HomeMy WebLinkAboutNon-Agenda Public CommentDear City Council Members,
This document has been made in response to combat the abhorrent and disgraceful racism,
Xenophobia, Islamophobia and dehumanizing words of Sylvan Garfunkel’s and others public
comments submitted in last week's October 10th City Council meeting.
Starting from his subject:”Protect our community! VOTE NO on ceasefire resolution, BDS, etc. /
Protect our community from terrorist propaganda and violence”. Don’t you find it contradicting
that someone who wants you to protect them from “terrorist propaganda and violence” is not
only spreading propaganda and racist sweeping judgments themselves but is also admitting he
would like the violence and carnage to continue in Gaza, West Bank, Israel, Lebanon, Syria and
Yemen by admitting he does not want a ceasefire. It’s embarrassing that most of the Zionists
submitting public comments haven’t even read resolution #25147 or even know what it’s actually
about. It’s like they’re salivating at the mouth for any chance to express their rejection of a
ceasefire and the continuation of the ethnic cleansing and several war crimes Israel is
committing. These are the same people who claim to “want peace” but don’t even see Arabs
and especially Palestinians as human. Even over 600,000 protesting Israelis have called for a
ceasefire [1] as well as Hezbollah who said they would stop retaliating if Israel agrees to a
ceasefire in Gaza [2].
Mr. Garfunkel is a perfect example of the privileged racism, islamophobia and xenophobia that
exists within our community and our country in general. For example, Garfunkel seems to
ignorantly think all 456 million Arabs and 1.9 billion muslims in the world are synonymous.
Bringing up unrelated conflicts, ironically all involving injustices against Arabs and muslims in
China, Syria, Sudan, and Yemen. None in which you have passed resolutions for. Which is the
whole point of our push back and why many community members do not agree with Resolution
#25147.
Although I could continue to point out Garfunkel's dehumanizing nature, I would rather use this
opportunity as an educational moment to rebuttal his claims and help you understand the
perspective from the side of the oppressed, not the oppressor. Unlike Garfunkel, I will provide
you with relevant and credible sources from historians, human rights organizations, The UN and
other publications.
Claim #1:
“Unlike the above mentioned crises, the Israel-Hamas conflict is a
DEFENSIVE war that Hamas thrust on the democratic country of Israel on
October 7th – targeting and murdering 1,200 civilians and taking
hundreds of hostages (American, Israeli, and Foreign Nationals) after
firing over 30,000 rockets into Israel for decades”
Let’s start with “Israel is a democracy”. It’s virtually impossible to be involved in Palestinian
activism without being barraged by the mantra that “Israel is the only democracy in the Middle
East“. This talking point is invoked whenever there is a need to justify Israel's behavior, even if
the topic under discussion is completely unrelated. Indeed, in the minds of those who utilize it, it
confers an automatic moral superiority to Israel which further distinguishes it from its
10/24/2024
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“backwards” neighbors, and ex post facto legitimizes its actions. There’s several things that
disqualify Israel’s democratic status, some being.
1.Illegal Settlements funded by Israel with Military Backing - United Nations
https://press.un.org/en/2016/sc12657.doc.htm
2.Israel has 57 laws that discriminate against Arab Israelis - The Legal Center for Arab
Minority Rights in Israel https://www.adalah.org/en/law/index
“...targeting and murdering 1,200 civilians…”
Palestinian fighters had originally intended to attack nearby kibbutz Re’im as well as other
villages near the Gaza border. They found out about a music festival nearby with drones and
from the air as they parachuted into Israel.
According to a copy of the first Israeli police report into the Oct 7th attack, obtained by Israel’s
Channel 12, Haaretz reported that the “growing assessment in Israel’s security establishment”
based on the police investigation and on interrogations of captured Hamas members, is that the
group had not planned to target the event. [3]
The police investigation also found that an Israeli military helicopter opened fire on the
assailants but also unfortunately hit members of the kibbutz and some people attending the
festival. No further details were provided, Haaretz reported. [4]
Colonel Nof Erez, an Israeli reserve pilot, offers insight into the Israeli army's response to the
events of October 7, describing it as a 'mass Hannibal'. Referring to the ‘Hannibal Directive’, an
operational order, which directs the use of force to prevent soldiers being taken into captivity.
Including killing fellow soldiers and civilians that could be near [5].
Hamas spokesperson Khaled Qadomi told Al Jazeera that the group carried out its military
operation in response to atrocities that Palestinians have faced over decades. “We want the
international community to stop atrocities in Gaza against Palestinian people, our holy sites like
Al-Aqsa [Mosque]. All these things are the reason behind starting this battle,” he said. [6]
“...after firing over 30,000 rockets into Israel for decades”
Under international law and the Geneva convention, Palestinians have every right to resist their
occupation. After several times of trying to peacefully resist and protest like in 2018 with the
great march of return, many palestinian children, women and elderly were sniped by Israeli
forces with bullets to the head and knees.Further proving that peaceful resistance was
ineffective and has deadly consequences. Which brings us to today and why the use of violent
resistance like launching amateur rockets at Israeli military sites is still occuring. [7]
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Claim #2:
“Notably, this was after Israel moved out of Gaza in 2005 – as one of
its numerous gestures of peace that have been rejected and met with
increased violence.”
To say Israel has given Palestinians any gestures of peace is almost as comically delusional as
believing Israel gave up its chokehold on Gaza in 2005. What Israel did in 2005 was pull out
over 9,000 illegal settlers, but continued an economic blockade on Gaza till this day [8]. Israel
still controls the import/exports, electricity, construction, and more. Israel will not allow simple
things like chocolate, coriander, wedding dresses and much more to enter Gaza [9].
It is without a doubt that Israel holds effective control over the Gaza strip, Israeli law experts
would naturally beg to differ, but these same experts argued that Gaza was unoccupied even
before Israel withdrew its forces and settlers anyway. Israel controls virtually every aspect of life
in Gaza. Israel maintains control of Gaza’s airspace, its territorial waters, no-go zones within the
strip and even the population registry, meaning Israel even gets to determine who is a
Palestinian and who isn’t inside the Gaza strip. What kind of sovereign, non-occupied entity
can’t even determine who its citizens are?
This is not conjecture, but the opinion of the United Nations [10], Amnesty International [11], the
International Red Cross [12], and countless other international organizations specialized in
human rights and international humanitarian law. The lesson here is that Israeli legal claims
have never been in good faith. If Israel could legally claim that an area with thousands of
soldiers and dozens of bases and settlements is not occupied, then of course it would argue the
same for Gaza today.
Claim #3:
“...under International Law and ethics, Israel has a duty and right to
protect its civilians from these attacks by defeating Hamas and
rescuing the hostages.
The right of self-defense can be invoked when a state is threatened by another state, which is
not the case here. Israel has not claimed that another state has threatened it. Article 51 of the
UN Charter that Israel has invoked is a legal term. Self defense under international law means
the right to wage a war which Israel doesn't have.
Israel has been threatened by an armed group — qualify how you want. It is an armed group
within an occupied territory. Like it or not, Gaza is not a standalone entity. Despite Israel's
withdrawal of settlements and bases in 2005, the Gaza Strip remains occupied legally.
Israel cannot claim the right of self-defense against a threat that emanates from the territory it
occupies, from a territory that is kept under belligerent occupation. This applies to the West
Bank as well as Gaza. The occupation makes Israel the aggressor. Gazans, like all
Palestinians, are an occupied people and have the legal right to resist, including by armed force
(though not to target civilians). Israel, as the occupying power, has an obligation to withdraw –
not a right to defend territories it controls or is colonizing by dint of military power.10/24/2024
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Sure, Israel will disagree and muddle the waters, but to paraphrase the immortal words of
Mandy Rice-Davies,"They would say that, wouldn't they."
Israel’s War in Gaza is Not a Valid Act of Self-defense in International Law [13].
According to International Humanitarian Law, it is Israel’s responsibility to make sure sufficient
aid is being provided to the civilian population. As the Occupying Force, it has a responsibility to
provide for the needs of the population regardless of whether outside aid organizations are
providing aid or not. So, if the aid organizations aren’t able to provide enough aid, Israel has an
obligation under International Humanitarian Law to do so itself [14].
“The occupying power has the duty to ensure that the adequate provision of food and
medical supplies is provided, as well as clothing, bedding, means of shelter, other
supplies essential to the survival of the civilian population of the occupied territory, and
objects necessary for religious worship (GCIV Arts. 55, 58; API Art. 69).
The occupying power must allow the protecting power, or the ICRC and other impartial
humanitarian organizations, to verify the state of these supplies in occupied territories,
and to visit protected persons so as to monitor their condition (GCIV Arts. 30, 55, and
143). It is also under the obligation to allow the ICRC or any other impartial humanitarian
organization to undertake their own strictly humanitarian relief actions aimed at this
population. All States must allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of all relief
supplies and must not divert them, in any way whatsoever, from their destination. The
only restrictions that parties to the conflict may impose are technical ones, or they may
ask for guarantees that the relief is destined to the population in need and will not be
used by the adverse power.
The fact that humanitarian organizations are delivering relief in no way relieves the
occupying power of any of its own responsibilities to ensure that the population is
properly supplied (GCIV Arts. 59–62 and 108–111; API Arts. 69–71).”
The Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights has said “the
majority of international opinion” holds that Israel maintains effective control, even without
armed forces present. While legal experts acknowledge that the lack of a military presence does
not follow the “traditional approach” to analyzing effective control, they find that military
presence is an “evidentiary test only.” They point to authorities such as the Israeli High Court,
which have held that occupation status hinges on the exercise of effective control. They,
therefore, find that technology has made it possible for Israel to use ongoing force to exercise
effective control—imposing authority and preventing local authorities from exercising
control—without a military presence.
