After nearly six months of protests by members of the Bloomington-Normal Communist Party, the McLean County Democrats are finally calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire to Israel’s War on Gaza.
The McDems passed a ceasefire resolution calling for the following measures:
- We call on Hamas and Israel for an immediate halt to the active hostilities to allow for the free access of humanitarian aid organizations to provide medical aid, food, water, clothing, shelter, and other necessary resources to Gazan civilians;
- We call for The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, other aid workers and non-governmental organizations to be given immediate access to all hostages being held in Gaza;
- We call for the immediate release of all hostages;
- We call on the U.S. government to make the safety of civilians their top priority and to work with governments in the Middle East toward an immediate and permanent ceasefire.
It’s been over six months since the beginning of Israel’s War on Gaza following the Hamas-led attack on October 7th, 2023 in what is called the Al-Aqsa Flood. During the Flood, an estimated 2,900 Hamas and other Palestinian militants broke through the Israeli border fence. They initially targeted Israeli Defense Force (IDF) targets. But they didn’t stop at military targets. They continued their attack deeper into Israel attacking a music festival and several communal villages called Kibbutzim. Ultimately, 373 Israeli security forces, 695 Israeli civilians, and 71 foreigners were killed during the flood.1 253 hostages were kidnapped and taken back to Gaza. It was the largest death count in Israeli history.
Israel claimed its military goals are to rescue all the hostages and eliminate Hamas once & for all. Israel immediately launched a medieval siege of Gaza cutting off access to electricity, water, gasoline, medicine, medical supplies, and all other aid. Six months later, the death toll in Gaza is over 32,000 confirmed deaths, with an additional ten thousand dead people estimated to be under the rubble. It is the largest death count of Palestinians in the history of the Israel/Palestine conflict.
Since the war began, the overwhelming majority of Israeli hostages have been returned during a ceasefire in November. Israel’s military assault on Gaza has only succeeded in rescuing three hostages. There are approximately 129 Israeli hostages hidden in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Israel has over 10,000 Palestinian hostages in Israeli prisons (including children), many who have never been tried for any crime. Most Palestinians who have been tried were “convicted” in military tribunals by Israeli Defense Force (IDF) soldiers with no objective judge or impartial jury.
Democratic President Joe Biden, a self-identified Zionist,2 has provided nearly unconditional support for Israel. The Biden administration continues to provide weapons to Israel despite accusations of genocide against Palestinians. Biden has said his support of Israel is iron-clad, and there is next to nothing Israel could do to end the U.S.-backed war on the Palestinians in Gaza.
Democrats have faced increasing pressure from Pro-Palestinian activists to end U.S. support for Israel’s War on Gaza. Activists have given Biden the nickname Genocide Joe.
For months, members of the Bloomington-Normal Communist Party have protested outside of McDem events and their headquarters in downtown Bloomington.
In November, during the McDem’s annual Obama Heritage Dinner, McDem Party Chair Patrick Cortesi reportedly said of a ceasefire, “I don’t… I wouldn’t say we’re necessarily sympathetic. That’s an issue that’s an international issue. I don’t think it’s something we as a county party should be diving into at this point.”
The McDems say they will send this resolution to Democratic national elected officials.
