We, the undersigned, call upon the Village of Nyack to pass a resolution in support of a permanent ceasefire in Gaza as written below:

WHEREAS, the Village of Nyack is dedicated to fostering a community that
embraces diversity, values all life, and upholds the principles of equality and human rights; and

WHEREAS, the Village of Nyack condemns the recent rise of Antisemitic, Islamophobic, racist, homophobic, and xenophobic attacks in our city and across the nation, including the doxxing of elected officials, students, professors, journalists, and others speaking truth to power; and

WHEREAS, the Village of Nyack supports the dignity and safety of residents in every community regardless of what crimes any government may commit, and that peaceful diplomacy and mutual understanding is the only way to achieve these permanent goals; and

WHEREAS, all human life is precious, and the targeting of civilians, no matter their faith or ethnicity, or country of origin is a violation of International humanitarian law; and

WHEREAS, on October 7, 2023, 1,163 people living in Israel were killed, including at least 767 civilians, and about 250 were taken hostage by Hamas, of whom 136 remain in captivity in Gaza, according to Israeli authorities; and

WHEREAS, since October 7, 2023, Israel’s military actions have killed 27,585 people living in Gaza, the majority women and children; have orphaned 20,000 children; have displaced two million people, over 8,000 of whom are missing; have damaged or destroyed 360,000 homes (more than three times as many homes that exists in all of Rockland County) and all 35 hospitals, with only 13 remaining even partially functional, and with estimates of other casualties approaching 70,000 injured, over half a million starving and/or suffering from normally preventable and treatable illnesses and injuries due to lack of food, medicine, and potable water as of Feb 6th, 2024; and

WHEREAS, the International Court of Justice on January 26th, 2024, in response to charges by South Africa, ruled that it is plausible that Israel may be violating the Convention on Genocide, and ordered Israel to take immediate provisional measures to preserve evidence, to protect the Palestinian people from a potential ongoing genocide and to allow adequate humanitarian aid into Gaza; and on February 1, 2024, a U.S. federal judge concurred that “... as the ICJ has found, it is plausible that Israel’s conduct amounts to genocide,” and urged the Biden Administration “to examine the results of their unflagging support of the military siege against the Palestinians in Gaza”; and

WHEREAS, seventy cities have passed resolutions calling for a permanent ceasefire, including Albany and Newburgh, NY, San Francisco, CA, and Chicago, IL; and

WHEREAS, international organizations like Amnesty International, the United Nations, the World Health Organization, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the International Rescue Committee, and many others have made a call for a ceasefire in order to prevent the further loss of life of civilians and to be in accordance with international humanitarian law; and

WHEREAS, over two million lives are at imminent risk if a permanent cease-fire is not achieved and continuous humanitarian aid is not assured; and

WHEREAS, the United States Federal Government and Members of Congress hold immense diplomatic, military, and financial power to save Palestinian and Israeli lives, and seek a lasting peace, in our time and for all time; and

WHEREAS, all elected officials must use the platform provided by their offices to advocate for measures that will end violence and prevent death;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Village of Nyack:

Condemns the killing of civilians, collective punishment, and all forms of Islamophobia and antisemitism; and Urges the Biden administration to call for and facilitate a permanent ceasefire in Gaza; and Urges the Biden administration to send and facilitate the entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza; and Calls for the release of all hostages and political prisoners; and Urges elected officials representing the Village of Nyack to call for a permanent ceasefire, the entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and the release of all hostages; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that upon passage, a copy of this Resolution shall be sent to the office of U.S. President Joe Biden, the Office of U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, the office of U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, the office of U.S. Representative Mike Lawler, the Office of State Senator Bill Weber, and the Office of State Assemblyman Kenneth Paul Zebrowski.