Specifically, experts from the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the
Occupied Palestinian Territory found “noting” positions held by the UN Security Council, UNGA,
a 2014 declaration adopted by the Conference of High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva
Convention, the ICRC, and “positions of previous commissions of inquiry,” that Israel has
“control exercised over, inter alia, [Gaza’s] airspace and territorial waters, land crossings
at the borders, supply of civilian infrastructure, including water and electricity, and key10/24/2024
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governmental functions such as the management of the Palestinian population registry.”
They also point to “other forms of force, such as military incursions and firing missiles.[15]”
Claim #4:
“Hamas ADMITS to burrowing itself within the civilian Palestinian
population to increase civilian deaths in order to create world
protests and delegitimize Israel.”
Of all the false claims Garfunkel presented us with, this might be the most outrageous. Which is
probably why he didn’t cite his source with a link. Seeing as the source is from The NY Post,
you would think I wouldn’t need to say anything further, but I will anyway. The writer of the
opinion piece Natalie Ecanow, a “research analyst”, intentionally misquotes a Hamas leader to
paint a disingenuous narrative in favor of Israel, with the intention to skew public opinion to
absolve Israel of the humanitarian crimes committed in Gaza, which seems to be a common
theme in her pieces. Ecanow is not alone in her bias. Her boss and CEO Mark Dubowitz of the
FDD (The Foundation for Defense of Democracies), a nonprofit organization. Dubowitz does not
shy away from the same irrational bias. Mark and his organization have been accused of lying
and harassment on multiple occasions [16]. Under Dubowitz’s leadership, FDD has also not
only promoted war with Iran, but its staff members are also regularly engaged in online
harassment campaigns against critics of Trump’s Middle East policy, and FDD staffers try to
destroy the careers of those with whom they disagree [17].
In fact, the argument and evidence of Israel using Palestinians as human shields is much
stronger. In March of 2023, there was an incident where IDF soldiers used five Palestinian
children as human shields, including two toddlers [18]. In the years between 2010-2013,
Fourteen cases of IDF using Palestinian children as human shields and informants were
documented [19]. IDF soldiers avoiding jail time for being found guilty of using a child as a
human shield in a 2009 incident [20]. 2007 incident of two children used as human shields,
reported by the leading Israeli human rights watch group [21]. In 2004 the IDF tied a child to the
hood of a jeep as a human shield [22].
When the Israeli High Court ruled that the IDF had to stop using human shields, the IDF
appealed the ruling, saying their practice of using human shields was "essential." By the IDF's
own report, they used the 'human shield' procedures over 1,200 times during the 5 years
between 2000-2005 [23,24].
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Israeli soldier using a palestinian child as a human shield.
Claim #5:
“However, according to International Law and ethics the responsibility
for ALL lives lost falls squarely on Hamas’ shoulders. Does this
council realize that when America fights against terrorists, they
accidentally kill 4 to 60 civilians per terrorist eliminated? Israel’s
Ratio is 1:1”
Thankfully for Mr. Garfunkel, I’m sure this next claim (also false) is able to help him sleep
soundly at night as he not only absolves Israel of any crimes but tries to justify it by comparing
Israel’s ethnic cleansing campaign to “America fighting terrorists”. A dehumanizing narrative
labeling every Palestinian man, woman and child in Gaza and the West Bank a “terrorist”.
Garfunkel must live in one hell of a deluded bubble when he makes claims that the thousands of
Palestinian lives lost is “ALL on Hamas’ shoulders”, and not the fault of the “democratic” military
entity with some of the most sophisticated equipment and targeting intelligence, dropping the
actual dumb bombs on densely populated areas and massacring hundreds of civilians with just
one hit. Garfunkels irrational logic doesn’t add up, but that doesn’t stop him from believing it.
Why? Because unfortunately, like many other Israeli and Jewish people in the diaspora, he was
most likely taught to devalue and dehumanize not only Palestinians but Arabs in general.
Here’s just one example of Garfunkel’s failed logic. Dr. Mark Perlmutter is one of the 99 doctors
who recently penned an open letter to the Biden administration on the horrific war crimes
they’ve witnessed committed by Israeli forces [25]. Dr.Perlmutter has now given multiple
interviews and statements on what he has witnessed in Gaza. One of the most jarring being that
“The IDF is shredding and sniping children in their heads and chests” [26]. So according
to Garfunkel's logic, did Hamas force the Israeli snipers to murder those children that Perlmutter
attempted to treat? Absolutely not, and he should be ashamed of regurgitating such disgusting10/24/2024
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rhetoric. Months prior to this new open letter there was a previous open letter to the Biden
administration by over 40 other healthcare workers who were in Gaza, echoing similar
experiences and deep concerns [27]. One worker said “We wish you could see the
nightmares that plague so many of us since we have returned: dreams of children
maimed and mutilated by our weapons, and their inconsolable mothers begging us to
save them. We wish you could hear the cries and screams our consciences will not let us
forget.”
It’s also important to note that contrary to Garfunkel’s claims on international law, he forgets to
mention that under international law it is recognized that resistance groups under occupation
may be legitimate participants in armed struggle [28].
Claim #6:
“Just listen to the chants: “From the river to the sea;” We don’t want
a two-state;” “Long live October 7th;” “October 7th again;” “Long live
the intifada!
In fact, Article 7 of the Hamas Charter states: “The Day of Judgment
will not come about until Muslims fight Jews and kill them.
Then, the Jews will hide behind rocks and trees, and the rocks and
trees will cry out, ‘O Muslim, there is a Jew hiding behind me,
come and kill him’”
Mr. Garfunkel has once again not linked any source/video for the chants he mentioned above,
but let's get into it anyway. “From the river to the sea” actually originates from the Israeli
right-wing Likud party charter [30]. Currently in power and has been since 1977, 10 years before
Hamas even existed. How convenient for Garfunkfel to leave out. Not surprising though.
When Palestnians and allies say “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” we are
advocating for the equal rights of EVERYONE living on the land. Free from discrimination, free
from apartheid, free from wrongful administrative detention with no due process, free from tiered
citizenships and the right to self-determination supported by international law. This would also
allow millions of Palestinians in the diaspora to finally have the right of return and be able to visit
and even live in their homeland. In homes that Palestinians were kicked out of but still have the
keys for till this day, in hopes of being able to return one day. It is NOT a call for some
hypothetical ethnic cleansing of Jewish people like Garfunkel and his Zionist friends like to
claim. Which is ironic since Israel is currently ethnic cleansing Palestinians through multiple
massacres, starvation and genocide [31, 32].
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Regarding the “The Covenant” [33] also known as the Hamas Charter from 1988 quotes an old
Hadith (an interpretation of the Quran by third parties, which is actually forbidden [34] to follow
in Islam) that says:
"The Day of Judgement will not come about until Moslems fight the Jews (killing the Jews),
when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say O Moslems, O
Abdulla, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him. Only the Gharkad tree, (evidently a
certain kind of tree) would not do that because it is one of the trees of the Jews." (related by
al-Bukhari and Moslem).
This excerpt from the charter is used to discredit and skew the ultimate goal of the resistance
group, which is decolonization and freeing the Palestinian people from the occupation. This
Hadith refers to a war/battle during the end times that is predicted to be ushered in by certain
Jews awaiting a false messiah (Dajal/Anti-christ). It’s worth noting Hamas has updated their
charter in 2017 and this Hadith is no longer included [35].
In the previous charter Article 6, it says:
“for under the wing of Islam followers of all religions can coexist in security and safety where
their lives, possessions and rights are concerned.”
This amongst the rest of the charter makes it clear that the problem is with the Zionists which
are also referred to as: “Invaders” and “Nazi’s”, not Jews. When the word Jews is mentioned, it's
always in reference to the aggressions against Palestinians. Most likely referring to the violent
illegal Israeli settlers, some even being compared to ISIS [36]. For example in Article 20 it says:
“In their Nazi treatment, the Jews made no exception for women or children. Their policy of
striking fear in the heart is meant for all. They attack people where their breadwinning is
concerned, extorting their money and threatening their honour. They deal with people as if they
were the worst war criminals. Deportation from the homeland is a kind of murder.”
The 1988 Charter was written less than a year after the first ‘Intifada’ (meaning uprising in
Arabic) in 1987 [37]. At the time Israel had full total control of Palestinian social, economic and
political development. With tensions lasting for 6 years, violence and aggression by Israeli
forces increased, killing over 1000 Palestinians, 237 being children and 54 being killed by
settlers [38].
An example of one case was On February 26, 1988, 17-year-old Wael Joudeh and his cousin
Osamah were returning home from grazing their sheep when they noticed a group of Israeli
soldiers following them back to their village, east of Nablus. As the soldiers caught up with them,
they began beating them and for a period of 30 minutes, Israeli forces used stones to break
their bones. The incident was caught on video, and was the first documented incident that
brought to light Israel’s “breaking the bones” policy [37].
Wael recalls the painful moments he thought were his last.
