The Atlanta City Council approved a resolution at its Nov. 20 meeting that supports The Carter Center’s recent call for a ceasefire in Gaza as civilian deaths continue to climb in the Israel-Hamas war.
The resolution also supports the call for Israel to establish more humanitarian corridors for Palestinians to use as safe passage out of war zones, and to restore essential services, such electricity, water and medical supplies.
The Israel-Hamas war started Oct. 7 when Hamas militants launched a surprise terror attack from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory, killing about 1,400 people, including civilians and children. Hamas also took approximately 240 hostages, dozens of them children, during the attack.
Israel has responded with overwhelming force including air strikes and a ground invasion into Gaza. More than 11,000 Palestinians, including thousands of children, have been killed in the fighting since last month.
“[T]he Atlanta City Council … acknowledges the principles of proportionality and international law in self-defense; and … the Atlanta City Council also expresses concern over the ongoing violence and its potential for further escalation,” the resolution says.
“[T]he Atlanta City Council also affirms that there is no military solution, and only a political one can lead to peace based on common humanity and human rights,” according to the resolution.
Many residents spoke in favor of the council supporting a ceasefire in Gaza during public comment at the start of the meeting. They also denounced the council’s resolution approved last month that condemned Hamas’ attack on Israel. The resolution also recognized Israel’s right to exist peacefully and defend itself when attacked.
“Over 5,500 children have been killed in Gaza in the last month alone and yet I do not see a single one of you condemning those actions,” said Ebrima Mbowee. “The Atlanta City Council should be calling for a ceasefire, not giving Israel full carte blanche to continue its ethnic cleansing campaigns in Gaza and the West Bank.”
Typically a council member will only respond during public comment when a speaker names them. Councilmember Liliana Bakhtiari made the unusual move to address the speakers despite President Doug Shipman’s protests that she was not named by any speakers.
“I have every right to comment on this because … I don’t appreciate the fact that I’ve been silenced on this within this body,” Bakhtiari said.
Bakhtiari said that as a queer, Iranian Muslim with a Muslim partner and Palestinian family members, they have been “steeped in this conflict since the day I was born.”
“Just because you do not see me performing up here does not mean that I am not out in the streets doing this work every single day because my loved ones lives depend on it,” they said. “I stand with Palestine I stand with the people who are getting massacred in Gaza.”
Councilmember Michael Julian Bond introduced the ceasefire resolution for an immediate vote by the council after the regular meeting was over. Immediate consideration legislation means it bypasses committee consideration. Co-sponsors were Bakhtiari and Councilmember Keisha Waites.
Councilmember Alex Wan said the resolution takes on an “obviously very complex issue and topic.” He made a motion for it to be referred to the finance committee for “more robust dialogue.” His motion died because no one seconded it.
The final vote was 12-0. Councilmembers Mary Norwood, Dustin Hillis and Antonio Lewis were away for the vote.
The text of the resolution:
A resolution to express Atlanta City Council support for The Carter Center’s call for cease-fire in Israel and Gaza, to support the establishment of humanitarian corridors, and the reinstatement of essential services; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, the Carter Center, a world-renowned non-profit organization founded by Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, works to improve the lives of people around the world through peacebuilding, democracy promotion, human rights protection, disease prevention, and mental health care; and
WHEREAS, the Carter Center has urgently called for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas conflict, the establishment of humanitarian corridors, and reinstatement of essential services; and
WHEREAS, the Atlanta City Council also recognizes the urgency of the Israel-Hamas conflict and the need for immediate action; and
WHEREAS, the Atlanta City Council also acknowledges the principles of proportionality and international law in self-defense; and
WHEREAS, the Atlanta City Council also expresses concern over the ongoing violence and its potential for further escalation; and
WHEREAS, the Atlanta City Council also emphasizes the importance of a cease-fire, humanitarian corridors, and essential services for Gaza; and
WHEREAS, the Atlanta City Council also highlights the tragic loss of innocent lives and the acute humanitarian crisis unfolding; and
WHEREAS, the Atlanta City Council also condemns antisemitism, Islamophobia, and anti-Palestinian sentiments; and
WHEREAS, the Atlanta City Council also stresses that collective punishment and violence against civilians are contrary to international law; and
WHEREAS, the Atlanta City Council also affirms that there is no military solution, and only a political one can lead to peace based on common humanity and human rights.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA, that the Atlanta City Council stands in solidarity with the Carter Center’s earnest plea for an immediate cease-fire, encompassing all parties involved in the ongoing and escalating Israel-Hamas conflict within Gaza.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Atlanta City Council supports the urgent appeal for the establishment of humanitarian corridors to ensure the unimpeded delivery of much-needed aid and the reinstatement of essential services to the beleaguered region.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Atlanta City Council passionately urges the swift and secure return of all hostages, emphasizing the critical importance of safeguarding their well-being.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that in unflinching alignment with our commitment to the principles of international law, the Atlanta City Council earnestly calls on both sides to conscientiously abide by these norms, in order to promote a just and lawful resolution to the conflict.
Atlanta has joined cities like Detroit and Akron, Ohio, in passing ceasefire resolutions.
The Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Georgia), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, praised the council’s ceasefire resolution.
