PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — City Council descended into pandemonium on Thursday as members took up a resolution condemning the Hamas attack on Israel. Opponents and supporters of the resolution squared off during public testimony.
Even before the meeting started, protesters gathered outside City Hall to condemn the resolution, which was introduced by members Kenyatta Johnson and Mike Driscoll.
The resolution seemed fairly free of controversy when it was first introduced. Most of the world had condemned the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel. The resolution itself was measured, acknowledging “the suffering and loss experienced by innocent Palestinians in the ongoing conflict.”
But as Israel’s response claimed more lives in Gaza, more vocal support has emerged for Palestinians, and a large pro-Palestinian contingent packed council chambers to protest the resolution. Those testifying against it found its language insufficient.
“Where is the acknowledgement of the dehumanization and genocide that is taking place to the Palestinian people in Gaza and the rest of the West Bank, where Hamas does not exist?” demanded one protester.
“If you sign on to this resolution, you all have blood on your hands, we will never forgive and we will never forget,” said another. “Shame on all of you.”
The standing room-only attendees cheered such testimony but drowned out the equal number of those testifying in support of the resolution.
“This was a barbaric massacre. Everyone around the world must condemn terrorist acts,” testified one person, who was shouted down.
“As a Jew, I am grateful that you understand the significance of Israel as the ancestral homeland of the Jewish people for more than 2,000 years and recognize Israel’s unequivocal right to defend herself against Hamas’s terrorist attack,” said a pro-Israel advocate.
Johnson defended the resolution, touting its acknowledgement of the suffering of Palestinians. “For too long, we have allowed all discussions of Israel and Palestine to devolve into a zero-sum game where any perceived support for one must come at the expense of the other,” he said.
Council president Darrell Clarke tried reasoning with the group, then had sheriffs remove many of them, but ultimately ended public testimony. “I tried to be fair and let everybody speak but it’s increasingly clear that we are not going to be able to get through this because people continue to scream and holler,” he said.
The resolution passed unanimously, after several members voiced their sympathy for Palestinians. Driscoll maintained he had no regrets. “I thought it was important to speak out,” he said, “and I’m glad we did.”