At Tuesday’s OC Board of Supervisors meeting, dozens of speakers raised concerns over a joint statement released by three of the county leaders condemning the recent Hamas attack on Israel, with some saying the message could “place targets on the backs” of those in local Arab, Muslim and Palestinian communities.
“Every year, the county remembers the Holocaust and the Board of Supervisors reaffirms our commitment to ‘Never Again,’” Third District Supervisor Don Wagner, First District Supervisor Andrew Do and Fifth District Katrina Foley said in their joint statement released last week. “For that to mean anything more than words, we must act in the moment to stand for civilization and against antisemitic terrorism. That moment is now.”
The supervisors said they “condemn Hamas, Islamic terrorism and stand with our ally Israel” and “call on all Muslim leaders in Orange County to join us in this condemnation.”
“This is not a time for moral relativism or wishy-washy statements about understanding both sides. One side is responsible for this tragedy. Instead, it is now time for all civilized people to join with other decent people around the world to unequivocally condemn this barbarism.”
Their release received criticism, with some calling it “deeply problematic” and “one-sided.”
“Your rhetoric actively stokes the flame of Islamophobic and anti-Arab sentiment as the Arab community grieves with our Palestinian brothers and sisters,” one speaker said during the public comment period. “Palestinian life is again treated as expendable and devoid of value. I ask that you retract your statement and apologize to the Palestinian, Arab and Muslim community.”
The Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on American Islamic Relations, often referred to as CAIR-LA, demanded accountability from the board members.
While “the one-sided statement” offers support for Israelis, it “blatantly makes no mention of the 1,400…
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