* As you’ll see below, while maybe one or two members heard somebody say this, it hasn’t been formally communicated to or even discussed with members…
State lawmakers aren’t expected to vote on any resolutions related to the Middle East during the veto session that starts this week.
Taking a position: Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch and Senate President Don Harmon, both Democrats, are taking the view that state lawmakers should focus on state issues — not what’s happening in another part of the world. Critics, of course, say silence speaks louder than words.
Behind the scenes: Welch and Harmon have privately indicated to lawmakers they won’t call any resolutions on the issue. They know that allowing a pro-Israel resolution to pop up would prompt a pro-Palestinian resolution to follow, and vice versa, which could create party chaos as Democrats are split on the issue.
The logic: Harmon and Welch want to avoid a repeat of what happened in the Chicago City Council earlier this month that saw rowdy members of the public kicked out of the chambers and aldermen leaving the building in order to avoid going on the record on a resolution supporting Israel.
Not to be deterred: Republican Rep. Brad Halbrook and Senate Minority Leader Tony McCombie have offered up resolutions condemning the deadly Hamas attacks on Israel. But with Democrats in charge, those measures aren’t likely to see the light of day.
It might make sense to stay out of it, but it does seem likely that it will be discussed in caucus and leadership meetings this week.
From Speaker Welch’s spokesperson Jaclyn Driscoll…
This is not something we have discussed with our caucus, and none of our members have filed any resolutions on this topic.
From Senate President Harmon’s spokesperson John Patterson…
No decisions have been made. No discussions have occurred with the caucus. And to our knowledge, no such resolutions have been filed in the Senate.
* Things are definitely heating up out there. Here’s ABC 7…
The Arab-American Bar Association of Illinois will hold a press conference Monday morning to share their deep concern for what they said is a significant rise in anti-Arab, Islamaphobic and Anti-Semitic rhetoric.
Governor JB Pritzker is expected to attend along with a number of other officials.
The press conference is taking place after dueling rallies Sunday in Skokie ended in reports of gunfire.
The event starts at 11 o’clock. Click here to watch it. We’ll have more later.
* Sun-Times…
Two people were taken into police custody Sunday evening after one man allegedly fired a shot in the air near a group of pro-Palestinian demonstrators protesting an Israeli solidarity event in the northern suburbs and another man later maced the group, which included a Sun-Times reporter.
No one was injured by the gunshot. Another protester was struck in a hit and run, police said, but was also not seriously injured.
The melee unfolded outside an event called to show solidarity with Israel at Ateres Ayala, a banquet hall in Skokie near the border with Lincolnwood. The event was held by the Chicago-based Midwest Regional Office of the Simon Wiesenthal Center. More than a dozen organizations took part, including the Mobile Museum of Tolerance, the Anti-Defamation League, the Jewish United Fund, the Jewish National Fund and others. About 1,000 people attended, organizers said.
A separate Jewish group had planned a “peace and prayer” rally in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war in Federal Plaza in the Loop Sunday, but an organizer said it was canceled after the group was threatened. Pro-Palestinian groups had also planned a demonstration for Federal Plaza, but after the Jewish rally was canceled the groups decided to move the protest to Skokie when they learned about the Israeli solidarity event.
Hatem Abudayyeh, national chair of U.S. Palestinian Community Network, said in a statement they moved the protest because the Jewish groups “must be confronted as the racist apologists for Israel that they are.”
Yeah, it’s getting bad. “Racist apologists.” Whew.
* More on the shooting. The Sun-Times has video of the shooting’s immediate aftermath. If you click here, though, it looks like there was some sort of scuffle over an Israeli flag (the Sun-Times reported that the shooter’s car was covered with Israeli flags). The person who appeared to “rescue” the flag ran away, then appeared to chase someone and then turned and ran at the pro-Palestinian demonstrators. He was quickly surrounded by the demonstrators, then pulled out the gun. The police then pulled their guns and he surrendered.
* Back to the Sun-Times…
After the shots fired incident, heated words were exchanged as people exiting the Israeli solidarity event confronted the pro-Palestinian protesters. One man, who had an Israeli flag draped over his shoulders, grabbed a Palestinian flag from a protester.
When the protester tried to grab the flag back, the man pulled out a can of mace and sprayed it into the crowd, hitting several protesters, a Chicago police officer providing backup at the scene and a Sun-Times reporter.
* If you have a moment, read this piece by Charlotte Clymer and let us know what you think.
- Michelle Flaherty - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 10:33 am:
– Senate Minority Leader Tony McCombie –
You never quite know which alternate reality Politico is covering on a weekly if not daily basis.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 10:35 am:
=== Senate Minority Leader===
Meh. Typos happen. I meant to write amendatory veto this morning and wrote amendment. Oops.
- Donnie Elgin - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 10:48 am:
“State lawmakers aren’t expected to vote on any resolutions related to the Middle East during the veto session”
The IL general assembly had no problem supporting Ukraine. Somehow, the 31 Americans killed and over 20 America still held hostage, has not prompted leaders in Springfield to support Israel or at the minimum condemn Hamas.
https://www.sj-r.com/story/news/state/2022/12/01/illinois-lawmakers-pass-measure-limiting-state-investment-in-russian-assets/69690679007/
- Siualum - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 10:52 am:
The Clymer piece is excellent. Thanks for the link.
