KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — When Knoxville City Council members meet on Nov. 28, they will discuss and vote on a largely symbolic resolution expressing support for the people of Palestine after tens of thousands were killed in the Israel-Hamas war.
Councilmember Amelia Parker proposed it. It comes after activists dressed in black during a Nov. 14 meeting and distributed photos of people killed in the war. That group, named "Palestine Action and Liberation," also called for city council to pass a resolution supporting a ceasefire and to issue a statement vowing to refuse any contracts or training with Israel.
The group planned to return to the city council on Nov. 28 for a similar "Pack Knoxville City Council for Palestine" event.
The resolution specifically calls on federal leaders to de-escalate the conflict and urge for a ceasefire. It also expresses "the Council of the City of Knoxville's support and solidarity with the people of Palestine facing genocidal levels of violence at the hands of the state of Israel."
"The state of Israel is engaging in collective punishment against the Palestinian people in Gaza in response to Hamas attacks on Israel," the resolution says.
The advocacy group specifically said council members Amelia Parker and Seema Singh spoke in support of Palestine in the past.
"The Council of the City of Knoxville takes seriously that the entreaty 'Never Again' in memory of the Holocaust means preventing apartheid and ethnic cleansing everywhere, regardless of religion, ethnicity, race, or creed," the resolution would also affirm. "The Council of the City of Knoxville calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and the safe passage of substantial humanitarian aid to Gaza."
It would also endorse a resolution introduced by federal representatives that similarly calls for a ceasefire and de-escalation of the Israel-Hamas war. It's named the "Ceasefire Now Resolution."
It is not common for city council leaders to pass resolutions on international conflicts or national issues. In September 2022, the Knoxville City Council approved a resolution urging state lawmakers to decriminalize abortion treatments. That resolution was requested by most council members.
The last time the city council passed a resolution weighing in on an international conflict was in 2003, following the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Before then, it passed a resolution in 2001 following the 9/11 attacks.
Parker was the only council member who formally requested the resolution supporting Palestine.
In March 2023, Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon traveled to Jerusalem as part of a program that brought a delegation of U.S. leaders to Israel named "Project Interchange." The American Jewish Committee previously said in a press release that the program is meant to give U.S. mayors a first-hand understanding of Israel's government and technologies.
As part of the program, the delegation of mayors was also brought to Ramallah, a Palestinian city in The West Bank. They also visited Tel Aviv and the border with Lebanon and Gaza.
Months after Kincannon's visit, war broke out in the region.
Background on the Israel-Hamas war
Hamas, a militant group elected to power in Gaza during the mid-2000s, launched an attack against Israel around the anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, on Oct. 7. It was a death toll unseen since the 1973 war with Egypt and Syria — killing around 1,400, according to Israeli sources.
The United Nations said in 2019 more than half of all people in Gaza were under 18 years old, indicating they were not able to vote for Hamas.
The following day, Oct. 8, Israel declared war against Hamas and began bombarding Gaza. The defense minister promised a ground invasion as water, electricity and food access was caught off for the area and a million people were ordered to evacuate by Israel.
Since then, the UN said more than 11,000 Palestinians have been killed and around 68% of them were women and children. Around 27,400 were wounded, according to the UN. The UN also said moving people wounded in the bombardment would require critical support, making evacuation "very difficult."
Over the past month, the UN said 135 attacks on health facilities were recorded in Gaza — "the highest number recorded in such a short amount of time." In that time, the UN reported around 1,200 Israeli fatalities — mostly from the Oct. 7 attack. The UN also noted that the estimate of fatalities in the war had been changed by Israeli sources. They also said the Gazan "humanitarian crisis" displaced around 1.6 million people or around 70% of Gaza.
According to the UN, council members will vote on the resolution a day before the "International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People," also known as Solidarity Day. It coincides with the day the UN adopted a partition resolution in 1947, leading to decades of conflict.
"The International Day of Solidarity provides an opportunity for the international community to refocus its attention on the fact that the question of Palestine remains unresolved and that the Palestinian people are yet to attain their inalienable rights as defined by the General Assembly, namely, the right to self-determination, the right to national independence and sovereignty and the right of return of the refugees," the UN said.
According to the UN, Palestine's history and the history of war between Israel and several Arab nations stretches back decades into the 1940s, when the General Assembly called to divide Palestine into a "Jewish State" and an "Arab State."
The UN also said a period of time known as the Nakba, meaning "catastrophe" in Arabic, refers to when Palestinians were displaced as part of the division. Since then, hostilities have repeatedly flared in the region.
Statements from stakeholders
The suffering of millions of Palestinians and so many children is on my heart this month as we prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday, including the suffering that has reached many of my constituents here in Knoxville. Last week, dozens of Knoxville and area residents came to city council to share with us how the atrocities in Gaza have personally impacted them here. We heard horrific stories of family members, day-old children, and beloved 90-year-old relatives being lost to the genocidal violence taking place currently in Gaza. We heard of some in our community who have lost more than 40 family members in the last month. The level of violence taking place is beyond what many of us are capable of imagining.
As a human rights advocate, I have pledged to always speak up in the face of genocide. Never again is never again for everyone and anyone. What we are witnessing in Gaza is a form of collective punishment which is a war crime prohibited by treaty. On Oct. 7, Hamas, a militant group that has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007, launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing Israeli civilians indiscriminately, and taking over 200 hostages. It is estimated that around 1200 people, including 28 children, were killed as a result of the Hamas attack. In response, Israel launched an aerial bombardment of Gaza that has killed at least 13,000 Palestinian civilians, with around 5,500 of that number being children.
I support the call for an immediate ceasefire. It is the least that we can do as an international community and I am horrified that leaders in our country are unwilling to support such calls.
At the next city council meeting on Nov 28, I will introduce a resolution calling for a ceasefire and I welcome all residents in Knoxville to join me in this important call for peace.
Respect for international law and an end to collective punishment must happen now. We, the international community, must not turn a blind eye to how our tax dollars are being used or encourage the genocide of a people. Instead we must always work towards a just and lasting peace wherever conflict arises and remain steadfast in our commitment to never let genocide happen again.
Bryan Goldberg - President of the Knoxville Jewish Alliance
I am deeply saddened to share a resolution being brought in front of City Council this upcoming Tuesday, November 28. I believe this resolution is a result of the public commentary from the City Council meeting on November 14. I am attaching a link for those who wish to see the tone and tenor of those comments. It is important for the Council members to hear from our community on this issue.
Most importantly, Knoxville City Government should not wade into geopolitical issues. This resolution is an attempt to do just that.
By bringing this resolution, the only result is to create division and animosity between two distinct communities within our great city. I urge those who feel compelled to stand up in opposition to this resolution to:
- Attend the City Council Meeting on November 28 at 6:00PM
- Reach out to any and all city Council Members and urge them not to support Resolution L
- Call Will Johnson, City Recorder, at 865-215-2075 or email wjohnson@knoxvilletn.gov urge them to request to speak publicly against Resolution L at the November 28th meeting
Lastly, I call upon our community to act with respect and compassion both in your public comments and actions during the upcoming meeting. We should strive to represent the Jewish community in the best possible light in the face of what will be hurtful and potentially hateful speech against Israel and the Jewish people.