“On Oct. 31, the Carter Center issued a call to ceasefire in Israel and Gaza,” said CAIR-Georgia Executive Director Azka Mahmood in a news release.
“An excerpt from the statement reads, ‘This weekend, Israeli forces moved into Gaza and intensified their devastating attacks. Israel, like all nations, has a right to defend itself; it also has the obligation of proportionality under international law. Violence will only beget more violence,'” Mahmood said.
“We welcome Atlanta City Council’s endorsement of the Carter Center’s call for an immediate ceasefire” Mahmood said. “We believe that all people of conscience feel the pain of the man-made humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza and want the violence to stop immediately.”
The Israeli consulate in Atlanta said in lengthy written statement on Wednesday evening that the council’s resolution was “both morally reprehensible and steeped in glaring misinformation.”
“The shameful resolution neglects to mention one key word: Terror,” said Anat Sultan-Dadon, Consul General of Israel to the Southeastern United States.
“As if terror has nothing to do with the current war that the Hamas terror organization started on Oct. 7, in its’ murderous attack during which thousands of Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israeli towns and communities in Southern Israel, slaughtering, torturing, raping, mutilating, dismembering, beheading and murdering everyone and anyone that they could,” Sultan-Dadon said. “From babies to the elderly. Even unborn babies were not spared Hamas’ monstrous crimes.”
Statement from Sultan-Dadon:
Our first responders had to agonize over the horror scenes that will forever be etched in their memories, including the unimaginable dilemma- does one need one or two body bags for the mother and baby who had been hacked out of her belly, both brutally stabbed and murdered while the baby remained attached by umbilical cord to the mother.
1400 monstrous murders of Israelis, murdered simply for being Israeli. For being Jewish. Hamas not only committed atrocious war crimes and crimes against humanity, it took pride and joy in them, documenting their acts and uploading them to social media. Hamas leadership states publicly and clearly that they will commit October 7th again and again and again.
The Atlanta City Council resolution states only a “political” solution can bring an end to this conflict. Allow me to clarify. The Hamas charter calls for the destruction of the State of Israel and the Jewish people. Hamas’ goal is not political, it is genocidal. Stated loud and clear.
When the Atlanta City Council states that “there is no military solution, and that only a political one can lead to peace based on common humanity and human rights”, I wonder what political solution they have in mind, when the governing ruler of the Gaza strip is Hamas, a designated terror organization, dedicated to the destruction of the state of Israel and the Jewish people.
Israel is doing what any country would do in the face of terror- we are fighting to defend our country and citizens, to ensure that contrary to Hamas’ declared intentions, we will never again see such atrocities committed against our people. The resolution calls for a ceasefire. I ask. Did the Atlanta city council call for a ceasefire when the free world was fighting terror organizations such as Al Qaeda and ISIS?
The resolution’s call for the establishment of humanitarian corridors ignores the fact that these have been established by the IDF, to allow for the safe passage of Palestinian civilians from the Northern Gaza strip to the South, and that ironically it is the IDF who has to protect these civilians from Hamas’ fire, as Hamas actively seeks to keep its own civilians in harm’s way.
Hamas abuses its own citizens and uses its own people as human shields. For Israeli civilians- there are no humanitarian corridors to protect them from the incessant firing of rockets from Gaza into Israel, indiscriminately targeting civilian populations. Hamas continues to commit a double war crime, intentionally firing rockets and targeting Israeli civilians, while doing so from within their own communities, using civilian infrastructures including hospitals and schools for their terror activities. There is no mention of this in the resolution.
Also missing in the resolution is 21,470 tons of aid that have entered the Gaza strip from the beginning of the war. Israel has been enabling the transfer of humanitarian aid to the civilian population in Gaza on a daily basis, despite indications that Hamas is stealing some of this aid. Dozens of humanitarian aid trucks are entering Gaza on a daily basis, including water, food, medical supplies and even fuel, while Hamas is sitting on stockpiles of fuel that it reserves for its terror activities rather than for the civilian population needs.
Astonishingly, the resolution ends with stating that the Atlanta City Council calls on both sides to abide by the principles of international law, in order to promote a just and lawful resolution to the conflict. Israel always has and always will act in full accordance with international law. We are proud to uphold the highest moral standards, not just because of international law, but because these are our values. Israelis are committed to the sanctity of life and humanity.
Israel even provided medical care for Hamas terrorists, who were arrested after participating in the bloody killing spree against our people on October 7th. Because it is our morals that dictate our actions, not the inhumanity that these monsters demonstrated.
The Atlanta City Council members, in what is at best willful ignorance, are calling on a recognized terror organization to abide by the principles of international law? Hamas’ whole existence, goals and activities stand in stark opposition to international law. If the city council members have any genuine concern for the Palestinian people, they should be unequivocally supporting Israel’s law abiding efforts to destroy Hamas and its terror capabilities. Freeing Gaza from Hamas is not only an Israeli interest, it is the interest of all who value life and freedom.
Make no mistake. This is not a war between Israel and the Palestinian people. The only two sides to this war are the side of terror and the evil which seeks death and destruction, and the side that is fighting terror and evil, for humanity, life and freedom. The Atlanta City Council has sadly chosen to stand on the wrong side of history.
This story has been updated with a response from the Israeli consulate.
