California City the first in the US to condemn Israel accusing it of 'ethnic cleansing'

nypost.com...

A California city has become the first in the US to pass a resolution condemning Israel — accusing the Jewish nation of committing “ethnic cleansing and collective punishment.”

The resolution passed by the Richmond City Council around 1 a.m. Wednesday states, in part, that Palestinians in Gaza “are currently facing a campaign of ethnic cleansing and collective punishment by the state of Israel.”

That “is considered a war crime under international law,” the resolution states.

It also calls for an “immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the safe passage of substantial humanitarian aid to Gaza,” as well as an “end to Israeli apartheid and the occupation and blockade of Palestinian land by Israeli military forces.”

“The city of Richmond opposes all existing and future military aid to Israel,” it concludes, while attempting to express support for Jewish members of its community.

In agreement with this resolution by Richmond City and I can't see how anyone can justify the war crimes committed by the Israeli Armed Forces in response to the war crimes committed by Hamas on the 7th of October.

I very much agree, just like every sane person, and have argued in favour of ceasefire and peace and I condemn all the killings of thousands of innocent civilians on both sides. The State of Israel has killed so far thousands of innocent civilians, mostly women and children, and this is an act of revenge and not an act of self-defense as it has been propagandised in the media.

It's expectable, as we have witnessed in the last few days, that any criticism of the State of Israel and any support for peace and ceasefire have now been renamed as Hamas and terrorism support (even if you're Jewish)..... You can still be critical of both Hamas and the State of Israel and these two are not mutually exclusive.

As a result of these absurd claims where legitimate criticisms are now renamed as 'hate speech' and 'extremism' the Mayor of Richmond has been accused of being a Nazi (expectable) and the resolution as antisemitic (expectable).

To add on this, in one of other threads a Jewish Professor/Academic who has been very critical of the Israeli Government has also been accused of supporting terrorism and Hamas. The usual false equivalency argument...

The Council members overwhelmingly voted for the resolution with only one vote against it. The Mayor and Vice Mayor said they had to do something given the news in relation to the conflict and the Mayor rejected the claims that speaking against the State of Israel is antisemitic. He added that all taxpayers have the moral obligation to speak against the collective punishment of the people of Gaza given that tax money go directly to support Israeli's Military.

a reply to: Leviathan4

Hardly surprising from a bunch of irrelevant lefties?

A very serious development.
I hope more and more cities do exactly the same and condemn all war crimes and mass killings of civilians from wherever they may come.

originally posted by: Oldcarpy2
a reply to: Leviathan4

Hardly surprising from a bunch of irrelevant lefties?

I don't know whether they're left or right. But the overwhelming majority voted for this resolution. Political leanings are irrelevant in this matter.

a reply to: Oldcarpy2
Lol, it's a small city of 100,000 people, with a tiny council elected...

The Richmond city government operates under a council-manager system with seven members (including mayor and vice mayor) elected to alternating four-year terms.[95] Politically, the city is a Democratic stronghold. By the early 1990s, not a single Republican remained on the council. The city council has four African Americans, four whites and two Latinos.

You are right, hardly surprising, and hardly even newsworthy lol

...welcome back in your old account fella!👍

a reply to: AdultMaleHumanUK

Unless it happens to support your confirmation bia

originally posted by: AdultMaleHumanUK
a reply to: Oldcarpy2
Lol, it's a small city of 100,000 people, with a tiny council elected...

The Richmond city government operates under a council-manager system with seven members (including mayor and vice mayor) elected to alternating four-year terms.[95] Politically, the city is a Democratic stronghold. By the early 1990s, not a single Republican remained on the council. The city council has four African Americans, four whites and two Latinos.

You are right, hardly surprising, and hardly even newsworthy lol

...welcome back in your old account fella!👍

I don't see why a City with 115,639 (2021) citizens is not newsworthy. The resolution passed is certainly newsworthy.

originally posted by: Oldcarpy2
a reply to: AdultMaleHumanUK

Unless it happens to support your confirmation bia

There is no confirmation bias when there are millions around the world who support ceasefire and peace. It's hardly a claim that someone is biased because they're supporting ceasefire and peace.

Take a look at your country

new.thecradle.co...

76 percent of UK citizens want ceasefire in Gaza: Poll

The poll had 2,685 respondents, 58 percent of whom said they are in support of an immediate ceasefire

a reply to: Leviathan4

Did all those citizens vote for this?

