Local Government TV

Monday, March 04, 2024

Will Bethlehem City Council Take Stance on Israeli-Gaza Conflict?

When Bethlehem City Council last met, they were besieged by a rowdy audience demanding that they adopt a cease-fire resolution concerning the Israeli-Gaza conflict. They just happened to have a draft, too. Council member Bryan Callahan wanted to adopt it on the spot. But as Council member Colleen Laird pointed out, they needed time to consider the matter. Just as members of the audience had time to draft their resolution, City Council should be extended that same courtesy. So no resolution was adopted. As of late last night, no such resolution appears on the agenda for Tuesday night's meeting. 

Last week, Easton City Council rejected a cease-fire resolution sponsored by Council member Taiba Sultana in a 6-1 vote. But the adopted a general resolution calling for peace, with only Sultana in opposition. 

Members of the Bethlehem and Easton audiences were festooned in the kaffiyehs in some attempt to show solidarity with Palestinians. Ironically, that garment was worn by Bedouins in rural areas to protect themselves from the sun. More urban Palestinians traditionally wore a fez, but I guess that's less fashionable. 

My brother Mike lives in Bethlehem. I'm rather secular, but he's heavily involved in his church. He has written to City Council and has suggested that a day of prayer and reflection might be the best approach. I doubt a City Council can urge a day of prayer and reflection, but it can urge a day of reflection. 

Hello, 
After listening to the statements last evening concerning a ceasefire resolution, here are my comments and observations. 
  • Council is to be commended for their tolerant and respectful behavior, even when many unfair comments were made about elected officials' presumed motives and opinions. 
  • Many of the comments were overtly antisemitic/racist: One speaker's statement, "From the river to the sea." is clearly a racist statement expressing the desire to remove by any means necessary the Jewish people from their county.
  • There are two sides to the story. Little was said about the brutal and horrific attacks that were made on October 7th against innocent women, children and elderly Jewish citizens. There were also American citizens who were killed and taken as hostages. Statements that were made about the October 7th attacks were made in the context that they were falsely reported or did not happen.   
  • If Hamas would lay down their weapons and surrender, there would be an immediate ceasefire. 
  • The Hamas charter includes language that call for the elimination of the Jewish nation. 
  • Many of the speakers disqualified themselves with their hateful and arrogant rhetoric. Some should have been removed from the room for outbursts outside of decorum. 
  • Statements of fact were made that were anecdotal and not supported by data.  
City Council needs to be cautious in resolutions calling for a ceasefire:
  • Language should be carefully chosen to avoid any misinterpretation that could be considered racist or antisemitic. 
  • Mayor Reynolds' suggestion was noteworthy: calling for peace rather than a ceasefire. "Ceasefire" is becoming a politically charged word. 
  • There are many Bethlehem Jewish and Christian citizens who have good reasons to be supportive of Israel. Their views should be valued and respected. 
  • The resolution should include a call for mutual respect and tolerance among all religions and groups within our city. 
  • Council can lead by calling for a city-wide day of reflection/prayer/mediation and hosting respectful conversations with diverse groups to foster greater understanding and respect.  

Wishing you all well as you craft the resolution.  

15 comments:

  1. Here's my position: it's Israel from the river to the sea. No damned two state "solution." As far as I'm concerned, Israel can do whatever it takes to root out Hamas and establish it's borders. See Exodus 23:31.

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  2. Good on your brother. This nonsense has no business in local politics

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  3. Your brother has it right. Sadly, God is passe'. Our country funds endless wars for profit. We abort over 800,000 souls each year for profit. We execute mentally retarded criminals. We give sex change operations to felons, while veterans are homeless. We let elderly die alone during CoViD for no medical reasons, only politics.

    We need something bigger than whatever is guiding us right now.

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  4. No impact on what Bethlem wants !

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  5. As of this morning, Hamas is refusing to release a list of hostages still alive. They're saying a ceasefire must happen first. Even at this point, they and their supporters just don't get it. That's terrorism and should be dealt with severely until it's eliminated. No ceasefire until every single hostage is returned to the families from whom they were taken by Hamas terrorists on October 7. Every. Single. One. Got it? Keep shooting the bad guys until this happens. I'll donate bullets.

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  6. It took these people years to even figure out how to fix a parking garage, I doubt they can control this conflict. A totally meaningless resolution will be a waste of paper and will just further show how silly council is.

    You think the citizens would be in more of an uproar over the parking authority raising the fees yet again. That is something council can actually do something about.

    Common sense is not a flower that has ever grown in council chambers.

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    1. Parking Authority raising fees. Water Sewer raising fees. Parks and Recreation raising fees. Could they be in the need of money so that they can purchase more flags to raise?

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  7. I hope so. I also want to see school boards, township supervisors, the animal shelter, the glee club at the high school, the 4H Club, the National Fire Chiefs Council, and PennDOT all issue statements on the conflict.

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  8. So many conflicts to distract them from their real job, so little time.

    https://www.datapandas.org/ranking/countries-currently-at-war

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  9. No cease fire until Hamas agrees to release all remaining hostages. After that, they should surrender. End of war. End of terrorist Hamas.

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  10. supreme court 9 to 0

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  11. Whatever in the world does an international conflict have to do with the work of any city council, Bethlehem, Easton, or otherwise? Does anyone who attends these meetings with demands of this sort have a brain? I will be 80 on Wednesday, and I do not recognize the dopeyness of public behavior in today's world. Where did such idiocy come from?

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    1. 4:50 - It mostly comes from the “progressive” democrat party, whose idea of “progress” will take us back to the Stone Age.

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  12. I’m more disgusted at seeing another judge’s son getting a solicitor position. This man seems very young to be named an assistant solicitor of one of Pennsylvania’s larger cities. Let me guess — padding his resume so he can be a judge when Morganelli retires.

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  13. Pave from the river to the sea.

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