[ad_1]
Just before Mayor Darrell Steinberg was set to introduce a Gaza cease-fire resolution in Sacramento City Council, he held a press conference along with supporters and those who helped draft the resolution.”Making peace is not easy, but that’s what we strive to do in some small way in our beloved Sacramento,” the mayor said to start the press conference at Old City Hall. “We must try harder to talk to each other, try harder to heal each other, try harder to reach across the uncomfortable divide, try harder to take risks for peace, especially in our own community,” Steinberg said.The mayor acknowledged that the resolution won’t solve the war in the Middle East, but said it was specifically about Sacramento.The mayor also responded to criticism saying the conflict in Gaza is not a Sacramento council issue. “It’s before the city council every week,” the mayor said.The executive director of the Sacramento Valley Council on American-Islamic Relations, Basim El-Karra, stood with the mayor. El-Karra said the situation on the ground doesn’t just impact those in Gaza, but impacts people in Sacramento too. “This is not just a political gesture,” El-Karra said. “It’s the first step to ending the horrific violence.””We all want humanity to prevail over hatred,” said Tawfiq Morrar, an attorney and former CAIR board member.Former city councilmember and leader in the Jewish community, Jay Schenirer, also stood with the mayor in support. However, Schenirer, who is the president of Congregation B’Nai Israel, did emphasize he was representing himself in his own capacity.Highlighting growing antisemitism and islamophobia, Schenirer said the Muslim and Jewish communities were stronger together. The group acknowledged that both sides made concessions in order to draft the resolution. “That is the nature of principled compromise,” Steinberg said.Ahead of the meeting to introduce the resolution, there was already public dissent.The Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region does not support the resolution. Neither does Councilmember Lisa Kaplan. “We all want to accomplish the goal of bringing the parties together,” Kaplan told KCRA 3. “But this resolution coming before council is not accomplishing that goal.A member of the public was also in the room where the press conference was held and interrupted the mayor several times throughout. “Are you going to consider some of the amendments?” he asked the mayor. “We need to talk about the genocide,” he continued. The mayor was also joined by community advocate Makeez Sawez, Rabbi Seth Castleman and members of the Jewish community Brian Landsberg and Judy Heiman.Among those at Steinberg’s side on Tuesday was his wife Julie, the cantor at B’Nai Israel.Other religious leaders of the city’s largest Jewish synagogues were not in attendance.“I respect that everybody has to come to their own decision of conscience,” Steinberg said, acknowledging that even some on the Jewish left were not supporters of the resolution.He said he thought that supporters represented the community’s position in Sacramento.Steinberg said that he did not know how the vote would shake out on Tuesday evening but hoped that respectful discussions would prevail. He said he was prepared for proceedings to last into the early-morning hours and that everyone’s voice would be heard. “If we have to stay until 2 or 3 in the morning, we will because it’s important,” Steinberg said.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Just before Mayor Darrell Steinberg was set to introduce a Gaza cease-fire resolution in Sacramento City Council, he held a press conference along with supporters and those who helped draft the resolution.
“Making peace is not easy, but that’s what we strive to do in some small way in our beloved Sacramento,” the mayor said to start the press conference at Old City Hall.
“We must try harder to talk to each other, try harder to heal each other, try harder to reach across the uncomfortable divide, try harder to take risks for peace, especially in our own community,” Steinberg said.
The mayor acknowledged that the resolution won’t solve the war in the Middle East, but said it was specifically about Sacramento.
The mayor also responded to criticism saying the conflict in Gaza is not a Sacramento council issue. “It’s before the city council every week,” the mayor said.
The executive director of the Sacramento Valley Council on American-Islamic Relations, Basim El-Karra, stood with the mayor.
El-Karra said the situation on the ground doesn’t just impact those in Gaza, but impacts people in Sacramento too.
“This is not just a political gesture,” El-Karra said. “It’s the first step to ending the horrific violence.”
“We all want humanity to prevail over hatred,” said Tawfiq Morrar, an attorney and former CAIR board member.
Former city councilmember and leader in the Jewish community, Jay Schenirer, also stood with the mayor in support. However, Schenirer, who is the president of Congregation B’Nai Israel, did emphasize he was representing himself in his own capacity.
Highlighting growing antisemitism and islamophobia, Schenirer said the Muslim and Jewish communities were stronger together.
The group acknowledged that both sides made concessions in order to draft the resolution. “That is the nature of principled compromise,” Steinberg said.
Ahead of the meeting to introduce the resolution, there was already public dissent.
The Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region does not support the resolution. Neither does Councilmember Lisa Kaplan. “We all want to accomplish the goal of bringing the parties together,” Kaplan told KCRA 3. “But this resolution coming before council is not accomplishing that goal.
A member of the public was also in the room where the press conference was held and interrupted the mayor several times throughout. “Are you going to consider some of the amendments?” he asked the mayor. “We need to talk about the genocide,” he continued.
The mayor was also joined by community advocate Makeez Sawez, Rabbi Seth Castleman and members of the Jewish community Brian Landsberg and Judy Heiman.
Among those at Steinberg’s side on Tuesday was his wife Julie, the cantor at B’Nai Israel.
Other religious leaders of the city’s largest Jewish synagogues were not in attendance.
“I respect that everybody has to come to their own decision of conscience,” Steinberg said, acknowledging that even some on the Jewish left were not supporters of the resolution.
He said he thought that supporters represented the community’s position in Sacramento.
Steinberg said that he did not know how the vote would shake out on Tuesday evening but hoped that respectful discussions would prevail. He said he was prepared for proceedings to last into the early-morning hours and that everyone’s voice would be heard. “If we have to stay until 2 or 3 in the morning, we will because it’s important,” Steinberg said.
[ad_2]
Source link
