The Salt Lake City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a symbolic resolution calling for peace as the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza continues to claim lives and cause suffering.
The resolution, which was co-sponsored by all nine council members and Mayor Erin Mendenhall, expressed “a deep concern for the terrible loss of life and calls for peace at home and abroad.”
The resolution also condemned “the rise in antisemitism and islamophobia” and advocated for increased hate-crime legislation to protect Muslim, Jewish, Christian and other religious and ethnic communities.
The resolution stated that the council and the mayor “recognize the right of Israel to exist and defend itself from attacks, and support a two-state solution that respects the rights and dignity of both Israelis and Palestinians.”
The resolution also stated that the council and the mayor “condemn the indiscriminate rocket attacks by Hamas and other militant groups on Israeli civilians, and the disproportionate and excessive use of force by the Israeli military on Palestinian civilians.”
An End to Violence
The resolution also stated that the council and the mayor “urge the United States government and the international community to use their diplomatic and humanitarian influence to bring an end to the violence and to support a lasting and just peace in the region.”
The resolution also stated that the council and the mayor “stand in solidarity with the people of Salt Lake City who have family, friends, and loved ones in Israel and Palestine, and who are deeply affected by the conflict.”
The resolution also stated that the council and the mayor “encourage the residents of Salt Lake City to engage in respectful and constructive dialogue and education on the complex and sensitive issues related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and to refrain from violence, hatred, and bigotry.”
The resolution was passed after a public hearing, in which several speakers expressed their views and opinions on the war and the resolution. Some speakers supported the resolution, saying that it was a balanced and compassionate statement that reflected the values and diversity of Salt Lake City. Others opposed the resolution, saying that it was biased and unfair, and that it did not adequately address the root causes and the history of the conflict.
The council members and the mayor thanked the speakers for their input, and said that they hoped that the resolution would send a message of peace and hope to the people of Salt Lake City, Israel, Palestine, and the world.
The resolution comes as the war in Gaza, which began on October 7, has killed more than 29,000 Palestinians, and injured tens of thousands more, according to the latest figures from the United Nations and the Israeli army. The war has also displaced hundreds of thousands of people, and caused widespread damage and destruction to homes, schools, hospitals, and infrastructure.
The war has also sparked protests and rallies across the world, including in Salt Lake City, where hundreds of people have gathered to express their support for either side of the conflict, and to call for an end to the bloodshed and the suffering.
The war has also increased the tensions and the divisions among the different communities and groups in Salt Lake City, which is home to more than 20,000 Jews and more than 10,000 Muslims, as well as Christians and other faiths and backgrounds.
The council and the mayor said that they hoped that the resolution would help to foster a culture of peace and understanding in Salt Lake City, and to promote the values of tolerance, respect, and human rights that the city is known for.
