From:
To: City Council; Diana Rich
Subject: Re: Agenda item 8 - City Council Meeting on April 2nd - Ceasefire Resolution - Date: Sunday, March 31, 2024 10:21:23 AM
Dear City Council Members,
As a local resident and someone that lost two brothers in World War II fighting the Nazis I am deeply disturbed by the proposed resolution. The current war in Gaza is a war between Israel and Hamas - not Israel and Palestinian people.
Hamas are the new Nazis and enemies of the United States.
Providing aid or comfort to entities deemed as enemies of the United States, such as Hamas, could be considered treasonous.
Hamas is a clear enemy of the United States that killed 32 American citizens on October 7th and for the last 6 months holds 5 American Citizens as hostages in the tunnels of Gaza.
Hamas is a US-designated terrorist organization which was freely elected by the people of Gaza in 2006.
Hamas charter calls for the destruction of Israel and the killing of Jews. Further, Hamas terrorist values (ie, honor-killing of LGBTQ+ people, reduced rights for women, no rights for those of non-Muslim religions) are incompatible with the values of the United States and our local community.
The resolution in its current version doesn’t clearly condemn Hamas and supports Hamas desire for immediate ceasefire. On multiple occasions Hamas welcomed such resolutions.
In her remarks after adoption of the of a UNSC Resolution on the Situation in the Middle East - Ambassador to UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield stated:
“Hamas continues to stand in the way of peace, to throw up roadblocks, cower in tunnels beneath Gaza’s cities, and under civilian infrastructure, and hide among the civilian population.
Critically, a ceasefire and the release of hostages will allow much more humanitarian aid to get into Gaza, at a time when famine is looming large, and provide an opportunity to work toward a sustainable cessation of hostiles; toward a future where Hamas can no longer threaten Israel, and never repeat October 7, and no longer control Gaza and use civilians as shields; toward a future where Palestinians and Israelis live side by side in peace, in two democratic states of their own. Something that will never happen with Hamas – a terrorist organization dedicated to the destruction of Israel and the killing Jews; a terrorist organization this body still fails to condemn – controlling Gaza.” Any resolution on the war in Gaza should clearly demand immediate disarmament of the terrorist organization Hamas.
U.S. Constitution, Article III, Section 3: Defines treason as aiding enemies of the United States.
By not condemning Hamas and demanding immediate and permanent ceasefire without Hamas disarmament- the City of Sebastopol will be aiding United States enemy - Hamas.
Inda Dain
Local resident since 2001