“At first, one of the soldiers took off his military hard-hat and started pounding it on my head until
I fell to the ground. He then proceeded to beat me uncontrollably,” Wael told Al Jazeera.“Then
he lifted me up, and shoved his helmet towards my face and shouted out what was written on
it,” he recalled.“I was born to kill Palestinians,” the soldier screamed at Wael.10/24/2024
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I would like to end this claim off quoting the Israeli Likud party charter:
“A plan which relinquishes parts of western Ezrel Israel, undermines our right to the country,
unavoidably leads to the establishment of a "Palestinian State," jeopardizes the security of the
jewish population, endangers the existence of the State of Israel. and frustrates any prospect of
peace [30].“
This further proves since at least 1977 Israel has had no intention of making “peace” or allowing
a sovereign Palestinian state to happen. Further negating popular claims that people like
Garfunkel repeat. But if that wasn’t enough to convince you, let's hear it straight from Israeli
prime minister psychopath Benjamin Netanyahu.
On December 16th 2023 during a press conference at the defense ministry in Tel Aviv Prime
Minister Netanyahu said:“I’m proud that I prevented the establishment of a Palestinian state
because today everybody understands what that Palestine state could have been, now that
we’ve seen the little Palestinian state in Gaza. Everyone understands what would have
happened if we had capitulated to international pressures and enabled a state like that in Judea
and Samaria, surrounding Jerusalem and on the outskirts of Tel Aviv.”
Turning on the reporter, he says:“You and your journalist friends have been blaming me for
almost 30 years for putting the brakes on the Oslo Accords, and preventing the Palestinian
state.That’s true,”he says [39].
Another disgusting attempt to justify ethnic cleansing.
Claim #7:
“This hate has no boundaries. If you think they stop at targeting
Jews, listen carefully to the rest of their chants like, “Death to
America![17]”
Once again, Garfunkel has not linked any source/video for his claim. But are we shocked at this
point? I really hope not. I think it’s safe to say any bad actor could run into a protest and start
chanting ridiculous things to deflect from the actual cause. Even if true, and I can’t believe I
have to say this, a chant at one protest does not justify the ethnic cleansing and genocide of
millions.
I have provided you with an abundance of credible sources to back up my rebuttals and claims,
and unlike Garfunkel, none of them make sweeping dehumanizing judgments on large groups of
people, especially ones currently going through a traumatic experience for over a year straight.
At least over 900 family lines have been wiped out completely. Over half the population of Gaza
is children. Let me be more clear, over 42,000 Palestinians have been massacred, over half
being children.10/24/2024
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Israel, once masters of DARVO, has lost it’s deceptive narrative and the support of the general
public, as we’re ove a year into witnessing the most documented genocide in history. My
intentions are not to defend Hamas or bash Israel but to humanize the Palestnians because for
far too long, people like Garfunkel have gotten away with spewing hate and easily debunked
propaganda, ignoring historians, human rights organizations, doctors, experts in genocide and
so many other qualified people/organizations. Enough is enough and the degradation and
dehumanization needs to stop NOW.
There is no lack of trauma within the Israeli population, although not nearly comparable to the
trauma in Gaza and the West Bank, It’s not a competition. However, the collective Israeli trauma
does not excuse the IDF’s inhumane and well documented war crimes.The war crimes that
Garfunkel not only seems to leave out of his statements but even excuses. Further exposing his
double standards and racism. Garfunkel’s trauma sadly seems to have manifested into hateful
and discriminatory rhetoric against Palestinians and anyone speaking up for them.
The claims made by Mr. Garfunkel and his fellow Zionists are nothing short of recycled Nazi
rhetoric used to dehumanize millions, further allowing the white washing of the tragic and
preventable war crimes Israel has committed for decades. Remember, this history did not begin
on October 7 2023. In fact, even before the tragic events of October 7th the DCI-P and Human
Rights Watch came out with a report calling 2023 the most deadly year for Palestinians in Gaza
and the West Bank [40].
1. Israelis erupt in protest to demand a cease-fire after 6 more hostages die in Gaza - AP
https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-hostages-hersh-netanyahu-2949
6f50a9b1740bd3905035ffd23052
2. Hezbollah’s deputy leader says group would stop fighting with Israel after Gaza ceasefire -
AP
https://apnews.com/article/hezbollah-israel-hamas-lebanon-gaza-b75185ba722bf31c4982e5795
41a12f0
3. Israeli Security Establishment: Hamas Likely Didn’t Have Advance Knowledge of Nova
Festival - Haaretz
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-11-18/ty-article/.premium/israeli-security-establishme
nt-hamas-likely-didnt-have-prior-knowledge-of-nova-festival/0000018b-e2ee-d168-a3ef-f7fe8ca2
0000
4. Friendly fire may have killed their relatives on Oct. 7. These Israeli families want answers now
-AP
https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-hostages-investigation-friendly-fire-3b6fdd4592957340
b32a8ee71505b8e9
5. IDF Ordered Hannibal Directive on October 7 to Prevent Hamas Taking Soldiers Captive -
Haaretz 10/24/2024
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https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-07-07/ty-article-magazine/.premium/idf-ordered-hann
ibal-directive-on-october-7-to-prevent-hamas-taking-soldiers-captive/00000190-89a2-d776-a3b1
-fdbe45520000
6. Why the Palestinian group Hamas launched an attack on Israel? - Al Jazeera
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/7/palestinian-group-hamas-launches-surprise-attack-o
n-israel-what-to-know
7. The UN Independent Commission of Inquiry on the 2018 Gaza protests - United Nations
https://www.un.org/unispal/document/un-independent-commission-of-inquiry-on-protests-in-gaz
a-presents-its-findings-press-release/
8. Timeline: the humanitarian impact of the Gaza blockade - OxFam
https://www.oxfam.org/en/timeline-humanitarian-impact-gaza-blockade
9. Partial List of Items Prohibited/Permitted into the Gaza Strip - Gisha - Center for the
Protection of the Right to Movement - an Israeli human rights organization
https://gisha.org/UserFiles/File/HiddenMessages/ItemsGazaStrip060510.pdf
10. United Nations Human Rights Council Report 2010 - United Nations
https://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/15session/A.HRC.15.21_en.pdf
11. Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory - Amnesty International
https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/middle-east-and-north-africa/middle-east/israel-and-the-occ
upied-palestinian-territory/
12. Fifty years of occupation: Where do we go from here? - International Red Cross Committee
https://www.icrc.org/en/document/fifty-years-occupation-where-do-we-go-here
13. Israel’s War in Gaza is Not a Valid Act of Self-defence in International Law - Legal experts
Opinio Juris
https://opiniojuris.org/2023/11/09/israels-war-in-gaza-is-not-a-valid-act-of-self-defence-in-interna
tional-law/
14. The Practical Guide to Humanitarian Law - International Law
https://guide-humanitarian-law.org/content/article/3/occupied-territory/#:~:text=The%20basic%2
0obligations%20of%20the,43)
15. Report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian
Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel - United Nations Human Rights
https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/hrbodies/hrcouncil/coiopt/2022-10-19/Report
-COI-OPT-14Sept2022-EN.pdf
16. FDD emerges as hub for online harassment against critics of Trump’s State Department
- Eli Clifton
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2020/10/14/fdd-emerges-as-hub-for-online-harassment-against-
critics-of-trumps-state-department/
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17. Why it’s a bad idea to ‘debate’ FDD CEO Mark Dubowitz - Ben Armbruster
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2020/10/20/why-its-a-bad-idea-to-debate-fdd-ceo-mark-dubowit
z/
18. Israeli forces use five Palestinian children as human shields - DCI-P (Defense for Children
International - Palestine)
https://www.dci-palestine.org/israeli_forces_use_five_palestinian_children_as_human_shields
19. Palestinian children tortured, used as shields by Israel - Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-palestinian-israel-children-idUSBRE95J0FR20130620
20. Israel: Soldiers’ Punishment for Using Boy as ‘Human Shield’ Inadequate - Human Rights
Watch
https://www.hrw.org/news/2010/11/26/israel-soldiers-punishment-using-boy-human-shield-inade
quate
21. Israeli soldiers use two Palestinian minors as human shields - B’Tselem (The Israeli
Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories)
https://www.btselem.org/human_shields/20070225_human_shields_in_nablus
22. Israel faces human shield claim - BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3650791.stm
23. Israeli Matrix of Control: Use of Palestinian Civilians as Human Shields - Euro Med Monitor
https://euromedmonitor.org/uploads/reports/human-shields_en.pdf
24. IDF used Palestinians as human shields 1,200 occasions in last five years, say Israeli
defense officials - Belfast Telegraph
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/israel-gaza-idf-used-palestinians-as-human
-shields-1200-occasions-in-last-five-years-say-israeli-defence-officials/30483468.html
25. Israel Is Routinely Shooting Children in the Head in Gaza: U.S. Surgeon & Palestinian
Nurse - Democracy Now
https://www.democracynow.org/2024/10/16/gaza_doctor
26. In conversation with Mark Perlmutter, volunteer doctor in Gaza - TRT World Interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDwShgfrXug
27. ‘We cannot remain silent about what we saw.’ US doctors who volunteered in Gaza demand
ceasefire in letter to White House - CNN
https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/26/world/open-letter-45-us-physicians-gaza/index.html
28. Armed Resistance against the Occupying Power in International Law - Cambridge Unversity
https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/use-of-armed-force-in-occupied-territory/armed-resis
tance-against-the-occupying-power-in-international-law/930AF96A0A005123DA94E1B1EB8D79
47
29. Right of peoples to self-determination/Struggle by all available means - United Nations10/24/2024
Public Comment
Non-Agenda
https://www.un.org/unispal/document/auto-insert-184801/
30. Likud Party Charter - Jewish Virtual Library
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/original-party-platform-of-the-likud-party
31.Israel is deliberately starving Palestinians, UN rights expert says - The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/27/un-israel-food-starvation-palestinians-war-crime
-genocide
32. A Textbook Case of Genocide - Raz Segal (an Israeli historian and Associate Professor of
Holocaust and Genocide Studies)
https://jewishcurrents.org/a-textbook-case-of-genocide
33. Hamas 1988 Charter - Yale Law
https://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/hamas.asp
34. Quranic verses against the hadith - Medium
https://medium.com/uncorrupted-islam/quranic-verses-against-the-hadith-eb82e2da564d
35. Hamas in 2017: The document in full - Middle East Eye
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/hamas-2017-document-full
36. 'They Took Over Like ISIS': Religious War in West Bank Town Shows Not All Jewish Settlers
Were Created Equal - Haaretz
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2017-12-16/ty-article-magazine/.premium/this-west-bank-t
own-shows-not-all-settlers-are-equal/0000017f-f95e-d044-adff-fbff38750000
37. Stories from the first Intifada: ‘They broke my bones’ - Al Jazeera
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/12/10/stories-from-the-first-intifada-they-broke-my-bones
38. Fatalities in the first Intifada - B’Tselem (The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in
the Occupied Territories)
https://www.btselem.org/statistics/first_intifada_tables
39. PM: I’m proud I blocked a Palestinian state. - Time of Israel
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/pm-im-proud-i-blocked-a-palestinian-state-looking-
at-gaza-everyone-sees-what-would-have-happened/
40. 2023 marks deadliest year on record for children in the occupied West Bank
- Save the Children
https://www.savethechildren.net/news/2023-marks-deadliest-year-record-children-occupied-west
-bank
10/24/2024
Public Comment
Non-Agenda
10/24/2024
Public Comment
Non-Agenda
From:Sunny Berro
To:City Clerk
Subject:Re: Combatting Anti-Palestinian and Xenophobia in Palm Springs - Public Comment 10/24/24
Date:Thursday, October 24, 2024 5:38:05 PM
NOTICE: This message originated outside of The City of Palm Springs -- DO NOT CLICK on links or open attachments
unless you are sure the content is safe.
