Harrisonburg City Council will vote on a resolution tonight calling for an immediate cease fire in Gaza and Israel. If the resolution passes, Harrisonburg would be the first city in Virginia to pass a resolution calling for a cease fire in Gaza.
Residents have called on city councils to pass similar resolutions in other Virginia cities including Richmond, Alexandria, Newport News and Virginia Beach.
“This resolution is important to me personally, as I have a cousin in Gaza who was sheltering near al Nasser hospital that was attacked by the Israeli army last week and was buried under the rubble for five days,” said MuAwia DaMes of Harrisonburg.
The passage of the resolution is a culmination of a public outpouring of support in Harrisonburg across faith and ethnic backgrounds.
“I am here advocating for Palestine because as a Muslim and as a human, it is my duty to recognize injustice wherever it is and whoever it is being done to and speak against it,” said Dalia Abdalla, a student of medicine at JMU and member of Students for Justice in Palestine.
At meetings of Harrisonburg City Council on Jan. 23 and Feb. 13, numerous residents turned out and spoke in favor of a cease fire.
Nearly 200 people joined in song outside city council chambers in a peaceful protest organized by Mennonite Action last week.
This resolution follows 71 other cities and municipalities passing similar resolutions including Durham, Chicago, Atlanta and St. Petersburg.
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Crystal Graham
