Evanston’s Equity and Empowerment Commission Thursday night will consider a proposed resolution advocating for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and the release of “all hostages held by Hamas, and all Palestinians extrajudicially detained by Israel.”
“The City of Evanston condemns Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and anti-Palestinian sentiments in all its forms” and “urges President Joe Biden and members of Congress to support H. Res. 786 calling for an immediate de-escalation and cease-fire in Israel and occupied Palestine,” the draft resolution says.
The document also contains 18 “whereas” clauses largely referring to Palestinian civilian deaths during the war and the Gaza Strip as “the world’s largest open-air prison.”
“The level of suffering being experienced daily by Palestinians in Gaza is inhumane
and does not align with our collective sense of a just and non-violent world,” it says. The statement calls for the safe return of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, but makes no explicit mention of the 1,400 people killed in Israel during the initial Hamas attack on Oct. 7.
Now, a group of residents opposed to the resolution and concerned about its language is circulating a letter to the Equity and Empowerment Commission and an attached petition titled “Evanstonians against the Equity and Empowerment Commission’s Divisive Resolution on the Israel-Hamas Conflict.” The group intends to submit the letter and signatures into the public record at Thursday night’s commission meeting.
The opening of that letter specifically calls out the commission’s mission statement contained in Evanston City Code, which describes the scope of the public body as promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in “systems within City services, programs, and policies.” Wading into a heated international debate, the letter argues, is not part of the commission’s job description.
‘It will create even more division’
“If Commission members defy the city’s municipal code and vote in favor of this resolution, it will be obvious that they are ignoring the body’s true mission in order to single out Israel and the Jewish community for attack and derision,” the letter states. “It will create even more division and stress among residents during this terrible time. That is the opposite of what Evanston needs right now and it is the opposite of what the Commission should be doing.”
The petition goes on to criticize the proposed cease-fire resolution for “repeatedly singling out Israel for condemnation while failing to denounce the unspeakable atrocities on October 7 or any other action by Hamas.”
In a Wednesday afternoon email to the RoundTable, Mayor Daniel Biss said he did not think the commission “should delve into international issues.” Commission Chair Darlene Cannon and Eighth Ward Council Member Devon Reid, another commission representative, did not respond to questions from the RoundTable about how the resolution came together and who exactly wrote it.
Petition supporters contacted by the RoundTable Wednesday declined to name who organized or helped write the letter, only saying that “it was a joint effort of many” in the community.
Resolution is ‘irresponsible’ – law professor
“I would not be more receptive to a more balanced resolution,” Steven Lubet, a law professor at Northwestern University, said in an email. “Although this resolution is especially irresponsible – it is biased, unnecessary, and inequitable – adjudicating the Israel-Hamas war is simply beyond the purview of the Equity and Empowerment Commission. There should be no such resolution at all.”
In a message to the commission and the mayor, Seventh Ward resident Aaron Cohen urged members to “call for peace and reconciliation and leave it at that.”
The commission will meet in person to discuss the resolution at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30, in room 2402 at the Morton Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave. Anyone interested in making a public comment can sign up to do so ahead of time by filling out this online form. You can also watch the meeting remotely over Zoom at this link.
Editor’s note: This story has updated to quote the resolution’s language concerning Hamas hostages and Israeli detainees.
One more voice opposed to ANY Equity Commission resolutions on international issues. Steve Lubet said it best: While this resolution is particularly biased and irresponsible, there should be no resolution at all.
Amazing that the Commission has chosen to address this and speak on behalf of the people of Evanston on terrorism same also this exceedingly complex issue. Clearly they’ve laid out all of that complexity, denounced the proxy of one of the world’s most repressive regimes for its intentional, barbaric acts, and clearly the world is waiting with baited breath for this august group’s resolution. Not.
‘I feel like most of the inequity that happens [regarding decisions and policies implemented by the city] is usually due to lack or transparency and also unfair standards … when I say unfair standards, I’d like there to be, in place, how decisions were made, and for that to be made explicit.’
Wait … that’s not from me, but a quote from an Equity and Empowerment Commissioner just two weeks ago. How WERE decisions made; who authored the proposed resolution? Or is transparency something that’s only good for the committee to demand of others but not of themselves?
I get the impression that some people in this Commission want to get public attention in the news media for virtue-signaling about this conflict. I agree that commenting on international issues isn’t within the mission of this Commission. What if there were no news coverage of this debate unless and until the Commission itself actually passed that resolution?
Meanwhile, we’re all free to contact our representatives in Washington to express our opinions about this issue. We can contact the President, and even share our opinions with representatives in other districts.
It really is perplexing why anyone in City government would want to produce a statement about an international incident. What is worse is that the committee doing so will only generate more hard feelings, more division and more reasons for citizens to dismiss each other, rather than come together.
So, it seems in this case the committee is acting directly against its own directive for existing. I would like to know why this is even being considered given the clear problem it creates. I admit, it feels little a bit like agitating, just for the sake of it, by those moving this idea forward but who are not a member of any group directly affected – or even represent a pluraity of those affected. It’s misguided and I think voters should know who is the major force behind it.
Perhaps a FOIA request will help shed light on it.
What a waste of time and city staff resources. There is a cease fire in effect at the moment so aside from the fact that this is way outside the purview of the commission, it is not even relevant to the situation.
This is such a divisive, non-mission crusade for the the Equity and Empowerment Commission. There are plenty of local groups that the individual commissioners could join that align with their viewpoint. They should be disbanded if they go thru with this.
It’s strange: one thing I’ve learned in Evanston is that when you’re doing positive reporting on equity-related stories people are very proud to announce who the authors are and virtue signal their politics. But the second there is a critical eye on the story, the authors vanish and it becomes a “joint effort of the community.” People seem willing to stand up for their beliefs so long as nobody is asking them questions.
This whole thing is stupid and outside the purview of a city committee, but if you’re the author of that document and you really believe in the cause, you should put your name on it and stand up for what you believe in.
Thanks to RT for addressing this. My public comment to the commission is this: To promulgate a resolution concerning one of the world’s most intractable conflicts is unhelpful, and potentially harmful to Evanston residents. The resolution itself makes abundantly clear that the Equity and Empowerment Commission is grossly unqualified to present the facts in a way that furthers a deep, nuanced understanding of this tragic situation.
It is neither the place of this body to weigh in on this, nor appropriate essentially to assign blame to one party in this tragic war (Israel) while ignoring the culpability, if not exonerating, the other party (Hamas).
We don’t need this Evanston-focused commission to explain who and what is to blame for this situation or to recount a biased litany. Indeed, I’m deeply troubled and offended by the distorted version of the politics and history of the Israel-Palestine conflict as expressed and reflected in the resolution.
Everyone is horrified and distressed at the loss of life and other harms in the Middle East and in so many conflict zones around the world. Call for peace and reconciliation and leave it at that. Otherwise please, stay in your lane.