Hello City Clerk,
I don’t see the item uploaded to the site. Please advise.
Thank you!
On Thu, Oct 24, 2024 at 10:45 AM Sunny Berro <mrberro@gmail.com> wrote:
Hello,
I would like to include this document I've made in response to the racist, disgusting and
ridiculous rhetoric being submitted by Palm Springs Zionists. The discrimination and
harassment many of us are facing must be addressed. Please include all pages of the
document, attached below.
Thank you
Sunny
10/24/2024
Public Comment
Non-Agenda
Dear City Council Members,
This document has been made in response to combat the abhorrent and disgraceful racism,
Xenophobia,Islamophobia and dehumanizing words of Sylvan Garfunkel’s and others public
comments submitted in last week's October 10th City Council meeting.
Starting from his subject:”Protect our community!VOTE NO on ceasefire resolution,BDS,etc./
Protect our community from terrorist propaganda and violence”.Don’t you find it contradicting
that someone who wants you to protect them from “terrorist propaganda and violence”is not
only spreading propaganda and racist sweeping judgments themselves but is also admitting he
would like the violence and carnage to continue in Gaza,West Bank,Israel,Lebanon,Syria and
Yemen by admitting he does not want a ceasefire.It’s embarrassing that most of the Zionists
submitting public comments haven’t even read resolution #25147 or even know what it’s actually
about.It’s like they’re salivating at the mouth for any chance to express their rejection of a
ceasefire and the continuation of the ethnic cleansing and several war crimes Israel is
committing.These are the same people who claim to “want peace”but don’t even see Arabs
and especially Palestinians as human.Even over 600,000 protesting Israelis have called for a
ceasefire [1]as well as Hezbollah who said they would stop retaliating if Israel agrees to a
ceasefire in Gaza [2].
Mr.Garfunkel is a perfect example of the privileged racism,islamophobia and xenophobia that
exists within our community and our country in general.For example,Garfunkel seems to
ignorantly think all 456 million Arabs and 1.9 billion muslims in the world are synonymous.
Bringing up unrelated conflicts,ironically all involving injustices against Arabs and muslims in
China,Syria,Sudan,and Yemen.None in which you have passed resolutions for.Which is the
whole point of our push back and why many community members do not agree with Resolution
#25147.
Although I could continue to point out Garfunkel's dehumanizing nature,I would rather use this
opportunity as an educational moment to rebuttal his claims and help you understand the
perspective from the side of the oppressed,not the oppressor.Unlike Garfunkel,I will provide
you with relevant and credible sources from historians,human rights organizations,The UN and
other publications.
Claim #1:
“Unlike the above mentioned crises,the Israel-Hamas conflict is a
DEFENSIVE war that Hamas thrust on the democratic country of Israel on
October 7th –targeting and murdering 1,200 civilians and taking
hundreds of hostages (American,Israeli,and Foreign Nationals)after
firing over 30,000 rockets into Israel for decades”
Let’s start with “Israel is a democracy”.It’s virtually impossible to be involved in Palestinian
activism without being barraged by the mantra that “Israel is the only democracy in the Middle
East“.This talking point is invoked whenever there is a need to justify Israel's behavior,even if
the topic under discussion is completely unrelated.Indeed,in the minds of those who utilize it,it
confers an automatic moral superiority to Israel which further distinguishes it from its
“backwards”neighbors,and ex post facto legitimizes its actions.There’s several things that
disqualify Israel’s democratic status,some being.
1.Illegal Settlements funded by Israel with Military Backing -United Nations
https://press.un.org/en/2016/sc12657.doc.htm
2.Israel has 57 laws that discriminate against Arab Israelis -The Legal Center for Arab
Minority Rights in Israel https://www.adalah.org/en/law/index
“...targeting and murdering 1,200 civilians…”
Palestinian fighters had originally intended to attack nearby kibbutz Re’im as well as other
villages near the Gaza border.They found out about a music festival nearby with drones and
from the air as they parachuted into Israel.
According to a copy of the first Israeli police report into the Oct 7th attack,obtained by Israel’s
Channel 12,Haaretz reported that the “growing assessment in Israel’s security establishment”
based on the police investigation and on interrogations of captured Hamas members,is that the
group had not planned to target the event.[3]
The police investigation also found that an Israeli military helicopter opened fire on the
assailants but also unfortunately hit members of the kibbutz and some people attending the
festival.No further details were provided,Haaretz reported.[4]
Colonel Nof Erez,an Israeli reserve pilot,offers insight into the Israeli army's response to the
events of October 7,describing it as a 'mass Hannibal'.Referring to the ‘Hannibal Directive’,an
operational order,which directs the use of force to prevent soldiers being taken into captivity.
Including killing fellow soldiers and civilians that could be near [5].
Hamas spokesperson Khaled Qadomi told Al Jazeera that the group carried out its military
operation in response to atrocities that Palestinians have faced over decades.“We want the
international community to stop atrocities in Gaza against Palestinian people,our holy sites like
Al-Aqsa [Mosque].All these things are the reason behind starting this battle,”he said.[6]
“...after firing over 30,000 rockets into Israel for decades”
Under international law and the Geneva convention,Palestinians have every right to resist their
occupation.After several times of trying to peacefully resist and protest like in 2018 with the
great march of return,many palestinian children,women and elderly were sniped by Israeli
forces with bullets to the head and knees.Further proving that peaceful resistance was
ineffective and has deadly consequences.Which brings us to today and why the use of violent
resistance like launching amateur rockets at Israeli military sites is still occuring.[7]
Claim #2:
“Notably,this was after Israel moved out of Gaza in 2005 –as one of
its numerous gestures of peace that have been rejected and met with
increased violence.”
To say Israel has given Palestinians any gestures of peace is almost as comically delusional as
believing Israel gave up its chokehold on Gaza in 2005.What Israel did in 2005 was pull out
over 9,000 illegal settlers,but continued an economic blockade on Gaza till this day [8].Israel
still controls the import/exports,electricity,construction,and more.Israel will not allow simple
things like chocolate,coriander,wedding dresses and much more to enter Gaza [9].
It is without a doubt that Israel holds effective control over the Gaza strip,Israeli law experts
would naturally beg to differ,but these same experts argued that Gaza was unoccupied even
before Israel withdrew its forces and settlers anyway.Israel controls virtually every aspect of life
in Gaza.Israel maintains control of Gaza’s airspace,its territorial waters,no-go zones within the
strip and even the population registry,meaning Israel even gets to determine who is a
Palestinian and who isn’t inside the Gaza strip.What kind of sovereign,non-occupied entity
can’t even determine who its citizens are?
This is not conjecture,but the opinion of the United Nations [10],Amnesty International [11],the
International Red Cross [12],and countless other international organizations specialized in
human rights and international humanitarian law.The lesson here is that Israeli legal claims
have never been in good faith.If Israel could legally claim that an area with thousands of
soldiers and dozens of bases and settlements is not occupied,then of course it would argue the
same for Gaza today.
Claim #3:
“...under International Law and ethics,Israel has a duty and right to
protect its civilians from these attacks by defeating Hamas and
rescuing the hostages.
The right of self-defense can be invoked when a state is threatened by another state,which is
not the case here.Israel has not claimed that another state has threatened it.Article 51 of the
UN Charter that Israel has invoked is a legal term.Self defense under international law means
the right to wage a war which Israel doesn't have.
