Atlanta City Council passed a resolution Monday in support of Israel as war rages with Hamas, an extremist militant group.
Hamas launched a surprise attack Oct. 7 from the Gaza Strip, killing more than 1,400 civilians and taking hundreds more hostage. That has been followed by Israeli military retaliation. Now, more than a million people have fled their homes in Gaza, according to the Associated Press, ahead of an expected Israeli invasion.
The city council resolution, which passed by an 11-0 vote, condemns “Hamas’ acts of terror,” and recognizes Israel’s “right to defend itself when attacked” while calling for peace in the wake of civilian deaths both in Israel and Palestine.
Council members Keisha Sean Waites, Antonio Lewis and Liliana Bakhtiari abstained from the vote. Councilwoman Mary Norwood was absent.
“Council calls on relevant governments and leaders across the globe to protect and prioritize the safety of civilians in Israel and Gaza, including safe passage out of Gaza and the freeing of all hostages,” the resolution says.
The conflict has drawn sharp political fault lines, and concern, across the country and in Georgia.
“A word to all of those who are hurting because they are connected to those events in Atlanta,” Council President Doug Shipman said Monday. “It has been a heavy week and we are sending our thoughts and prayers to everyone who has been impacted by this horrible situation.”
President Joe Biden and other Democratic leaders have decried the siege as an act of terrorism and vouched for Israel’s right to defend itself, and leaders in Georgia from both parties have issued messages of support.
Others blame Israel for the attacks, which they say is rooted in the history of economic and security control they’ve exerted over the more than 2 million people who live in Gaza.
Law enforcement agencies across the U.S. are on high alert for increased antisemitic violence driven by the situation. In Chicago, a 6-year-old Muslim boy was fatally stabbed along with his mother who was seriously wounded as part of an alleged hate crime as a response to the war.
Atlanta City Council members warned against such violence in the city.
“Council asks that residents not use global events as a justification for antisemitism, Islamophobia, or bigotry of any kind, as they are threats to our civil society, collective prosperity, and shared humanity,” the resolution reads.
