Coalition of Advocates for Ceasefire Lobby Metro Washington D.C. Councils

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Coalitions of Palestinians, Christians, Jews, Arabs and other Americans are imploring local governments to pass resolutions for a permanent ceasefire in the Israeli-Hamas crisis and an exchange of all hostages and prisoners. According to the DC/MD/VA Coalition for a Free Palestine, over 48 municipalities across the country have passed resolutions, but so far none near the nations's capitol. 

Hamas fighters attacked Israel on October 7, killing up to 1200 civilians and capturing 240 hostages. Consequently, Israel launched a crushing attack on Gaza that has killed about 30,000 Palestinian civilians, including 12,000 children and teenagers. An estimated 2 million Palestinians have been displaced.

Alexandrians for Palestine are struggling with the city council. The diverse city is home to 2,000 Palestinians and, incidentally, to U.S. Senator Mark Warner, Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.  After four months of meeting with the Human Rights Commission and council members, no resolution has been introduced.

Palestinian Americans with family in Gaza have given the commission vivid descriptions of the death of loved ones. Nevertheless, members of the council have said the Israeli-Hamas crisis is not a local issue, although in the past it has shown public support for both Israel and Ukraine.  The Alexandria group, like others, has played by the rules and been respectful in its comments before the council.

Councils throughout the region have also heard from advocates for Israel and its priority to eliminate Hamas to ensure against further attacks.

The DC for Ceasefire Now Coalition, a group of concerned DC residents, has been demanding the DC Council pass a resolution for a ceasefire, the release of all hostages and the condemnation of antisemitic, anti-Palestinian, anti-Muslim, and all xenophobic hatred. Over 1800 DC residents, 50 locally elected Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners and more than a dozen groups have signed on to this the effort, including Black Lives Matter DC, Jewish Voice for Peace DC Metro, Palestinian Youth Movement DMV, and the Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace. In the past the DC Council has used its voice on a variety of global issues but has remained silent, even after over 3 months of this campaign and hosting a briefing where they heard from Palestinians residents of DC with family in Gaza. While there is support from within, no councilmember has stepped forward to introduce a resolution. There is concern about the reaction of the U.S. Congress which has authority over the city.

Meanwhile the Howard Country Council board, after months of reviewing community action, voted on a ceasefire resolution which failed.  However, the County Executive wrote a letter to President Biden in support of a ceasefire.  It is the most positive action of any of the municipalities. The effort was led by Eritrean American Hiruy Hadgu. He said he was afraid for his own kids because they looked like the Gazan children who have been dehumanized.

Some student groups around the area have been more aggressive than the municipal organizations.  Amirah Ahmed leads the 100-member Students for Justice in Palestine at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg. They have been pursuing a ceasefire resolution before the Fredericksburg City Council, holding protests downtown, holding weekly chalk-out actions across campus, and sit-ins in administration buildings.

Palestinian activists have also been working on the state level. The Islamic Maryland Action Network, IMAN, with 350,000 members has been lobbying the State House of Delegates to pass a ceasefire resolution by working with subcommittees and calling delegates.

The coalition's website is dmvfreepalestine.squarespace.com.

Contacts:

Alexandria for Palestine
Katherine O'Connell
[email protected]
571-721-1615

SOURCE DC/MD/VA Coalition for a Free Palestine