Mecklenburg backs resolution supporting Israel after rare support, opposition comments
The Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to condemn recent violence in Israel, but not before hearing from multiple residents in support and opposition of the resolution.
The vote comes as violence continues in the Middle East in the wake of Oct. 7, when Hamas began an attack on Israel. Israel has since responded with airstrikes in Gaza, and thousands have already been killed and injured in both Israel and Gaza, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.
The resolution was introduced by Commissioner Mark Jerrell.
“The intent of this resolution is obviously to condemn acts of terrorism,” he said. “It’s also to support peace and stand in solidarity with our residents and colleagues, with all people that have been impacted by violence.”
It’s rare for members of the public to sign up to speak in favor or opposition of a resolution, commission Chair Georg Dunlap noted, and the commission invoked a rule that says groups of people signed up to speak on the same topic get 10 minutes of speaking time to share rather than the normal three minutes for every individual speaker.
Rabbi Judy Schindler, Rabbi Emerita of Temple Beth El, was among those who spoke in favor of the resolution. Schindler said it’s been difficult to watch “the tragic loss of innocent life in Israel and Gaza” in recent days, adding that she lost a second cousin in the attacks.
“I ask everyone in this room to help stop the cycle of violence and do everything in their power to protect innocent life and advance peace. Fighting here does not make peace there,” she said. “This resolution is not about the conduct of the war. I will use my voice and power to advocate that everyone involved protect innocent civilian life. This resolution is about Israel’s right to protect itself.”
Emily Zimmern, who also spoke in favor of the resolution, said she’s been saddened to see “an alarming surge in antisemitism, Islamophobia and xenophobia” since violence in the Middle East escalated.
Police reported a 6-year-old boy in the Chicago area was fatally stabbed by his family’s landlord, who attacked the child and his family “due to them being Muslim and the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict involving Hamas and the Israelis.” And in Charlotte, the FBI arrested a man this week accused of threatening the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte.
“The ramifications of these attacks ripple far beyond the borders of Israel,” Zimmern said. “... It is incumbent upon all citizens of good conscience in our nation to unite against these forms of hatred, which threaten the safety and well-being of us all.”
Other community members, such as Laila El-Ali, said they opposed the resolution because it didn’t take into account the yearslong suffering of Palestinian people.
“Through this condemnation Charlotte will be condoning the ethnic cleansing and genocide of Palestinians … You are condemning a false narrative,” she said.
Jibril Hough, a spokesman for the Islamic Center of Charlotte, told commissioners he felt the resolution left out “the value of Palestinians, American Muslims and American Palestinians.”
“As Muslims we condemn all forms of terrorism, from small groups like Hamas to state-sponsored like Israel,” he said. “... We must stand against Islamophobia, racism, silence. We must stand. We must not support this resolution.”
Multiple members of the commission thanked the public for sharing their thoughts, including Commissioner Susan Rodriquez-McDowell, who noted that the resolution was edited to remove the word “unprovoked” to describe Hamas’s attack in deference to the history of the region.
“These are extremely complicated matters, and I don’t want to pretend to say that I understand all of the history. But we also say that we stand in solidarity with the rights of Israel and all people to live in peace and security, and we are including Palestinians in that,” she said. “There’s no way that we can stand here and not condemn terrorist acts, atrocities that are unspeakable. And that was our intent.”
The resolution presented at Tuesday’s meeting was also amended to say the commission “stands in solidarity with the right of Israel, and all people, to live in peace and security” rather than “stands in solidarity with the right of Israel, and its citizens, to live in peace and security,” Observer news partner WSOC reported.
The resolution ultimately passed 9-0.
Some who opposed the resolution left the chamber after the vote, shouting “Shame on you” and “Free Palestine” as they left the room.
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This story was originally published October 17, 2023 at 9:59 PM.
