Friday, March 29th 2024   |

Council looks to overturn pro-BDS resolution on Thursday

By ALAN SMASON

After a contentious week in which embarrassed New Orleans City Council members found themselves the targets of pushback from members of the Jewish community, the combined forces of Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans headed by CEO Arnie Fielkow and the South Central Region of the Anti-Defamation League headed by CEO Aaron Ahlquist, seem ready to commit to overturning controversial Resolution R-18-5. The measure, which had been sponsored by City Council president Jason Rogers Williams and agreed to by Mayor-elect Latoya Cantrell and three others, passed last Thursday by a vote of 5-0. Councilpersons Stacy Head and Susan Guidry both indicated they would work to overturn the vote. Guidry agreed hessitatingly to vote on the measure, but Head was not present at the time of the vote.

Federation of Greater New Orleans CEO Arnie Fielkow just fought his first major threat from pro-Palestinians this past week. (Photo by Alan Smason)

Although Cantrell has stated she was unaware that the measure had been proffered by pro-BDS (boycott, divest and sanction) movement associated with Palestinians as a way of delegitimizing the State of Israel.

Williams issued a statement on Wednesday explaining his rethinking on the issue and expressed a desire to overturn the present resolution, which does not have the force of law behind it.

“I am sad to say that I was not aware of the ‘BDS movement,’ its origin or its mission, ” the statement read. “I have spent my time since Friday morning educating myself on the complex, long history of these movements and issues in our city and worldwide. Let me be very clear to citizens of New Orleans and citizens of the world; this City Council is not anti-Israel. That sentiment is inconsistent with the Council’s actions and certainly mine personally.”

Williams acknowledged the contributions of members of the Jewish community earlier in the City Council session held at the Orleans Parish School Board building in Algiers “Although I did not draft this ordinance or participate in its construction, after being asked last week by a fellow Councilmember I did agree to co-sponsor it based on a reading of the language within the four corners of the document and its articulated intended purpose as a resolution on human rights,” the statement continued.

New Orleans City Council president Jason Williams. (Photo by Greg Rhoades)

Williams went on to state: “I do not believe it was introduced under suspension for any nefarious purpose. However, it is clear that it was certainly a mistake in doing so. Because of the introduction under suspension, the discussion of the resolution before the City Council vote was not a diverse space of various viewpoints. It did not give notice or opportunity to dear friends and New Orleans residents who rightly feel deeply aggrieved by this vote. Therefore, I think it is important to reconsider this matter.”

This means that the measure will be considered to be overturned on January 25.

For more background information on the BDS movement, the Federation and ADL have authored two resource links: The ABC’s of BDS and BDS: The Global Campaign to Delegitimize Israel

 

 

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