Anaheim Democrats Club passes Gaza Ceasefire Resolution.

At our March general meeting last night, the Anaheim Democrats Club passed the following resolution. We are the first Democratic Club in Orange County to pass such a resolution; hopefully many will follow. This resolution, which failed to pass the County Party (DPOC) recently, was first passed by the Santa Clara Democratic Party, and brought to us by Mirvette Judeh:

A Call for Immediate and Permanent Cease-fire in Gaza
and Provision of Humanitarian Aid

WHEREAS we recognize the Holocaust, Nakba and forced displacement of peoples with ties to the Holy Land and attempts to erase their histories; the 17-year closure of Gaza which continues, Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel which resulted in the killing of 1200 Israelis, Israel’s four previous bombardments of Gaza and “Dahiya Doctrine” of  disproportionate response in civilian areas, and we witness cycles of dehumanization, violence and trauma, that the ICJ ruled on January 26th that Israel has committed plausible acts of genocide, since ruling Israel has killed over 3500 Palestinians; and

WHEREAS since October 7, with over 34,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza, 40% of them children; 2 million of the 2.2M population made homeless; 90% facing death by disease, injury, or starvation, 50% imminently so with Israel continuing to attack and block delivery of food, water, fuel, electricity, and medicine, an active ethnic cleansing in progress for which the U.S. and Californians will be culpable for having provided the right-wing government of Israel with billions of dollars in unconditional military aid and weapons made by California-based companies; and with the Biden administration, despite outcry from 700+ staffers and appointees, violating its own stated policy to protect civilians from war crimes and vetoing numerous resolutions at the U.N. for humanitarian cease-fire; and

WHEREAS hostilities in the region have fueled a rise in bigotry and hate crimes against Palestinian, Muslim, Jewish, and Arab residents in California and the U.S.; and the ongoing mass violence in Gaza has garnered Israel widespread condemnation internationally, and outraged many U.S. voters; and related hostilities are being escalated in other countries in the region, making us all increasingly unsafe;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Anaheim Democrats Club calls upon President Biden, Vice-President Kamala Harris, U.S. Senate, our Congressional members, and leaders to do everything in their power to bring about an immediate and sustainable cease-fire, let all humanitarian aid into Gaza and safe release of hostages and illegally detained minors and prisoners on both sides in Gaza and Occupied Palestine; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we urge policymakers and the White House to condition U.S. military assistance to Israel on preservation of Palestinian human rights; to redirect many billions of dollars of overall U.S. military aid toward humanitarian aid, life-affirming services, education, healthcare and diplomacy both here and abroad; and to press all parties to create a framework for a lasting peace that gives all in Israel/Palestine equal citizenship rights and human rights, fosters people’s self-determination, state-hood, democratic participation and economic opportunity; addresses unjust displacements and strives to interrupt and reverse this cycle of violence, mass human suffering and traumatization.