The Metro Nashville Council is scheduled to vote at next week’s meeting on a resolution condemning “all acts of the United States Government and the State of Israel that contribute to a continuation of the genocide of the Palestinian people.”
The resolution, filed as RS2025-1547 on Tuesday, is sponsored by Councilmember Ginny Welsch, who represents District 16.
If passed, the Metro Council would be taking an official stance concerning the ongoing conflict involving Israel and Hamas in Gaza, specifically denouncing actions taken by both the U.S. and Israel that the resolution characterizes as contributing to what it describes as the genocide of the Palestinian people.
The text of the resolution references the definition of genocide as outlined by the United Nations Genocide Convention and cites various international organizations, including the United Nations Human Rights Council, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch, which have raised concerns about human rights violations in the region.
The resolution outlines specific allegations, including statements attributed to Israeli officials, reported casualties among civilians, journalists, and medical workers, and restrictions on humanitarian aid.
It also mentions the role of the U.S. government in providing military and financial support to Israel, stating that American weapons and funding have been used in the conflict.
Further, the resolution expresses concern over allegations that free speech has been suppressed against those who protest or speak out against the conflict.
The resolution goes on to call for the following actions:
That the Council affirms that this humanitarian crisis calls for immediate actions, including the immediate cease all sales and transfers of military arms and financial support to the State of Israel.
That the Council demands that using any and all diplomatic means possible, the U.S. Government and the State of Israel must protect of the right of Palestinian people to live in their homeland free from violence, as required by international law.
That the Council rejects any efforts of U.S. federal and state governments to limit free speech by declaring that criticism of the policies of the government of the State of Israel is inherently anti-Semitic.
The measure is scheduled to be debated during the Metro Council’s next meeting on Thursday, October 9.
U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), who is running for Tennessee governor, commented on the resolution set to be debated by the Metro Council, calling the measure “absurd.”
“The Councilwoman has it wrong. Has she forgotten about the pain that Hamas, Hezbollah, and others have inflicted on thousands of innocent people? She should stay informed,” Blackburn said.
Last year, a resolution that would have seen the Metro Council adopt an official position “supporting an end to violence between Israel and Palestine” was withdrawn despite gaining 17 sponsors.
That resolution, filed as RS2024-556, supported “all efforts to bring both Hamas and the Israeli Government to the table to resume negotiations for a permanent ceasefire that will end the violence between Israel and Palestine, release the remaining hostages, and begin to heal our hurting communities here in Nashville and Davidson County.”
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Image “Nashville Metro City Council” by Nashville Metro City Council.
