The Santa Ana City Council is set to consider a resolution about the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The text of the resolution includes mix of perfectly reasonable declarations (“the City of Santa Ana vows to combat anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, racism and bigotry in all its forms”) with more loaded ones (“the City of Santa Ana calls for an end to Israeli apartheid and the occupation and blockade of Palestinian land by Israeli military forces”).
The resolution accuses Israel of war crimes, but notably pulls its punches on Hamas’ terrorist actions, which in addition to the deliberate slaughter of innocent people included reports of rape and sexual violence.
That’s because the motivations of the council members who proposed the resolution, Benjamin Vazquez and Johnathan Hernandez, are explicitly in favor of “liberation” in Gaza, an obvious dog-whistle.
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“As public servants, champions of public policy, we stand in solidarity with our Palestinian community here and abroad, and join the struggle of liberation for the people in Gaza,” reads the city’s staff report accompanying the resolution.
The bias against Israel and soft-approach toward a vicious terrorist organization like Hamas which has long abused the people of Gaza reminds us of the recent debacle at the Oakland City Council.
Last week, the Oakland City Council considered and approved a similar resolution. One councilman proposed inserting language explicitly condemning Hamas, only to be met a parade of anti-Semites blaming the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel.
“I support the right of Palestinians to resist occupation, including through Hamas, the armed wing of the unified Palestinian resistance,” said one speaker. “The notion that this was a massacre of Jews is a fabricated narrative,” said another.
The Oakland City Council chose to side with the Hamas apologists and refused to explicitly condemn Hamas, drawing nationwide rebuke, including from Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The Santa Ana City Council, unfortunately, is choosing to waste time, energy and credibility on a similar resolution.
There’s no reason the Santa Ana City Council should be spending time entertaining the far-left objectives of some city council members.
The City Council Ana should be focused on the basics of governing the city, and nothing else.
