A Boston city councilor’s description of the Hamas terrorist organization as a “militant group” and characterization of the attack that killed over 1,400 Israelis, among them women, children and babies, as a “military operation” has sparked outrage at City Hall.
The resolution filed by Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson calling for de-escalation and a cease-fire in Israel and “occupied Palestine” was introduced at a Wednesday City Council meeting in response to one filed earlier in the week by Councilor Michael Flaherty, who wanted to condemn “Hamas and their brutal terrorist acts against Israel.”
“To call them a militant group that launched a massive military operation is completely absurd and disgusting,” Flaherty told the Herald. “That wasn’t a military operation. That was a terrorist attack — and it was the worst barbaric aggression towards innocent Jewish people since the Holocaust.”
Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada and the European Union.
Councilor Frank Baker also slammed his colleague’s portrayal of Hamas as a “Palestinian militant group” that “launched a massive military operation,” saying he was “at a loss for words” after reading Fernandes Anderson’s resolution.
“It’s a terrorist operation,” Baker said of the Oct. 7 attack. “They dragged people out of their houses. They killed people that were in a concert.”
He spoke favorably of Flaherty’s resolution, however, saying that the City Council needs to “condemn Hamas” and call this month’s slaughter for what it was: “It was a terrorist attack.”
The City Council briefly discussed, but chose not to vote on Flaherty’s resolution at the outset of the meeting. His measure had also called upon the body to express solidarity with the state of Israel and the Israeli people, as well as “innocent Palestinians suffering as the result of the terrorist attacks perpetrated by Hamas.”
It wasn’t until nearly the end of the meeting that Fernandes Anderson brought her resolution, a late file, forward. This prompted another discussion, one that became considerably more heated as Fernandes Anderson became emotional over “innocent children” that she said had been killed as a result of the conflict in Israel and Gaza.
Her resolution states that Israel’s policies and actions toward the Palestinian people have been recognized by international human rights groups as “apartheid,” and that Israel’s recent actions to cut electricity, fuel and water sources from Gaza constitute “war crimes.”
“If you’re killing innocent children, in my eyes, you’re a terrorist,” Fernandes Anderson said. “I don’t know what ethnicity you are, what religion you are. No matter what, you’re a terrorist. You’re a horrible person.”
While her resolution prompted blowback from conservative-leaning councilors, the measure was co-sponsored and supported by another progressive, Julia Mejia, who praised Fernandes Anderson for her “courage” in calling for a cease-fire.
“I’m hoping that in standing in solidarity with calling for de-escalation of the cease-fire, it is a pathway towards love,” Mejia said. “We all hope what we can do is bring about peace in the Middle East.”
Earlier in the meeting, Mejia spoke against taking a vote on Flaherty’s resolution, however, stating that the City Council was told a few months ago to “focus on city business,” when one of her colleagues put forward a measure pertaining to Cuba.
Both resolutions were sent to the Committee of the Whole for a public hearing, after objections to a vote being taken Wednesday. Gabriela Coletta had objected to a vote on Flaherty’s measure, and Sharon Durkan objected to the one introduced by Fernandes Anderson.
In making her objection, Coletta said a public hearing would allow for a more “nuanced conversation” on the matter.
Coletta said that while she rejects the terrorism that occurred in Israel “at the hands of Hamas,” she also recognizes that what has transpired since has caused “immeasurable pain and suffering” to Palestinians with no connection to Hamas.
The objections, per City Council rules, effectively prohibited further discussion.
While the two resolutions led to strong disagreement among councilors, the Boston Police Department was prepared for the situation to escalate further.
Police officers formed a blockade at the entrance of City Hall about an hour before the meeting began, and restricted elevator access to the fifth floor, where the City Council chamber is located.
Word got out earlier in the week that Flaherty filed a resolution calling for solidarity with Israel, prompting some blowback on social media — particularly from Fernandes Anderson, who baited her colleague on the site formerly known as Twitter with pro-Palestinian posts.
A small contingent of community members made their way into the Iannella Chamber, however, leaving after an impassioned speech from Fernandes Anderson, while chanting, “Stop the genocide.”
A protest was held about two hours later outside City Hall.
The meeting kicked off with Councilor Erin Murphy inviting Rabbi Y.A. Korff to lead the weekly prayer. Upon hearing that Korff was in Israel on the day of the Hamas attack, Flaherty asked that the rabbi share a firsthand account.
The rabbi spoke about seeing pictures of babies in their cribs riddled with bullets, and of comforting a father who got a call from a member of Hamas, saying that he’d like the man to listen while he raped his daughter.
“When I’m done, I have friends,” the father was told.
Councilors Ricardo Arroyo, Kendra Lara, Ruthzee Louijeune and Brian Worrell were absent from the day’s meeting.
