Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss says the city’s Equity and Empowerment Commission should focus on local issues and not try to draw the city into the Middle East conflict.
The mayor was responding to a discussion item on the commission’s Thursday night meeting agenda that calls for the city to adopt a resolution calling for a cease-fire and return of all hostages in the conflict.
The draft resolution, while calling for the release of the remaining Israeli civilian hostages held by Hamas, also calls for the release of thousands of Palestinians being held in administrative detention by Israel.
The resolution, in its 18 whereas clauses, offers vivid descriptions of the sufferings of Palestinians in the current conflict, but makes only indirect reference to the initial attack on Israel by Hamas militants on Oct. 7 that left 1,200 people dead.
The commission’s agenda does not indicate who drafted the resolution or submitted it for the group’s consideration.
Liam Bird, manager of organizational performance and equity for the city, who serves as staff liaison to the commission, did not respond to an email from Evanston Now asking who proposed the resolution.
Update 10:15 a.m. 10/29/23: Bird now says: “The issue was proposed by the Equity and Empowerment Commission led by Chair Darlene Cannon. At this time, she is not interested in speaking with a media representative.”
Asked by Evanston Now about the resolution, Mayor Biss said, “I don’t think the Equity and Empowerment Commission should delve into international issues, even issues like this one about which all Evanstonians have very deep feelings.”
“I agree with their mandate of doing equity work in Evanston — and there’s plenty of that work to be done,” Biss added.
The draft resolution opens with links to a statement Biss issued on Oct. 12, in which he criticized organizations that address the conflict “without an unequivocal condemnation of Hamas’s murderous attacks.”
Meanwhile, Oakland, California, Monday night became the second city in the San Francisco Bay area to adopt a resolution calling for a cease-fire.
The unanimous vote by Oakland’s City Council followed nearly five hours of public comments from hundreds of speakers at the meeting and weeks of protests.
In Berkeley, California, no cease-fire resolution was before the council, but protestors demanding one disrupted the council meeting Tuesday night.
Cease-fire resolutions were adopted last week in several cities, including Atlanta, Detroit and Seattle.
Update 12:45 p.m. Thursday: An online petition drive is under way, urging the Equity and Empowerment Commission to reject what the petition organizers call a “biased and highly inflammatory anti-Israel resolution.”
The petition’s cover page says the Commission is going outside of its City-designated purposes, and claims that for the panel “to enter into the international political arena is nothing short of staggering.”
The petition also accuses the Commission of singling out Israel, asking “did the Commission consider condemning Hamas’ brutal rapes, tortures, and murders of Israelis on Oct. 7? Did it speak out on the persecution of Uyghurs China, the invasion of Ukraine, the ongoing civil war in Darfur, or the U.S.-supported Saudi Arabian action in Yemen?”
In addition, the petition says that if the Commission votes for the resolution “it will be obvious that they are ignoring the body’s true mission in order to single out Israel and the Jewish community for attack and derision.”
Organizers say they have more than 750 signatures so far.
We’ve all be horrified at the back and forth violence, so I don’t have much issue with the five TBIRs (therefore be it resolved), except that four of the five involve international diplomacy; a bit outside the purview of our city’s commission. My biggest issue is the heavy bias in the whereases.
Who are these people on this commission? It is definitely is pro palestine.
They do not speak for me or others in Evanston. Of course, barely a mention of the atrocities of October 7.
Yeah, this is something they need to stay out of. It’s well above their pay grade and not their job. Focus on Evanston and Evanston only.
Too many East Coasters moving here to Evanston thinking they know everything about anything. Beat it. The only focus is on E-Town and the people of E-Town.
This is a good time to reconsider whether we are better off without an Equity and Empowerment Commission.
May I remind the Commission that among the dead and captured from the Hamas attack are American citizens? The very thought that Evanston’s government is supporting terrorists who killed not just Israelis, but Americans is beyond the pale. They don’t deserve the privilege of representing us. Shame on the Commission, and on any Evanston voter who doesn’t work to have these people removed from office as soon as possible.
C’mon, doesn’t the Evanston City Council have enough problems to deal with?
It is our city’s best interests to avoid any issues not relating to Evanston? The city risks alienating at least some portion of the population .
I disagree with Biss on more things than I can count but I agree with him on this.
Agree with JRR2. This is a very polarizing issue. I know people in Evanston with family in Israel, some of whom were impacted on Oct. 7. It is disrespectful of a city organization to get involved in international affairs when we have enough problems locally. The whereas comments are also extremely biased. There was no “whereas on Oct. 7, Hamas butchered, burned and raped over 1,200 Israelis on Oct. 7”.