Israel has been threatened by an armed group —qualify how you want.It is an armed group
within an occupied territory.Like it or not,Gaza is not a standalone entity.Despite Israel's
withdrawal of settlements and bases in 2005,the Gaza Strip remains occupied legally.
Israel cannot claim the right of self-defense against a threat that emanates from the territory it
occupies,from a territory that is kept under belligerent occupation.This applies to the West
Bank as well as Gaza.The occupation makes Israel the aggressor.Gazans,like all
Palestinians,are an occupied people and have the legal right to resist,including by armed force
(though not to target civilians).Israel,as the occupying power,has an obligation to withdraw –
not a right to defend territories it controls or is colonizing by dint of military power.
Sure,Israel will disagree and muddle the waters,but to paraphrase the immortal words of
Mandy Rice-Davies,"They would say that,wouldn't they."
Israel’s War in Gaza is Not a Valid Act of Self-defense in International Law [13].
According to International Humanitarian Law,it is Israel’s responsibility to make sure sufficient
aid is being provided to the civilian population.As the Occupying Force,it has a responsibility to
provide for the needs of the population regardless of whether outside aid organizations are
providing aid or not.So,if the aid organizations aren’t able to provide enough aid,Israel has an
obligation under International Humanitarian Law to do so itself [14].
“The occupying power has the duty to ensure that the adequate provision of food and
medical supplies is provided,as well as clothing,bedding,means of shelter,other
supplies essential to the survival of the civilian population of the occupied territory,and
objects necessary for religious worship (GCIV Arts.55,58;API Art.69).
The occupying power must allow the protecting power,or the ICRC and other impartial
humanitarian organizations,to verify the state of these supplies in occupied territories,
and to visit protected persons so as to monitor their condition (GCIV Arts.30,55,and
143).It is also under the obligation to allow the ICRC or any other impartial humanitarian
organization to undertake their own strictly humanitarian relief actions aimed at this
population.All States must allow and facilitate rapid and unimpeded passage of all relief
supplies and must not divert them,in any way whatsoever,from their destination.The
only restrictions that parties to the conflict may impose are technical ones,or they may
ask for guarantees that the relief is destined to the population in need and will not be
used by the adverse power.
The fact that humanitarian organizations are delivering relief in no way relieves the
occupying power of any of its own responsibilities to ensure that the population is
properly supplied (GCIV Arts.59–62 and 108–111;API Arts.69–71).”
The Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights has said “the
majority of international opinion”holds that Israel maintains effective control,even without
armed forces present.While legal experts acknowledge that the lack of a military presence does
not follow the “traditional approach”to analyzing effective control,they find that military
presence is an “evidentiary test only.”They point to authorities such as the Israeli High Court,
which have held that occupation status hinges on the exercise of effective control.They,
therefore,find that technology has made it possible for Israel to use ongoing force to exercise
effective control—imposing authority and preventing local authorities from exercising
control—without a military presence.
Specifically,experts from the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the
Occupied Palestinian Territory found “noting”positions held by the UN Security Council,UNGA,
a 2014 declaration adopted by the Conference of High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva
Convention,the ICRC,and “positions of previous commissions of inquiry,”that Israel has
“control exercised over,inter alia,[Gaza’s]airspace and territorial waters,land crossings
at the borders,supply of civilian infrastructure,including water and electricity,and key
governmental functions such as the management of the Palestinian population registry.”
They also point to “other forms of force,such as military incursions and firing missiles.[15]”
Claim #4:
“Hamas ADMITS to burrowing itself within the civilian Palestinian
population to increase civilian deaths in order to create world
protests and delegitimize Israel.”
Of all the false claims Garfunkel presented us with,this might be the most outrageous.Which is
probably why he didn’t cite his source with a link.Seeing as the source is from The NY Post,
you would think I wouldn’t need to say anything further,but I will anyway.The writer of the
opinion piece Natalie Ecanow,a “research analyst”,intentionally misquotes a Hamas leader to
paint a disingenuous narrative in favor of Israel,with the intention to skew public opinion to
absolve Israel of the humanitarian crimes committed in Gaza,which seems to be a common
theme in her pieces.Ecanow is not alone in her bias.Her boss and CEO Mark Dubowitz of the
FDD (The Foundation for Defense of Democracies),a nonprofit organization.Dubowitz does not
shy away from the same irrational bias.Mark and his organization have been accused of lying
and harassment on multiple occasions [16].Under Dubowitz’s leadership,FDD has also not
only promoted war with Iran,but its staff members are also regularly engaged in online
harassment campaigns against critics of Trump’s Middle East policy,and FDD staffers try to
destroy the careers of those with whom they disagree [17].
In fact,the argument and evidence of Israel using Palestinians as human shields is much
stronger.In March of 2023,there was an incident where IDF soldiers used five Palestinian
children as human shields,including two toddlers [18].In the years between 2010-2013,
Fourteen cases of IDF using Palestinian children as human shields and informants were
documented [19].IDF soldiers avoiding jail time for being found guilty of using a child as a
human shield in a 2009 incident [20].2007 incident of two children used as human shields,
reported by the leading Israeli human rights watch group [21].In 2004 the IDF tied a child to the
hood of a jeep as a human shield [22].
When the Israeli High Court ruled that the IDF had to stop using human shields,the IDF
appealed the ruling,saying their practice of using human shields was "essential."By the IDF's
own report,they used the 'human shield'procedures over 1,200 times during the 5 years
between 2000-2005 [23,24].
Israeli soldier using a palestinian child as a human shield.
Claim #5:
“However,according to International Law and ethics the responsibility
for ALL lives lost falls squarely on Hamas’shoulders.Does this
council realize that when America fights against terrorists,they
accidentally kill 4 to 60 civilians per terrorist eliminated?Israel’s
Ratio is 1:1”
Thankfully for Mr.Garfunkel,I’m sure this next claim (also false)is able to help him sleep
soundly at night as he not only absolves Israel of any crimes but tries to justify it by comparing
Israel’s ethnic cleansing campaign to “America fighting terrorists”.A dehumanizing narrative
labeling every Palestinian man,woman and child in Gaza and the West Bank a “terrorist”.
Garfunkel must live in one hell of a deluded bubble when he makes claims that the thousands of
Palestinian lives lost is “ALL on Hamas’shoulders”,and not the fault of the “democratic”military
entity with some of the most sophisticated equipment and targeting intelligence,dropping the
actual dumb bombs on densely populated areas and massacring hundreds of civilians with just
one hit.Garfunkels irrational logic doesn’t add up,but that doesn’t stop him from believing it.
Why?Because unfortunately,like many other Israeli and Jewish people in the diaspora,he was
most likely taught to devalue and dehumanize not only Palestinians but Arabs in general.
Here’s just one example of Garfunkel’s failed logic.Dr.Mark Perlmutter is one of the 99 doctors
who recently penned an open letter to the Biden administration on the horrific war crimes
they’ve witnessed committed by Israeli forces [25].Dr.Perlmutter has now given multiple
interviews and statements on what he has witnessed in Gaza.One of the most jarring being that
“The IDF is shredding and sniping children in their heads and chests”[26].So according
to Garfunkel's logic,did Hamas force the Israeli snipers to murder those children that Perlmutter
attempted to treat?Absolutely not,and he should be ashamed of regurgitating such disgusting
rhetoric.Months prior to this new open letter there was a previous open letter to the Biden
administration by over 40 other healthcare workers who were in Gaza,echoing similar
experiences and deep concerns [27].One worker said “We wish you could see the
nightmares that plague so many of us since we have returned:dreams of children
maimed and mutilated by our weapons,and their inconsolable mothers begging us to
save them.We wish you could hear the cries and screams our consciences will not let us
forget.”
It’s also important to note that contrary to Garfunkel’s claims on international law,he forgets to
mention that under international law it is recognized that resistance groups under occupation
may be legitimate participants in armed struggle [28].
Claim #6:
“Just listen to the chants:“From the river to the sea;”We don’t want
a two-state;”“Long live October 7th;”“October 7th again;”“Long live
the intifada!
In fact,Article 7 of the Hamas Charter states:“The Day of Judgment
will not come about until Muslims fight Jews and kill them.
Then,the Jews will hide behind rocks and trees,and the rocks and
trees will cry out,‘O Muslim,there is a Jew hiding behind me,
come and kill him’”
Mr.Garfunkel has once again not linked any source/video for the chants he mentioned above,
but let's get into it anyway.“From the river to the sea”actually originates from the Israeli
right-wing Likud party charter [30].Currently in power and has been since 1977,10 years before
Hamas even existed.How convenient for Garfunkfel to leave out.Not surprising though.
When Palestnians and allies say “From the river to the sea,Palestine will be free”we are
advocating for the equal rights of EVERYONE living on the land.Free from discrimination,free
from apartheid,free from wrongful administrative detention with no due process,free from tiered
citizenships and the right to self-determination supported by international law.This would also
allow millions of Palestinians in the diaspora to finally have the right of return and be able to visit
and even live in their homeland.In homes that Palestinians were kicked out of but still have the
keys for till this day,in hopes of being able to return one day.It is NOT a call for some
hypothetical ethnic cleansing of Jewish people like Garfunkel and his Zionist friends like to
claim.Which is ironic since Israel is currently ethnic cleansing Palestinians through multiple
massacres,starvation and genocide [31,32].
Regarding the “The Covenant”[33]also known as the Hamas Charter from 1988 quotes an old
Hadith (an interpretation of the Quran by third parties,which is actually forbidden [34]to follow
in Islam)that says:
"The Day of Judgement will not come about until Moslems fight the Jews (killing the Jews),
when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees.The stones and trees will say O Moslems,O
Abdulla,there is a Jew behind me,come and kill him.Only the Gharkad tree,(evidently a
certain kind of tree)would not do that because it is one of the trees of the Jews."(related by
al-Bukhari and Moslem).