No.

Just a few Council members.

Irrelevant.

A terrible argument.

a reply to: Leviathan4

Sorry, I just don't see the importance of the announcement.
The entire registered number of voters in the city is only 50,000 people, so really, it deserves front page in a local newsletter...but to the other 300+ million of people in the US, we're talking irrelevant news lol

a reply to: Leviathan4

76 per cent of UK citizens?!!!!

No.

58 per cent of 2,685 respondents.

Honestly, just stop it.

It's embarrassing.

a reply to: Leviathan4

How many were polled and how many could be bothered to respond?

originally posted by: Oldcarpy2
a reply to: Leviathan4

Did all those citizens vote for this?

No.

Just a few Council members.

Irrelevant.

A terrible argument.

They had a debate that lasted for several hours but there was no 'referendum'. But doesn't the council members represent their communities? A vote on this matter wouldn't be a bad idea and likely to reveal the same results.

Speaking of votes and countries

news.un.org...

UN General Assembly adopts Gaza resolution calling for immediate and sustained ‘humanitarian truce’

....by a large majority of Member States, with 120 votes in favour, 14 against and 45 abstentions.

120 countries in favour.
14 against
45 abstentions

a reply to: Leviathan4

The UN?

Seriously?

An irrelevance for decades.

originally posted by: Oldcarpy2
a reply to: Leviathan4

76 per cent of UK citizens?!!!!

No.

58 per cent of 2,685 respondents.

Honestly, just stop it.

It's embarrassing.

You need to read the article first

That's from the link and not from me

76 percent of UK citizens want ceasefire in Gaza: Poll

The poll had 2,685 respondents, 58 percent of whom said they are in support of an immediate ceasefire

It explains the poll straight away despite your attempts to claim it is misleading.

The next paragraph in the article is the following

When UK citizens were asked whether there should be an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, 58 percent of the poll respondents said that they "definitely should," while 18 percent said they "probably should." Eight percent of respondents objected to the notion of a ceasefire, with only 16 percent claiming that they were not sure.

58% said there definitely should be an immediate ceasefire and 18% there probably should an immediate ceasefire.

There is nothing embarrassing about this....

originally posted by: Oldcarpy2
a reply to: Leviathan4

The UN?

Seriously?

An irrelevance for decades.

Why?
According to you?
Very relevant I would say. The vast majority of the world wants ceasefire. 120 countries voted in favour. You can't debate much against it.

originally posted by: AdultMaleHumanUK
a reply to: Leviathan4

Sorry, I just don't see the importance of the announcement.
The entire registered number of voters in the city is only 50,000 people, so really, it deserves front page in a local newsletter...but to the other 300+ million of people in the US, we're talking irrelevant news lol

I don't see it.
It's definitely newsworthy. It's only irrelevant to those who want the conflict to continue....

originally posted by: Oldcarpy2

The UN?

Seriously?.

It's only page one and he's already off topic and on a rant. ON TOPIC - You were right when you said "Hardly surprising from a bunch of irrelevant lefties". This is from California, the same state that makes a month of LGBTQ training a requirement for kindergartners. The 10 people who passed this are obviously not the brightest bulbs on the Christmas tree. If Israel was 'ethnically cleansing' as these 10 people claim, then a whole lot more people than (supposedly) just a few thousand would be dead. IDIOTS.

originally posted by: FlyersFan

originally posted by: Oldcarpy2

The UN?

Seriously?.

It's only page one and he's already off topic and on a rant. ON TOPIC - You were right when you said "Hardly surprising from a bunch of irrelevant lefties". This is from California, the same state that makes a month of LGBTQ training a requirement for kindergartners. The 10 people who passed this are obviously not the brightest bulbs on the Christmas tree. If Israel was 'ethnically cleansing' as these 10 people claim, then a whole lot more people than (supposedly) just a few thousand would be dead. IDIOTS.

Political leanings are irrelevant in this matter. There are many people who are in favour of ceasefire from all parts of the ideological spectrum. And many others who believe Israel is committing war crimes.

originally posted by: Oldcarpy2
a reply to: Leviathan4

How many were polled and how many could be bothered to respond?

You probably forgot that your country, the UK, and I remember despite the fact I was a little kid at that time, was against the war in Iraq. It's very unlikely that it will be in favour of the war now. And the poll clearly shows it even if it's a small sample.