Jul 4, 2024
resolution to be adopted
Whereas, Arkansas is home to a diverse population with varying backgrounds, national origins, and religions;
Whereas, Arab Americans live in 37 of 75 counties in Arkansas;
Whereas, many Arab Arkansans still have family in their home countries in the Middle East;
Whereas, the recent hostilities in Gaza have created tragic consequences, leading to the loss of innocent civilian lives, extensive destruction, and suffering among both Israelis and Palestinians;
Whereas, around 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians, were killed on October 7, 2023, and 240 Israeli civilians were taken hostage;
Whereas, Israel currently has over 10,000 Palestinians held captive in its prisons;
Whereas, the Israel Offensive Forces (IOF) routinely force male Palestinian civilians to strip down to underwear, and mistakenly killed three shirtless Israeli hostages December 16th, 2023;
Whereas, as of May 31st, 2024, 39 health facilities and over 399 schools have been damaged or destroyed, over 36,000 people have been killed, 70% being women and children, and 107 journalists, and over 82,000 people have been wounded; energy, communications, and utilities have been halted; and the Gaza strip has become uninhabitable;
Whereas, it is illegal under international humanitarian law to collectively punish civilian populations in areas where resistance groups carry out operations;
Whereas, Arab Arkansans have lost family members in the siege on Palestine since October 7, 2023;
Whereas, Islamophobia and antisemitism is on the rise, with the Council on American-Islamic Relations reporting 2,171 anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian complaints received between October 7, 2023 and December 2, 2023 and the Anti-Defamation League reporting 2,071 antisemitic incidents between October 7, 2023 and December 7, 2023;
Whereas, Democrats have the responsibility of being inclusive and standing up for human rights;
Whereas, the Democratic Party of Arkansas’s platform states that we support rights protected for everyone and systems that work for all of us;
Whereas, Arab and Muslim Arkansans continue to be underrepresented in Arkansas;
Whereas, the International Labour Organization (ILO) released a statement on October 27, 2023, expressing the ILO Director-General’s “support for the UN Secretary-General’s call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the release of the hostages”;
Whereas, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a statement on October 28, 2023, stating “WHO reiterates its calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, and reminds all parties to the conflict to take all precautions to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure”;
Whereas, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), in a briefing on October 31, 2023, with the Security Council, stated “A humanitarian ceasefire, coupled of course with substantive delivery of humanitarian aid inside Gaza, can at least stop this spiral of death, and I hope that you will overcome your divisions and exercise your authority in demanding one. The world is waiting for you to do so”;
Whereas, the World Food Programme (WFP) released a statement on November 5, 2023, stating “We need an immediate humanitarian ceasefire” and on May 29, 2024, WFP called again for an “urgent ceasefire”;
Whereas, the United Nations General Assembly voted by a large majority for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire on December 12, 2023;
Whereas, President Biden encouraged a humanitarian pause in the conflict, resulting in the release of some Israeli and international hostages, some Palestinian prisoners and the resumption of humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza;
Whereas, Under massive pressure of international and domestic protest, the Biden Administration has pivoted in policy and did propose a ceasefire agreement that was ignored by Israel;
Whereas, a panel of International Criminal Court judges are considering arrest warrants to be issued for Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar on the charges of “extermination, murder, taking of hostages, rape, and sexual assault in detention” and Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant on the charges of “causing extermination, causing starvation as a method of war, including the denial of humanitarian relief supplies, and deliberately targeting civilians in conflict”;
Resolved that the Arkansas Progressive Democrats Caucus:
mourns the loss of innocent life;
calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire;
calls for the immediate release of all hostages;
calls for the immediate release of Palestinian prisoners;
affirms the need for international cooperation to bring about peace in the area;
recognizes Palestinians’ need for self-determination without a state of their own;
calls on Arkansas Democrats to recognize the humanity of both Palestinians and Israelis when commenting on the crisis and condemns the rhetoric that leads to antisemitic or Islamophobic violence here and overseas;
calls on the Arkansas congressional delegation to advocate for a comprehensive and peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that respects the rights and aspirations of all parties.
This resolution has been presented to each county party body, voted on, and approved in collaboration with the Arkansas Progressive Democrats Caucus as follows:
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Ryan Carter, Clay County chair Date approved by body
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Judy Gibson, Greene County chair Date approved by body
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Mike Ford, Crittenden County chair Date approved by body
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Bailey Morgan, Saline County chair Date approved by body
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Asad Khan, Craighead County chair Date approved by body
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Kenneth Grand III, APDC co-chair Date approved by body
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Chenoa Summers, APDC co-chair Date approved by body