism that is rampant in other cities, in public and private schools here in Dallas, and on social media.”
City Council member Carla Mendelsohn, who is also Jewish, noted that the city's support is similar to that of elected officials across the state, including Gov. Greg Abbott. She said her city district in Far North Dallas has the largest Jewish population in North Texas and urged the council to unanimously support the resolution.
“There's not a single person in the community I've talked to who doesn't have a direct connection to someone living in Israel, whether it's relatives, friends, tourists, or business associates.” she said. “These are real people, these are our people.”
