Draft Resolution

Note that this is a DRAFT resolution and is subject to change. While it is written for Howard County, it can easily be modified and used for other jurisdictions.

WHEREAS, Howard County rejects Islamophobia, Antisemitism,  and other form of discrimination and calls on elected officials and residents alike to protect life and stand united against violence; and 

WHEREAS, there have been attempts to silence public school teachers, students, professors, journalists, and others humanitarian organizations speaking truth to power by labeling criticisms of Israel’s war crimes as Antisemitic, which in and of itself is a form of Antisemitism; and 

WHEREAS, the chilling effect from equating the criticism of Israel’s violent actions with Antisemitism contributes to the lack of government action in calling for a ceasefire; and

WHEREAS, Howard County is a sanctuary county for the safety, dignity, freedom, and equality of all people, regardless of religion, race, or nationality; and 

WHEREAS, over one thousand people in Israel and more than twenty thousand Palestinians in Gaza have been killed in a matter of weeks, of whom over nearly half are children, in what is being called as a “War on Children”; and 

WHEREAS, Gaza is in a dire humanitarian crisis that is getting worse with each passing day, with the only remaining hospitals running out of fuel and medical supplies, and over 2 million Palestinians facing displacement, homelessness, and starvation; 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, sixty one percent of American voters support a ceasefire, according to an December 5th, 2023 Data For Progress poll , and want to see the U.S. leverage its diplomatic relationships “to prevent further violence and civilian deaths"; and 

WHEREAS, Howard County recognizes that the current crisis takes place within a long history and affirms that, for a pathway to lasting peace and justice to be developed, the root causes of the crisis need to be addressed; and  

WHEREAS, Amnesty International, Humans Rights Watch, B’Tselem, and the Government of South Africa have officially recognized Israel as an Apartheid State and that the illegal, violent occupation of Palestinian land is part of this long history of violence; and

WHEREAS, the apartheid state of South Africa ended due to a worldwide effort to Boycott, Divest, and Sanction (BDS) the violent apartheid government; and

WHEREAS, according to bdsmovement.net, a Palestinian-led movement for freedom, justice and equality, BDS is a vibrant global movement made up of unions, academic associations, churches and grassroots movements across the world launched in 2005 to challenge international support for Israeli apartheid and settler-colonialism; and

WHEREAS, ending U.S. taxpayer funding of Israel’s military is critical in order for there to be a lasting peace in the Middle East; now, therefore, be it 

RESOLVED that Howard County supports U.S. Congress Resolution H.R.786 and joins other counties and cities in calling on our Congressional Members to demand: an immediate ceasefire; release of all hostages, the unrestricted entry of humanitarian assistance into Gaza; the restoration of food, water, electricity, and medical supplies to Gaza; and the respect for international law; and calls for a resolution that protects the security of all innocent civilians; and be it 

FURTHER RESOLVED that Howard County reaffirms each citizen’s rights to free speech and the right to lodge legitimate criticisms of the policy of any government including the State of Israel, and that this right to free speech includes the right to Boycott, Divest, and Sanction the the State of Israel; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that Howard County joins the various humanitarian organizations in officially recognizing Israel as an Apartheid State; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Maryland General Assembly, Governor Wes Moore, Lt. Governor Aruna Miller, Maryland’s Representatives to the U.S. Congress, Senator Ben Cardin, Senator Chris Van Hollen, U.S. President Joe Biden, and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, urging them to take immediate action to use their position and influence to end violence.