A resolution condemning Hamas and expressing support for Israel failed to move forward Wednesday, amid concerns from a few lawmakers. The resolution’s sponsors fell one vote short of being able to place the measure onto third reading. However, this doesn’t necessarily spell the measure’s end.
Sen. Jesse Lujan, the resolution’s main sponsor, said Thursday that he will try again to push the measure forward through a reconsideration motion. But this will come later in session, after pending bills are addressed and after making sure that “colleagues that signed on to it are in the hall,” Lujan added.
Seven sponsors – Lujan and Sens. Chris Duenas, Frank Blas Jr., Joanne Brown, Telo Taitague, Joe San Agustin and Dwayne San Nicolas – were present in session Wednesday and voted in favor of furthering the resolution.
Two other sponsors – Sens. Thomas Fisher and Roy Quinata – were absent Wednesday, and eight votes were needed to push the measure through for later voting.
Resolution 223 would declare that the Guam Legislature stands in solidarity with affected Jewish communities, supports the nation of Israel, and condemns the attack and war crimes perpetrated by Hamas on Oct. 7.
While the resolution states this “on behalf of the people of Guam,” the public never had the opportunity to comment on the measure. Lawmakers voted to place Resolution 223 onto the session agenda despite it never receiving a public hearing.
Brown objected to placing the resolution on the agenda because of this, and despite voting to further the resolution on Wednesday, Brown and Taitague acted against placing Resolution 223 on the agenda.
Hamas is a recognized terrorist organization that has been controlling the Gaza Strip since 2007. Hamas militants launched brutal attacks against southern Israeli communities earlier this month, killing around 1,400 people. About 200 people are believed to have been taken hostage, according to media reports.
The conflict quickly escalated into an all-out war between Israel and Hamas. More than 5,000 Palestinians are now estimated to have been killed in Gaza, while thousands have been left wounded, according to national media reports that cite the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza. Israel has been bombarding Gaza in response to the Hamas attack, and at a United Nations meeting on Tuesday, rejected calls for a cease-fire, according to the Associated Press.
Last week, the U.S. vetoed a U.N. resolution condemning violence against civilians and urging humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza. According to the AP, U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield reasoned that the U.N. Security Council needed to first allow diplomatic efforts to unfold, while she also criticized the resolution for failing to emphasize Israel’s right to self-defense.
Sen. Chris Barnett noted Wednesday afternoon that local lawmakers have been receiving emails, phone calls and petitions since that morning about “the other side of this issue.”
“And I just don’t think that this ‘support Israel’ is as black and white as some of my colleagues might think,” Barnett said.
Although he joined other senators in voting earlier to place Resolution 223 on the agenda, Barnett said Wednesday that “as long as there is doubt about what the people of Guam want us to say,” he could not support the resolution in good conscience. He added that it would behoove the resolution’s sponsors to send the measure back for a public hearing, to ensure that Resolution 223 accurately represents the public’s opinion.
Sen. William Parkinson did attempt to do just that early in the debate Wednesday. But that motion failed, with only Speaker Therese Terlaje, Barnett, Parkinson and Sen. Sabina Perez voting to do so.
Perez suggested amending the resolution to call for peace and a cease-fire, as well as condemn all acts of violence in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
“In the matter of a few weeks, we are seeing an escalation of violence (against) civilians. As a retiring speaker has said, we really need to bring peace to this area, which has been elusive for a long time. But we’ve got to start somewhere, and that first step is really a cease-fire … to prevent further deaths of innocent bystanders,” Perez said.
Noting again that Resolution 223 did not receive a public hearing, Perez said it was “important to bring voices” to those who haven’t been able to express their opinions. The senator later stated that she was “highly disappointed” in colleagues who “chose not to include dialogue and a balanced perspective, and for not really allowing other voices in the community to be heard.”
The amendment failed, although San Nicolas joined Perez, Barnett and Parkinson in voting for the change.
Speaking in favor of forwarding the resolution, Duenas said Resolution 223 is about standing with people “to whom unspeakable barbarism and atrocities were committed by terrorists.”
“Only God knows what tomorrow holds. But today I stand and say ‘no’ to barbarism, ‘no’ to (the) murdering of babies (and) ‘no’ to the taking of innocent lives. That is what this resolution says. This resolution does not wave a flag … and take a side. … The support of Israel is because of the unspeakable barbarism that took place. And if another resolution hits this floor, that can be substantiated from any other country that does such a thing, I will vote in favor of it as well,” Duenas said.
Terlaje said the wording of the resolution is important because of the evolving situation in the war between Israel and Hamas.
“In the beginning, of course, around the world, there was shock and condemnation of Hamas. But the retaliation of Israel since then, or their self-defense as they call it, has also brought criticism from the United Nations authorities, because of the deaths of civilians and the deaths of children. And the impediments that the bombing has brought to hospitals, to aid, to water, electricity and all the necessities of life – and the forced evacuation when there is no place to go,” the Speaker said.
The Terlaje added that although she believed it was appropriate to condemn Hamas, she did not want to be approving, by the resolution, of the “killing of children, of the bombing of hospitals (and) of the things that have been described as war crimes as well.”
“I think the world community is looking for a cease-fire, … and I would support this wholeheartedly if it called for a cease-fire,” the speaker added.
Lujan closed Wednesday by stating that Resolution 223 condemns an act of terrorism similar to what was experienced by the U.S. on Sept. 11, 2001.
By: John O’Connor
Source: The Guam Daily Post