This excerpt from the charter is used to discredit and skew the ultimate goal of the resistance
group,which is decolonization and freeing the Palestinian people from the occupation.This
Hadith refers to a war/battle during the end times that is predicted to be ushered in by certain
Jews awaiting a false messiah (Dajal/Anti-christ).It’s worth noting Hamas has updated their
charter in 2017 and this Hadith is no longer included [35].
In the previous charter Article 6,it says:
“for under the wing of Islam followers of all religions can coexist in security and safety where
their lives,possessions and rights are concerned.”
This amongst the rest of the charter makes it clear that the problem is with the Zionists which
are also referred to as:“Invaders”and “Nazi’s”,not Jews.When the word Jews is mentioned,it's
always in reference to the aggressions against Palestinians.Most likely referring to the violent
illegal Israeli settlers,some even being compared to ISIS [36].For example in Article 20 it says:
“In their Nazi treatment,the Jews made no exception for women or children.Their policy of
striking fear in the heart is meant for all.They attack people where their breadwinning is
concerned,extorting their money and threatening their honour.They deal with people as if they
were the worst war criminals.Deportation from the homeland is a kind of murder.”
The 1988 Charter was written less than a year after the first ‘Intifada’(meaning uprising in
Arabic)in 1987 [37].At the time Israel had full total control of Palestinian social,economic and
political development.With tensions lasting for 6 years,violence and aggression by Israeli
forces increased,killing over 1000 Palestinians,237 being children and 54 being killed by
settlers [38].
An example of one case was On February 26,1988,17-year-old Wael Joudeh and his cousin
Osamah were returning home from grazing their sheep when they noticed a group of Israeli
soldiers following them back to their village,east of Nablus.As the soldiers caught up with them,
they began beating them and for a period of 30 minutes,Israeli forces used stones to break
their bones.The incident was caught on video,and was the first documented incident that
brought to light Israel’s “breaking the bones”policy [37].
Wael recalls the painful moments he thought were his last.
“At first,one of the soldiers took off his military hard-hat and started pounding it on my head until
I fell to the ground.He then proceeded to beat me uncontrollably,”Wael told Al Jazeera.“Then
he lifted me up,and shoved his helmet towards my face and shouted out what was written on
it,”he recalled.“I was born to kill Palestinians,”the soldier screamed at Wael.
I would like to end this claim off quoting the Israeli Likud party charter:
“A plan which relinquishes parts of western Ezrel Israel,undermines our right to the country,
unavoidably leads to the establishment of a "Palestinian State,"jeopardizes the security of the
jewish population,endangers the existence of the State of Israel.and frustrates any prospect of
peace [30].“
This further proves since at least 1977 Israel has had no intention of making “peace”or allowing
a sovereign Palestinian state to happen.Further negating popular claims that people like
Garfunkel repeat.But if that wasn’t enough to convince you,let's hear it straight from Israeli
prime minister psychopath Benjamin Netanyahu.
On December 16th 2023 during a press conference at the defense ministry in Tel Aviv Prime
Minister Netanyahu said:“I’m proud that I prevented the establishment of a Palestinian state
because today everybody understands what that Palestine state could have been,now that
we’ve seen the little Palestinian state in Gaza.Everyone understands what would have
happened if we had capitulated to international pressures and enabled a state like that in Judea
and Samaria,surrounding Jerusalem and on the outskirts of Tel Aviv.”
Turning on the reporter,he says:“You and your journalist friends have been blaming me for
almost 30 years for putting the brakes on the Oslo Accords,and preventing the Palestinian
state.That’s true,”he says [39].
Another disgusting attempt to justify ethnic cleansing.
Claim #7:
“This hate has no boundaries.If you think they stop at targeting
Jews,listen carefully to the rest of their chants like,“Death to
America![17]”
Once again,Garfunkel has not linked any source/video for his claim.But are we shocked at this
point?I really hope not.I think it’s safe to say any bad actor could run into a protest and start
chanting ridiculous things to deflect from the actual cause.Even if true,and I can’t believe I
have to say this,a chant at one protest does not justify the ethnic cleansing and genocide of
millions.
I have provided you with an abundance of credible sources to back up my rebuttals and claims,
and unlike Garfunkel,none of them make sweeping dehumanizing judgments on large groups of
people,especially ones currently going through a traumatic experience for over a year straight.
At least over 900 family lines have been wiped out completely.Over half the population of Gaza
is children.Let me be more clear,over 42,000 Palestinians have been massacred,over half
being children.
Israel,once masters of DARVO,has lost it’s deceptive narrative and the support of the general
public,as we’re ove a year into witnessing the most documented genocide in history.My
intentions are not to defend Hamas or bash Israel but to humanize the Palestnians because for
far too long,people like Garfunkel have gotten away with spewing hate and easily debunked
propaganda,ignoring historians,human rights organizations,doctors,experts in genocide and
so many other qualified people/organizations.Enough is enough and the degradation and
dehumanization needs to stop NOW.
There is no lack of trauma within the Israeli population,although not nearly comparable to the
trauma in Gaza and the West Bank,It’s not a competition.However,the collective Israeli trauma
does not excuse the IDF’s inhumane and well documented war crimes.The war crimes that
Garfunkel not only seems to leave out of his statements but even excuses.Further exposing his
double standards and racism.Garfunkel’s trauma sadly seems to have manifested into hateful
and discriminatory rhetoric against Palestinians and anyone speaking up for them.
The claims made by Mr.Garfunkel and his fellow Zionists are nothing short of recycled Nazi
rhetoric used to dehumanize millions,further allowing the white washing of the tragic and
preventable war crimes Israel has committed for decades.Remember,this history did not begin
on October 7 2023.In fact,even before the tragic events of October 7th the DCI-P and Human
Rights Watch came out with a report calling 2023 the most deadly year for Palestinians in Gaza
and the West Bank [40].
1.Israelis erupt in protest to demand a cease-fire after 6 more hostages die in Gaza -AP
https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-hostages-hersh-netanyahu-2949
6f50a9b1740bd3905035ffd23052
2.Hezbollah’s deputy leader says group would stop fighting with Israel after Gaza ceasefire -
AP
https://apnews.com/article/hezbollah-israel-hamas-lebanon-gaza-b75185ba722bf31c4982e5795
41a12f0
3.Israeli Security Establishment:Hamas Likely Didn’t Have Advance Knowledge of Nova
Festival -Haaretz
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2023-11-18/ty-article/.premium/israeli-security-establishme
nt-hamas-likely-didnt-have-prior-knowledge-of-nova-festival/0000018b-e2ee-d168-a3ef-f7fe8ca2
0000
4.Friendly fire may have killed their relatives on Oct.7.These Israeli families want answers now
-AP
https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-hostages-investigation-friendly-fire-3b6fdd4592957340
b32a8ee71505b8e9
5.IDF Ordered Hannibal Directive on October 7 to Prevent Hamas Taking Soldiers Captive -
Haaretz
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2024-07-07/ty-article-magazine/.premium/idf-ordered-hann
ibal-directive-on-october-7-to-prevent-hamas-taking-soldiers-captive/00000190-89a2-d776-a3b1
-fdbe45520000
6.Why the Palestinian group Hamas launched an attack on Israel?-Al Jazeera
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/7/palestinian-group-hamas-launches-surprise-attack-o
n-israel-what-to-know
7.The UN Independent Commission of Inquiry on the 2018 Gaza protests -United Nations
https://www.un.org/unispal/document/un-independent-commission-of-inquiry-on-protests-in-gaz
a-presents-its-findings-press-release/
8.Timeline:the humanitarian impact of the Gaza blockade -OxFam
https://www.oxfam.org/en/timeline-humanitarian-impact-gaza-blockade
9.Partial List of Items Prohibited/Permitted into the Gaza Strip -Gisha -Center for the
Protection of the Right to Movement -an Israeli human rights organization
https://gisha.org/UserFiles/File/HiddenMessages/ItemsGazaStrip060510.pdf
10.United Nations Human Rights Council Report 2010 -United Nations
https://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/15session/A.HRC.15.21_en.pdf
11.Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory -Amnesty International
https://www.amnesty.org/en/location/middle-east-and-north-africa/middle-east/israel-and-the-occ
upied-palestinian-territory/
12.Fifty years of occupation:Where do we go from here?-International Red Cross Committee
https://www.icrc.org/en/document/fifty-years-occupation-where-do-we-go-here
13.Israel’s War in Gaza is Not a Valid Act of Self-defence in International Law -Legal experts
Opinio Juris
https://opiniojuris.org/2023/11/09/israels-war-in-gaza-is-not-a-valid-act-of-self-defence-in-interna
tional-law/
14.The Practical Guide to Humanitarian Law -International Law
https://guide-humanitarian-law.org/content/article/3/occupied-territory/#:~:text=The%20basic%2
0obligations%20of%20the,43)
15.Report of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian
Territory,including East Jerusalem,and Israel -United Nations Human Rights
https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/hrbodies/hrcouncil/coiopt/2022-10-19/Report
-COI-OPT-14Sept2022-EN.pdf
16.FDD emerges as hub for online harassment against critics of Trump’s State Department
-Eli Clifton
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2020/10/14/fdd-emerges-as-hub-for-online-harassment-against-
critics-of-trumps-state-department/
17.Why it’s a bad idea to ‘debate’FDD CEO Mark Dubowitz -Ben Armbruster
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2020/10/20/why-its-a-bad-idea-to-debate-fdd-ceo-mark-dubowit
