Dear Longmont City Council,

I urge the Longmont City Council to pass a resolution that calls for the unobstructed flow of and access to humanitarian aid and an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

Since October 7th, over 32,975 Palestinians in Gaza, including 14,500 children and 9,560 women, have been killed and over 75,577 Palestinians have been injured, with at least 7,000 people still trapped under rubble, 10,022 children left without fathers, and 8,352 children left without mothers. Additionally, the destruction of over 70% of civilian infrastructure in Gaza has left over 1,930,000 Palestinians internally displaced, leaving them at critical risk from starvation, malnutrition, lack of clean drinking water, diseases, infections, exposure to the elements, and lack of medical care, in addition to continued attacks from the Israeli military. More recently, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached catastrophic levels, with mass famine leading to children dying of starvation. On February 29th, the Israeli army opened fire into a crowd of Palestinians attempting to retrieve humanitarian aid in what is now widely known as the “flour massacre,” in which 118 Palestinian civilians were killed and at least 750 were wounded. This rapidly devolving humanitarian crisis urgently necessitates bold action at every level.

The genocide in Gaza continues to deeply and directly affect our Longmont community members, many of whom have family and friends who live in the region, and many who have lost loved ones there and want the importance of their tragic and wrongful deaths to be acknowledged. Our Muslim and Arab neighbors are experiencing increased levels of discrimination, intimidation, and Islamophobia that continue to go unacknowledged. Longmont residents of all backgrounds are bearing witness to the ongoing genocide through the news and social media, and thus far, I feel ignored and silenced by my elected representatives. You, as our most direct elected officials, have the opportunity to actively work towards creating a safe environment for all and to champion the most precious values of peace and understanding.

The enormous and unconditional military aid provided to Israel by the United States every year ultimately deprives Americans of money for their own urgent local needs, with Longmont residents’ federal taxes contributing $1,435,537 to Israel's weapons, which could instead fund, for example, 170 households with public housing for a year, 499 children receiving free or low-cost healthcare, 15 elementary school teachers, 4,086 households with solar electricity produced for a year, or cancel loan debt for 37 students. I do not want my tax dollars to be used in violation of international law or to commit human rights violations when we have so many urgent funding needs here at home.

The Federal government holds immense diplomatic power to save Palestinian and Israeli lives, and local governments play an important role in our democracy to urge needed legislative and policy changes at all levels. Please join the 100 cities in the U.S., including Glenwood Springs, Oakland, San Francisco, Seattle, Detroit, and Atlanta, among others, which have passed resolutions calling for a lasting ceasefire.

Change starts at the local level and we have the responsibility to raise our voices locally to get the attention of our state representatives and Congress at large. I want to live in a city where all people feel safe, and a city that values human rights, dignity and the life of all people. For the reasons outlined above, I urge the Longmont City Council to pass a resolution or proclamation in support of an immediate and permanent ceasefire.

Signed,