A CALL TO ACTION FOR WAYNE TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS

On December 20, 2023, Wayne Township Council Members passed a one-sided, biased, and discriminatory “I stand with Israel” resolution that is not representative of, nor empathetic to, its diverse Muslim residents and its larger Wayne community. The resolution did not include any reference nor condemnation of the indiscriminate killing of Palestinian civilians by Israel, their dire and unlivable humanitarian conditions, nor for an endorsement of a permanent ceasefire.

It is estimated that approximately 18% of the population in Wayne Township is of the Muslim faith constituting diverse ethnic backgrounds (Arabs, Turks, Circassian, Albanian, South Asian, etc.) some of which share family ties to Gaza and most of whom feel deep pain, sorrow, and suffering because of the atrocities committed against the innocent civilians in Gaza. In addition to the diverse Muslim population in Wayne, many of the town residents of other diverse backgrounds and walks of life stand in solidarity with the Palestinian civilians suffering in Gaza, in support of ending the atrocious human rights violations by Israel against the Palestinians, and in support of a ceasefire.

The residents of this diverse community demand equal representation and inclusivity in their firm stance against innocent Palestinians being killed, and who continue to be discriminatively killed by Israel. The residents of this diverse community demand empathy from our elected officials towards all victims, now and always, and further demand the calling out for an end to the atrocities committed against all victims regardless of faith and ethnicity by way of a ceasefire. We call on our Township Council Members to unequivocally condemn the killing of innocent Palestinians, to call for an immediate flow of humanitarian aid, and to endorse a request for a permanent ceasefire by way of Resolution.

Background:

Since October 7, 2023, more than 23,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been indiscriminately killed by Israel, almost 70% of whom are woman and children. This number only continues to rise everyday. Nearly 1.9 million of the 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza have been displaced resulting in lack of shelter and the spread of imminent disease during these harsh winter months. Gaza has been under an indefinite blockade by Israel since 2007 turning it into the largest open air prison in the world (refer to Human Rights Watch). Furthermore, since October 7, 2023, there has been an extreme lack of supply of food, water, fuel, and medical aid putting the entire population in famine. This is openly endorsed by various Israeli Ministers including their Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, who dehumanizes Palestinians and refers to them as “human animals” in public racist hate speech.