By Bryan Boggiano
The Parkland City Commission affirmed their support for Israel against Hamas’s attacks on the country at their Oct. 18 commission meeting while condemning antisemitism and Islamophobia.
Parkland’s resolution comes in response to the terrorist group’s sudden surprise attacks, which started on Oct. 7 through a land, sea, missile, and rocket attack. On that day, Hamas terrorists sent gunmen into Southern Israel, who took civilians hostage and killed thousands more.
Since the attacks began, more than 1,500 people in Israel have been killed, more than 5,000 have been injured, more than 200 have been kidnapped and taken hostage, and 200,000 have been internally displaced. As a result of Hamas’s attacks, more than 4,000 Gazans have been killed, more than 13,000 have been wounded, and more than 1.4 million Gazans have been displaced.
The death toll includes more than 30 Americans.
The resolution specifically condemns Hamas, their murders of innocent people of all nationalities, their war against Israel, and anti-Semitism around the world, which has escalated since the attacks began.
According to the city’s resolution, Hamas’s attacks represent the deadliest escalation in the Israel/Palestine conflict in decades and come almost exactly 50 years after the Yom Kippur War against Israel. In that war, Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack against the country.
“It doesn’t take being Jewish or being Zionist to identify hate,” said Vice Mayor Simeon Brier. “To call that out isn’t brave. It’s human.”
Brier urged residents to keep the residents in Gaza in mind, too, whom he said are suffering as a result of Hamas’s terrorism.
Mayor Rich Walker said Hamas’s actions demand condemnation, saying the situation is not political, but is rather about humanity and stopping terrorism.
“It is imperative that we recognize the destructive impact of their ideology and stand in support of Israel and the Jewish people,” he said.
The most personal statement in favor of the resolution came from Commissioner Jordan Isrow, who touched on his Jewish faith, how Judaism played an integral role in shaping who he is today, and how Judaism continues to shape him and his family, including his two young children.
He discussed how Jewish people around the world learned about the history of antisemitism and how the phrase “Never Again” is meant to ensure antisemitism never proliferates after the Holocaust.
Isrow said Hamas’s attacks against Israel brought antisemitism to the global stage again. He continued, saying it is worse that people “defend it, justify it, rationalize it, and even applaud it.”
“Allowing antisemitism to flourish not only endangers the safety and well-being of Jewish individuals and communities, but it also erodes the moral foundation of society as a whole,” Isrow said.
Isrow made a call to action to accept people regardless of their differences and to work toward solutions to intolerance.
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Author Profile
- A University of Florida journalism graduate, Bryan plans to pursue geosciences at Florida International University for his master's. He has a strong interest in weather, entertainment, and journalism.
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