Palestine Tet – 86 – Palestine Supporters Fill the Chambers of the Lakewood, Colorado City Council, calling for a ceasefire.

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I am aware of what I would call shallow, empty, cynical reasons the Biden Administration has given for not supporting a ceasefire. It needs to be kept in mind that through its close collaboration with the Netanyahu government in Israel, basically giving Israel a greenlight to pursue its genocide targeting and ethnic cleansing of Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians that the Biden Administration’s credibility in the Middle East and broader Global South has been shattered. Some within the Administration are admitting that it will take decades – if ever – for Washington to reestablish this lost trust.

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Chun’s Video on the meeting.

Spearheaded by the Colorado Palestine Coalition, the Colorado Palestine Club, Jewish Voice for Peace, If Not Now, and Alta Kockers for a Ceasefire (all two of us!!) hundreds of Colorado supporters of a ceasefire between Israel and Palestine swamped the Lakewood (Colorado) city council meeting last night (January 22, 2024).

I am increasinging impressed with what people can express, explain in the three minutes given to each person for public commentary. How many people of all ages, backgrounds political persuasion, many of them announcing that they were nervous as they had never spoken in public, came forth to condemn Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, to call for a ceasefire and for cutting U.S. military aid to Israel.

I would say I’d never seen anything quite like this show of sympathy, solidarity with the Palestinian plight but that would not be accurate as Palestine supporters, spearheaded by an energized and highly organized Colorado Palestinian Community have packed the house in Denver, Boulder, Aurora, Colorado before tonight, all with the same message: stop the genocide, ceasefire now. Among those present last night was a considerable contingent of Jews, some from Lakewood, others from the Denver metropolitan area.

In such meetings where the council members themselves are silent listening to public comments, it’s difficult to read their faces. Are they interested, concerned. Are they even listening or just diddling on their cell phone phones. One did exactly that. Although I cannot prove it, my sense was that the Council was in its vast majority riveted by both the size of the pro-ceasefire/end-the-genocide contingent and deeply moved. Tears rolled down the cheeks of one. That was certain. We’ll see if our presence produces a yes vote on a ceasefire resolution in the near future.

Israel had one lone (obvious) supporter, the angry Zionist. Positioning himself in the front of the room as near to the video cameras as possible. He tried to compensate for his isolation by holding up three signs written on both sides. He did speak towards the end of the public commentary session, getting in his three minutes of commentary.  Arguing that the Israeli Defense Force is not committing a genocide in Gaza he then accused all those who spoke before him of anti-semitism and stormed out of the room. Interestingly enough, this same person – I should have gotten his name but forgot to –  showed up at a sit in for a ceasefire at the Boulder office of U.S. Congressman Joe Neguse several weeks ago. He tried to provoke demonstrators there but failed. His comments last night in Lakewood were, rather embarrassing for his cause. But then it’s a hard sell to try to justify genocide.

I did speak, trying to make the most of my three minutes by explaining who a ceasefire is in the interest of the Biden Administration (that needs it desperately), the Palestinians and even the Israelis. I spend a good bit of time trying to compress what I want to say, but inevitably, as I did last night then go “off script”. So below are the prepared remarks, some of which I did cover.

Rob Prince’s Remarks before the Lakewood (Colorado) City Council. January 22, 2024.

My name is Rob Prince, a retired Senior Lecturer of International Studies at the University of Denver’s Korbel School of International Relations.

I agree with both the genocide and ethnic cleansing charges S. Africa has presented to the International Court of Justice against Israel.

I am here among you today to support those residents of Lakewood, requesting the City Council to pass a resolution calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that would end the fighting going on in Gaza.

A ceasefire would help create the conditions for ceasefires in the West Bank and between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon

I am aware of what I would call shallow, empty, cynical reasons the Biden Administration has given for not supporting a ceasefire. It needs to be kept in mind that through its close collaboration with the Netanyahu government in Israel, basically giving Israel a greenlight to pursue its genocide targeting and ethnic cleansing of Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians that the Biden Administration’s credibility in the Middle East and broader Global South has been shattered. Some within the Administration are admitting that it will take decades – if ever – for Washington to reestablish this lost trust.

I cannot emphasize how important a ceasefire would be to ending the violence.

I only want to mention a few ways that a ceasefire would help to reduce tensions.

• It could end the conflict from metastasizing into a regional conflict, one that will certainly draw the United States more directly into a military quagmire.

• It will end the unspeakable suffering the Palestinian people have endured since October 7.
Already some 1.8 million Palestinians in Gaza have been displaced; the dangers of
starvation and disease are intensifying with no end in site. The number of dead,
overwhelmingly civilians, continues to rise

• There is no way to effectively provide aid to Gaza while the Israel bombing and ground offensive continues. Proving Gaza with band ads and medicine does not help while at the same time Israel continues dropping American made 2000 pound bombs on Gaza schools, hospitals, population centers.

A ceasefire also benefits Israel.

• At least 170,000 Israelis have been removed from Israeli areas near Gaza and from Israel’s northern regions near Southern Lebanon. These people are internal refugees, the cost of maintaining them continues to add up.

• It is virtually impossible for any prisoner exchange between Israel and Palestine to take place without a ceasefire – won’t happen.

• All indications are that while Israel has not suffered the kind of horrific casualties that the Gaza Palestinians have, that since October 7, Israel is a nation suffering from severe trauma and an identity crisis.

• Some reports are already suggesting that it will take the United States 20 years or more to begin to regain the trust and support it has lost throughout the world for giving Israel a greenlight in Gaza.

Another reason for a ceasefire.

Thank you.