- JoanP - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 10:56 am:
Elizabeth Spiers, a NYT writer, had similar comments to Clymer’s here: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/21/opinion/silence-social-media-conflict.html?showTranscript=1
She notes, “What we want is a simple binary where there’s a good side and an evil side and we can easily identify heroes and villains. And social media kind of lends itself to making very binary statements.”
I have no hesitation in unconditionally condemning Hamas’ actions. And I believe that Israel has a right to defend itself. But that does not mean that I support every action Israel has taken to do that. Palestinians are not all Hamas, and the result is a humanitarian crisis.
I guess what I’m saying is that the modern history of Israel/Palestine is complicated and fraught and the result is that any nuanced comment about it is subject to, well, I was going to say misinterpretation, but it’s not that. It’s “how dare you not take MY side!” So people don’t say anything at all.
- green giant - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 10:58 am:
Is Shia just posting whatever she gets from Rep. Rashid verbatim?
- vern - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 11:00 am:
=== has not prompted leaders in Springfield to support Israel or at the minimum condemn Hamas ===
…they have, just in press releases instead of a resolution. And a resolution is just a more formal press release anyways.
One of the weird things about this issue is the constant demand for more words. Activists on both sides of it demand perfectly worded statements from people with no power or role in the conflict. All the GA can do here is put out statements, whether formal or informal. Whatever they say won’t make a bit of difference on the other side of the world.
- Amalia - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 11:01 am:
The Clymer piece says it all. Except thanks a lot England for not handling things the right way 100 years ago. Religion is killing. Literally.
- Excitable Boy - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 11:11 am:
Rep. Morgan ought to read the Clymer piece before dismissing all discussion of de-escalation.
- Shibboleth - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 11:24 am:
Charlotte’s article is outstanding. Thank you for sharing.
- Torco Sign - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 11:27 am:
State Rep. Bob Morgan celebrated successfully lobbying the Chicago City Council to issue a resolution. He applauded a move by Treasurer Frerichs. But he’s fine with the legislature he’s a member of staying silent? Morgan is ambitious but he needs to take a stand and not let people concerned about the margin of their majority make him look morally weak if he even dreams of running for Congress someday.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 11:30 am:
===but he needs to===
Says who?
- lake county democrat - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 11:34 am:
I know I’ll be in the dissent, but I think the second part of Clymer’s piece is at odds with itself. You can agree with nearly every individual point she makes and still arrive at the ultimate contradiction. She says she agrees Hamas is a real, genocidal threat to Israel. She says they must be removed from power. She says Israel “has every right to protect itself against terrorists or any other credible national security threat.” But then she effectively says Israel does not have the right because they will kill too many civilians who “should never pay the price for the horrific actions of their government.” Israel has apparently decided they are not going to give Hamas any more chances to “get it right” (and really, how far away are we from drones with bioweapons). One can agree with that and still attack Israel for war crimes. One can disagree with that and still attach Hamas for its terrorism. But I do think that for all the individual instances and historical points she makes, ultimately that’s the choice.
ANd now I’ll partially contradict myself: a (regrettably) small number of pro-Israeli voices have urged a third option to at least try before a full ground invasion (which involves demanding Qatar arrest Hamas’ leadership - itself unlikely but it would at least give time for more humanitarian aid to arrive)
- Lincoln Lad - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 12:10 pm:
That a condemnation of Hamas is in anyway controversial, is beyond my understanding. Just do that, and no one in the General Assembly should resist that. No one.
- LastModDemStanding - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 12:14 pm:
==Pro-Palestinian groups had also planned a demonstration for Federal Plaza, but after the Jewish rally was canceled the groups decided to move the protest to Skokie when they learned about the Israeli solidarity event.==
I have no words. This feels like intimidation and harassments, as I have yet to see this happen during these massive pro-Palestinian protests.
Is it that hard for people, primarily these solidarity groups, to denounce terrorism of Hamas? This is getting really dark.
- Thomas Paine - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 12:14 pm:
=== If you have a moment, read this piece by Charlotte Clymer and let us know what you think. ===
“Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” - Elie Wiesel
How naive and uninformed of Clymer to suggest millennials invented the imperative to speak out.
Yes, the situation is complicated. But that does not relieve anyone of the individual burden of sifting through the complex web to pick a side.
What do we say to those who blame the rise of the Third Reich on the Treaty of Versailles? Yeah, the treaty sucked, but no one forced the Germans to march down the road to genocide, they made a choice…and within that choice lays morality.
Hamas made a choice a long time ago to seek the eradication of Jews not just in Israel, but everywhere. They are a terror organization. It’s pretty cut and dried.
Nothing about the political situation, the humanitarian crisis, nor the military action in Gaza changes the basic facts about Hamas.
Is it complicated? Yes. Is it relevant? Not really.
