Numerous speakers at last week’s Los Altos City Council meeting argued on behalf of Israel and Palestine as council members mulled a resolution that would condemn the recent Hamas terrorist attacks that have resulted in the loss of thousands of lives.
Amid a standing-room-only crowd and police presence, local Jewish and Palestinian residents made passionate pleas for the council either to condemn Hamas for the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks on Israel – “our 9/11,” as one speaker noted – or to craft a broader resolution also condemning Islamophobia.
Several speakers at the Nov. 14 meeting cited lost family members on both sides during the monthlong conflict. More than 1,200 people were killed and 3,400 injured on Oct. 7 alone, when Hamas, a recognized terrorist group, shot thousands of rockets into Israel. Approximately 250 Israelis were taken hostage. Since the attack, more than 11,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel’s military response.
Vice Mayor Jonathan Weinberg led the proposal for a resolution, believing it would be universally accepted to condemn the Hamas attacks. But numerous residents showed up wanting more from the council and calling for broader support.
There was an overall tone of coming together and “rejecting hate,” as some residents pointed to experiencing fear over rising antisemitism or Islamophobia, in which some are equating Muslims to terrorists.
“Let’s be gentle and respectful,” said Mayor Sally Meadows, as she and the council presided over approximately 50 speakers over a more than three-hour span.
Meadows quickly snuffed out the few jeers or mocking laughter during the public comments, demanding civility.
Impact on children
Some residents expressed concerns about the impact of the war on local children.
“My concern is the youth. That’s our future,” Malika Junaid said. “We are not divided. We all are hurting.”
Other speakers pointed to the Israeli counteroffensive, which has killed and injured thousands of Palestinians, including civilians.
“We simply cannot ignore the constant, relentless bombing we are witnessing of women and children in Gaza,” Nadine Mansour said. “When did only some lives matter?”
Mansour said a broad resolution “is the only way forward, together.”
Zachi Rosenberg pointed to “rising antisemitism causing fear and isolation in our community. The recent terrorism attacks of Oct. 7 in Israel have released some of the worst antisemitism our country has seen in many, many years. This is the first time my family and I are discussing whether the U.S. will be a safe place for our children to grow up and attend our colleges.”
Added Bill Sheppard: “Hamas does not call for peace. They call for the destruction of Israel and all Jews. They are not advocates for the Palestinian people. They put innocent civilians, including children, in harm’s way as a tactic. … It’s undeniably tragic that many innocent Israelis and Palestinians will die as a result of the war Hamas has brought to Israel. But the blame for this is squarely on Hamas, and until they are eradicated, the Palestinians can never be free. A resolution condemning Hamas is a resolution affirming both Palestinian civilians and Israelis.”
“I only support a resolution that accurately presents (condemning) the suffering and killing of innocent Israeli and Palestinian families, said Moazzam Chaudry, who pointed to thousands of Palestinians killed and referred to as collateral damage. “When will this be enough?”
‘Silence is violence’
The council appeared divided as Meadows and councilmembers Lynette Lee Eng and Neysa Fligor favored the broader statement, while Weinberg and Councilmember Pete Dailey sought exclusive condemnation of the Hamas
attack.
“This is a very emotional and personal issue for many of you here and many listening in, and many in our community,” Fligor said. “So, I really want to thank each and every one of you, regardless of your comments, regardless of your views. … We hear you. We appreciate every single one of you. … We want to make sure everybody feels like this is their home, that they’re welcome here. And it doesn’t matter what you’re wearing, what you look like – you are one of us.”
Weinberg responded that the resolution he wanted to propose before tonight and that he still ultimately would like to propose “has nothing to do with the fighting that is going on right now.”
“What happened on Oct. 7 was monstrous,” he said. “That attack and that attack alone is something that everyone in this room has condemned. … Because of what happened on Oct. 7, I have seen our community fearful, and our community should not be fearful. No one should have to live in fear. Whether you’re Jewish, whether you’re Muslim, whether you’re Israeli, whether you’re Palestinian – it doesn’t matter. No one should have to live in that type of fear.”
Dailey sided with a resolution condemning Hamas.
“Many of our Jewish residents have relatives or friends who have been killed or who remain hostages,” he said. “And yet our Jewish community is dealing not only with this trauma, they are confronting hate and vile antisemitism here in our community. Silence is violence. Too much of the world stood idly by and watched the pogroms and then the Holocaust without standing up and defending our Jewish brothers and sisters. Not here, not now. And not on my watch.”
Meadows said the council’s role is to maintain in Los Altos “a sense of our community, where we all feel safe and welcomed.”
“I condemn all hate,” Meadows said. “I want us to stand in community. I want us to give each other the space to have our opinions.”
Meadows, Fligor and Lee Eng called for the broader resolution, condemning not only Hamas and the terrorist acts of Oct. 7, but also antisemitism, Islamophobia and all forms of hate. Lee Eng said she related to the pain audience members were feeling, having experienced the pain of anti-Asian hate.
In the end, the council voted unanimously to direct Weinberg to draw up a resolution that would be brought back at a future council meeting as a consent item, meaning there would be no further public discussion. Under council direction, the resolution elements would also include unity and respect, condemning the taking of hostages and supporting residents’ safety.
After the meeting, Weinberg said he appreciated the discussion.
“I think the community, frankly, really needed a forum to express themselves and for each side to hear the other side,” he said. “And we really haven’t had an opportunity to do that – the council meeting really turned into that.”