z/
18.Israeli forces use five Palestinian children as human shields -DCI-P (Defense for Children
International -Palestine)
https://www.dci-palestine.org/israeli_forces_use_five_palestinian_children_as_human_shields
19.Palestinian children tortured,used as shields by Israel -Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-palestinian-israel-children-idUSBRE95J0FR20130620
20.Israel:Soldiers’Punishment for Using Boy as ‘Human Shield’Inadequate -Human Rights
Watch
https://www.hrw.org/news/2010/11/26/israel-soldiers-punishment-using-boy-human-shield-inade
quate
21.Israeli soldiers use two Palestinian minors as human shields -B’Tselem (The Israeli
Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories)
https://www.btselem.org/human_shields/20070225_human_shields_in_nablus
22.Israel faces human shield claim -BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3650791.stm
23.Israeli Matrix of Control:Use of Palestinian Civilians as Human Shields -Euro Med Monitor
https://euromedmonitor.org/uploads/reports/human-shields_en.pdf
24.IDF used Palestinians as human shields 1,200 occasions in last five years,say Israeli
defense officials -Belfast Telegraph
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/israel-gaza-idf-used-palestinians-as-human
-shields-1200-occasions-in-last-five-years-say-israeli-defence-officials/30483468.html
25.Israel Is Routinely Shooting Children in the Head in Gaza:U.S.Surgeon &Palestinian
Nurse -Democracy Now
https://www.democracynow.org/2024/10/16/gaza_doctor
26.In conversation with Mark Perlmutter,volunteer doctor in Gaza -TRT World Interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDwShgfrXug
27.‘We cannot remain silent about what we saw.’US doctors who volunteered in Gaza demand
ceasefire in letter to White House -CNN
https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/26/world/open-letter-45-us-physicians-gaza/index.html
28.Armed Resistance against the Occupying Power in International Law -Cambridge Unversity
https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/use-of-armed-force-in-occupied-territory/armed-resis
tance-against-the-occupying-power-in-international-law/930AF96A0A005123DA94E1B1EB8D79
47
29.Right of peoples to self-determination/Struggle by all available means -United Nations
https://www.un.org/unispal/document/auto-insert-184801/
30.Likud Party Charter -Jewish Virtual Library
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/original-party-platform-of-the-likud-party
31.Israel is deliberately starving Palestinians,UN rights expert says -The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/27/un-israel-food-starvation-palestinians-war-crime
-genocide
32.A Textbook Case of Genocide -Raz Segal (an Israeli historian and Associate Professor of
Holocaust and Genocide Studies)
https://jewishcurrents.org/a-textbook-case-of-genocide
33.Hamas 1988 Charter -Yale Law
https://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/hamas.asp
34.Quranic verses against the hadith -Medium
https://medium.com/uncorrupted-islam/quranic-verses-against-the-hadith-eb82e2da564d
35.Hamas in 2017:The document in full -Middle East Eye
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/hamas-2017-document-full
36.'They Took Over Like ISIS':Religious War in West Bank Town Shows Not All Jewish Settlers
Were Created Equal -Haaretz
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/2017-12-16/ty-article-magazine/.premium/this-west-bank-t
own-shows-not-all-settlers-are-equal/0000017f-f95e-d044-adff-fbff38750000
37.Stories from the first Intifada:‘They broke my bones’-Al Jazeera
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/12/10/stories-from-the-first-intifada-they-broke-my-bones
38.Fatalities in the first Intifada -B’Tselem (The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in
the Occupied Territories)
https://www.btselem.org/statistics/first_intifada_tables
39.PM:I’m proud I blocked a Palestinian state.-Time of Israel
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/pm-im-proud-i-blocked-a-palestinian-state-looking-
at-gaza-everyone-sees-what-would-have-happened/
40.2023 marks deadliest year on record for children in the occupied West Bank
-Save the Children
https://www.savethechildren.net/news/2023-marks-deadliest-year-record-children-occupied-west
-bank
From:Michael Howard
To:City Clerk
Subject:PS City Council Meeting 24 Oct. 2024, Comment
Date:Thursday, October 24, 2024 12:00:07 PM
NOTICE: This message originated outside of The City of Palm Springs -- DO NOT CLICK on links or open attachments
unless you are sure the content is safe.
PS City Council Meeting 24 Oct. 2024, Comment:
Re City Council Israel-Palestine Resolution of October 2023:
1st: As the City of Palm Springs is not a nation state with responsibilities in
international relations, this resolution appears ill advised and unwarranted.
2nd: Even if warranted, its bias of concern for the state of Israel and ancillary
consideration of the Palestinian people is plainly unjust.
3rd: The Hamas 7 October 2023 attack was a crime against humanity. Based on kill
numbers alone, the response of the state of Israel in the past year has been a 42 times
worse crime against humanity.
4th: Consequently, the state of Israel needs constraint not unqualified support.
5th: Accordingly as a Palm Springs resident I ask the Council to either rescind its
October 2023 resolution or amend it to give equal consideration to both the
Palestinian and Israeli people.
Michael Howard
US Citizen
Palm Springs Resident
10/24/2024
Public Comment
Non-Agenda
From:City of Palm Springs
To:City Clerk
Subject:*NEW SUBMISSION* Submit Public Comment to the City of Palm Springs
Date:Wednesday, October 23, 2024 3:48:58 PM
NOTICE: This message originated outside of The City of Palm Springs -- DO NOT CLICK on links or open attachments
unless you are sure the content is safe.
Submit Public Comment to the City of Palm Springs
Submission #:3570698
IP Address:172.250.17.251
Submission Date:10/23/2024 3:48
Survey Time:12 minutes, 11 seconds
You have a new online form submission.
Note: all answers displaying "*****" are marked as sensitive and must be viewed after your login.
Full Name/Nombre
David Vignolo
City of Residence/Ciudad de residencia
Palm Springs,
Phone (optional) /Teléfono (opcional)
(202) 409-5113
Email (optional/opcional)
david.vignolo@verizon.net
Your Comments/Sus comentarios
I urge you in the remaining council sessions to implement rigorous procurement and project management changes
to how taxpayer funds are provided and tracked especially to non-profit organizations, and in light of today's news
that Queer Works CEO Jacob Rostovsky has been indicted on 53 felony counts, including grand theft and money
laundering. I know city staff have been directed to incorporate your suggestions into their initial staff report, but I
don't recall that a due date was set for this to come back to Council. Several of you had concerns that the city not
place too much of a burden on small or new non-profit orgs. However, being good stewards of taxpayer funds
requires you to first ensure that those seeking grants or funding from the city demonstrate their ability to employ
proper internal controls and provide detailed reports and receipts to someone on City Staff who would then be held
accountable. When will the City discuss, adopt, and implement these changes? Thank you
Thank you,
City of Palm Springs
This is an automated message generated by Granicus. Please do not reply directly to this email.
10/24/2024
Public Comment
Non-Agenda
From:City of Palm Springs
To:City Clerk
Subject:*NEW SUBMISSION* Submit Public Comment to the City of Palm Springs
Date:Thursday, October 24, 2024 9:43:59 AM
NOTICE: This message originated outside of The City of Palm Springs -- DO NOT CLICK on links or open attachments
unless you are sure the content is safe.
Submit Public Comment to the City of Palm Springs
Submission #:3572059
IP Address:172.250.17.251
Submission Date:10/24/2024 9:43
Survey Time:6 minutes, 41 seconds
You have a new online form submission.
Note: all answers displaying "*****" are marked as sensitive and must be viewed after your login.
Full Name/Nombre
Wiliam Mitchell
City of Residence/Ciudad de residencia
Palm Springs,
Phone (optional) /Teléfono (opcional)
(443) 545-4509
Email (optional/opcional)
mitchell.bill56@gmail.com
Your Comments/Sus comentarios
In its press release following the indictment of the former head of Queer Works, the City touts a myriad of
improvements in financial controls that have been implemented in the wake of the financial fraud perpetuated
against the City. These "improvements" are the same as those in the DRAFT controls that were proposed at the
September 12 City Council meeting, at which time the Council sent the proposal back to the Finance Department for
further review and update. Unless the Council approved the new measures offline, the press release appears to be
nothing more than a sad attempt to save face and not admit that the City has been unable or unwilling to adopt a
prudent set of internal controls over financial management.
Thank you,
City of Palm Springs
This is an automated message generated by Granicus. Please do not reply directly to this email.
10/24/2024
Public Comment
Non-Agenda
From:Tom Kanarr
To:Christy Holstege; City Clerk
Subject:Queer Works grant; Section 14 reparations
Date:Wednesday, October 23, 2024 6:05:32 PM
NOTICE: This message originated outside of The City of Palm Springs -- DO NOT CLICK on links or open attachments
unless you are sure the content is safe.
Hi Christy,
There have been some allegations that Jacob Rostovsky, the principal officer of
Queer Works, was one of your political supporters. Is this true? What did you know
about Rostovsky before the grant was made?
On the Section 14 reparations, I am opposed to any amount of payment to the so
called survivors. I reviewed the information on the City's website, and I saw little
evidence that the people evicted suffered material monetary losses. The City didn't
act perfectly in the evictions, but the people in question had many years notice that
this slum was going to be razed. I don't think the threat of legal action is real -
whatever "damages" were suffered have long been erased by the statute of
limitations. However, as a gesture of conciliation, I would support some sort of major
capital improvement or economic development to the neighborhood most impacted,
which I presume would be Desert Highland.