I mean, if you want to Versailles this situation, why stop at Netanyahu? Why not go back to the settlements of the Reagan era and the Carter era? Why not go back to the Arab-Israeli war, when Israel occupied Gaza following Egypt’s attack? Or back further to the partition of Israel or its occupation by the Ottoman Empire?
The thing is, you dont need too. Because despite the centuries of history, on October 7, Palestinians acting in concert and under the leadership of Hamas still had a choice, and what they chose was mass murder and kidnapping.
In Western law, they refer to this as the “proximate and actual cause.” It basically means “yes, you had a rough childhood, but you are still morally responsible for the choices you make as a grown man.”
- Just Observing - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 12:17 pm:
@Lake County Democrat — Agreed. There is also no evidence that Israel intentionally targets civilians like she claims they do.
- 47th Ward - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 12:36 pm:
I would just point out that Hamas is not synonymous with Palestinians. Hamas attacked Israel. And a lot of innocent Palestinians are paying the ultimate price for that act of terror. There are many Palestinians caught in the cross fire, and they are not all supporters of Hamas.
- JS Mill - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 12:44 pm:
=Hamas made a choice a long time ago to seek the eradication of Jews not just in Israel, but everywhere. They are a terror organization. It’s pretty cut and dried.=
Now add Hezbollah and Iran to that list.
The people of Gaza that are not part of Hamas are in a bad spot, but Israel did not put them there. I feel for them.
But the pro palestinian protestors in the US are sadly misguided and naive. Israel will do what they believe they need to do to make themselves safe regardless of what the rest of the world thinks, including the US and I do not blame them one bit.
- Just Observing - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 1:06 pm:
=== I would just point out that Hamas is not synonymous with Palestinians. Hamas attacked Israel. And a lot of innocent Palestinians are paying the ultimate price for that act of terror. There are many Palestinians caught in the cross fire, and they are not all supporters of Hamas. ===
Correct. And this is a very sad tragedy of the conflict. Of course, this is the case in conflicts all over the world, past and present. But Israel can not just ignore the insanely dangerous threat of Hamas simply because of the risk of civilian casualties, and I have yet to hear from anyone how to credibly eliminate Hamas without Palestinian civilians facing some risk.
- Candy Dogood - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 1:19 pm:
===at the minimum condemn Hamas===
In general I don’t think state legislatures need to specifically engage in passing resolutions that condemn terrorist organizations. There are a lot of terrorist organizations that are worthy of condemnation and we simply aren’t in the practice of doing that.
In addition to that, Ukraine was invaded by Russia. Both are recognized as nation states and are in an actual war with each other. Hamas is a terrorist organization that is not recognized by the United States as a legitimate governing body. They’ve been listed as a terrorist organization since 1997.
Not making a statement is fine — it might need a better explanation than “we’re just focusing on Illinois right now.” Hamas is beneath recognition by the State of Illinois in such a formal manner. The Speaker is free to quote me.
- levivotedforjudy - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 1:26 pm:
This situation is so personal to people with direct and indirect blood and religious connections to it that no matter how fair and reasonable a resolution might be, there will be a lot of people that will think it didn’t go far enough and/or did not condemn the right entity. This is such a “no win” situation when there is just about zero tangible impact a state legislature can bring forth.
- Mayo Sandwich - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 1:30 pm:
How about a statement “Killing innocent civilians is bad.” Why would we need to cherry pick which innocent civilians?
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 1:42 pm:
I question the sanity of anyone who cares what a Chicago alderperson thinks about Israel and Palestine.
- This - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 1:53 pm:
Yes - who cares what a state rep or alderperson thinks about foreign policy? Stay in your lane.
- Thomas Paine - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 4:53 pm:
=== Why would we need to cherry pick which innocent civilians?===
Why not throw in the tens of thousands killed by drunk driving in the US eaxh year?
Oh, I know: because people were expressing outrage about terrorist attacks, and the deaths in Gaza are not from a terrorist attack nor are the deaths on US highways.
You are trying to “All Lives Matter” this situation without actually including all civilian lives lost, but only a selective group, and in doing so suggest that the lives lost involve some sort of trade off or relationship.
In the same way that the “All Lives Matter” folks were only ever talking about Black people killed by police, and police officers who died in the line of duty…but then used police officers that died from COVID to inflate their numbers.
- Yiddishcowboy - Monday, Oct 23, 23 @ 6:36 pm:
@Mayo Sandwich at 1:30: Why “cherry pick”? Because a distinction is involved and necessary: Hamas purposely sought out/targeted Israeli civilians to kill, kidnap, etc. Israel/IDF doesn’t target civilians, be they Gazans or whomever, regardless of what the NYT, BBC and other far-left and arguably anti-Israel media outlets report. (As reported by Politico, see the correction the NYT issued re its hasty report that Israel bombed the Gazan hospital.) Moreover, in terms of the death of Gazan civilians, only Hamas is to blame as Israel is defendingitself. (By the way, I also disagree with right-wing media’s attempts to equate Gazans with Hamas.)