Tom Kanarr
1582 S. Compadre Rd.
Palm Springs, CA 92264
(760) 835-1681
10/24/2024
Public Comment
Non-Agenda
From:Christian Harrison
To:laphonza_butler@butler.senate.gov; Senator_Padilla@padilla.senate.gov; Young.Kim@mail.house.gov;
CA35NTIMA@mail.house.gov; vuhjined@proton.me
Subject:City Divestment From Business Tied to Genocide (forward to all members of council)
Date:Tuesday, October 22, 2024 3:08:47 PM
NOTICE: This message originated outside of The City of Palm Springs -- DO NOT CLICK on links or open
attachments unless you are sure the content is safe.
Hello council,
This email is to urge the council to adopt a resolution affirming that
the City shall refrain from investing funds (including all city
investment accounts, pension, endowment and annuity funds) and
conducting business with any private person, corporation, institution
or other entity that commits, supports, sustains or materially
benefits from human rights violations such as, but not limited to,
systemic discrimination, apartheid, ethnic cleansing, and/or genocide
as defined by the United Nations.
Second, we call on the council to fully disclose all publicly funded
investments as well as all suppliers, vendors and contractors that the
City conducts business with. The purpose of this request is to provide
full transparency in all business dealings being carried out by the
council to ensure their actions reflect the moral and ethical values
of the residents they serve. And the residents of this district value
human rights, self-determination and non-discrimination over corporate
greed and war profiteering.
Additionally, the people of this city demand that you divest from all
institutions benefitting, monetarily supporting, or profiteering from
the Military Industrial Complex and the ongoing genocides happening
all over the world. Your residents will not be complicit in the ethnic
cleansing and genocide of people in Palestine, Congo, Sudan, Tigray,
Algeria, Myanmar or any other country currently at risk of genocide.
As a reminder, the organization chart of this city begins with the
residents. We are calling on you all to affirm your commitment to
human rights, disclose financial information related to publicly
funded city business, and move to divest from any financial dealings
that do not uphold the commitment to human rights and dignity for all.
It is the demand of the people that the divestment process begins as
soon as possible and funds are reinvested into our community.
In Solidarity with Humanity,
M. Christian Harrison
10/24/2024
Public Comment
Non-Agenda
From:SCOTT DEVECHT
To:City Clerk
Cc:Jeffrey Bernstein; Ron.deHarte@palmsoringsca.gov; Grace Garner; Christy Holstege; Lisa Middleton
Subject:Resolution for Ceasefire
Date:Thursday, October 17, 2024 1:56:41 PM
NOTICE: This message originated outside of The City of Palm Springs -- DO NOT CLICK on links or open
attachments unless you are sure the content is safe.
Dear Mayor and Council Members,
I am a resident of Palm Springs for over 14 years. I would like to state my opposition to the council wading into an
area that an easy consensus of the residents of Palm Springs would reveal and agree that council members were not
elected to do. The City of Palm Springs has not created any systems or tools including committees that allow the
city working as a local body of government to weigh into international affairs of such complexity.
The city should be proud of its history as a progressive welcoming place for all. It should be proud of the detailed
research and forums engaged to bring thoughtful unity to the issues that come before the city. It should also move
with the utmost caution, in engaging in unnecessary acts that will divide an already deeply divided city, country, and
world. Clearly, we all want peace. The roads to achieve that peace are complex and varied. Our city has no
apparatus of specific knowledge and research to make representations for residents of the city of this political,
religious and international scale. Drawing any conclusions as a city body would simply be reckless. As individuals,
each council member may have strong views about the issue and can express those views through their individual
forums. However, I would be hard pressed to believe that the residents of Palm Springs believed that they were
electing you, the City Council, to represent them on international matters as complex as these.
Please do not create an unnecessary source of division for our city and valley. Instead, continue the incredible work
of safety and unity for all our residents that is normally the focus of your work.
Sincerely,
Scott L. DeVecht
10/24/2024
Public Comment
Non-Agenda
From:jlove9879@aol.com
To:info@palmspringsblackhistory.org; Jeffrey Bernstein
Cc:Alyssa Chavez; Grace Garner; Ron deHarte; Lisa Middleton; Christy Holstege; Scott Stiles; Roxanne Rodriguez;
Teresa Gallavan; Brenda Pree; Flinn Fagg
Subject:Re: Letter regarding concerns
Date:Wednesday, October 16, 2024 7:59:16 PM
NOTICE: This message originated outside of The City of Palm Springs -- DO NOT CLICK on links or open attachments
unless you are sure the content is safe.
Hello Mayor Bernstein,
Thank you for responding as well as other City Council members and City Staff.
We would love to have you attend our next Palm Springs Black History Committee
meeting next Wednesday, October 23, 2024 at 5:30p.m. at James O. Jessie Desert
Highland Unity Center.
Please let me know if you will be in attendance and if anyone else will be joining you.
Thank you and I look forward to seeing you.
Sincerely,
Janel
Secretary, Palm Springs Black History Committee
"A wise person speaks carefully and with truth, for every word that passes
between one's teeth is meant for something." Molefi Kete Asante
On Wednesday, October 2, 2024 at 08:44:27 PM PDT, Jeffrey Bernstein
<jeffrey.bernstein@palmspringsca.gov> wrote:
Dear Palm Springs Black History Committee
I would like to meet with the Palm Springs Black History Committee to understand more so we can
resolve these issues and ensure we correct problems quickly.
Are you amenable to that?
Jeffrey
Jeffrey Bernstein
Mayor
City of Palm Springs
442-305-9942
Jeffrey.Bernstein@palmspringsca.gov
10/24/2024
Public Comment
Non-Agenda
On Oct 2, 2024, at 5:08 PM, jlove9879@aol.com wrote:
NOTICE: This message originated outside of The City of Palm Springs -- DO NOT CLICK on links or
open attachments unless you are sure the content is safe.
Good Evening Mayor Bernstein, City Council Members, and City Staff,
Attached is a letter that we the Palm Springs Black History Committee
would like to submit and be read at the next City Council meeting during
public comments as well as we look forward to hearing back from you
soon regarding the letter attached.
Thank you,
Palm Springs Black History Committee
"A wise person speaks carefully and with truth, for every word that
passes between one's teeth is meant for something." Molefi Kete
Asante
<City Council about shrubs, Lawrence Crossley sign, etc... w: letterhead.doc>
10/24/2024
Public Comment
Non-Agenda
From:Thomas Ledwith
To:Christy Holstege; Grace Garner; Jeffrey Bernstein; Lisa Middleton; Ron deHarte; City Clerk
Subject:2700 E Mesquite Block
Date:Tuesday, October 15, 2024 9:22:49 AM
NOTICE: This message originated outside of The City of Palm Springs -- DO NOT CLICK on links or open attachments
unless you are sure the content is safe.
To All ,
Good morning!! So this is what this side of ps has to deal with ? Do bicycle riders pay any fees to
use the road ? Last time I checked operators of the automobile pay big cash to use the roads . We
pay for our insurance,registration, drivers license and the other state taxes. Then we are we putting
up with
dust , noise bulldozers at the end Mesquite Ave & Los compadre . When did that get all
approved ? Hmm would there be huge bike lanes in Los Palmas neighborhood area & w Steven's
rd area ? Hell no !!! The neighbors of Mesquite are dealing with a lot as you know . But, you do
not support us . Christy recuse herself- she should .Thank you for reading my email.
Thank you ,
Thomas M Ledwith
2701 E Mesquite Ave
10/24/2024
Public Comment
Non-Agenda
Sent from my T-Mobile 5G LTE device
10/24/2024
Public Comment
Non-Agenda
From:City of Palm Springs
To:City Clerk
Subject:*NEW SUBMISSION* Submit Public Comment to the City of Palm Springs
Date:Wednesday, October 23, 2024 3:48:58 PM
NOTICE: This message originated outside of The City of Palm Springs -- DO NOT CLICK on links or open attachments
unless you are sure the content is safe.
Submit Public Comment to the City of Palm Springs
Submission #:3570698
IP Address:172.250.17.251
Submission Date:10/23/2024 3:48
Survey Time:12 minutes, 11 seconds
You have a new online form submission.
Note: all answers displaying "*****" are marked as sensitive and must be viewed after your login.
Full Name/Nombre
David Vignolo
City of Residence/Ciudad de residencia
Palm Springs,
Phone (optional) /Teléfono (opcional)
(202) 409-5113
Email (optional/opcional)
david.vignolo@verizon.net
Your Comments/Sus comentarios
I urge you in the remaining council sessions to implement rigorous procurement and project management changes
to how taxpayer funds are provided and tracked especially to non-profit organizations, and in light of today's news
that Queer Works CEO Jacob Rostovsky has been indicted on 53 felony counts, including grand theft and money
laundering. I know city staff have been directed to incorporate your suggestions into their initial staff report, but I
don't recall that a due date was set for this to come back to Council. Several of you had concerns that the city not
place too much of a burden on small or new non-profit orgs. However, being good stewards of taxpayer funds
requires you to first ensure that those seeking grants or funding from the city demonstrate their ability to employ
proper internal controls and provide detailed reports and receipts to someone on City Staff who would then be held
accountable. When will the City discuss, adopt, and implement these changes? Thank you
Thank you,
City of Palm Springs
This is an automated message generated by Granicus. Please do not reply directly to this email.
10/24/2024
Public Comment
Non-Agenda