Doral walks back call for peace in Mideast after mayor notes ‘unintended consequences’
When Doral called for a permanent end to “hostilities” in Israel and Palestine, it was touted as the “first ceasefire resolution” coming out of a South Florida city.
But just one week later, Doral is taking back its symbolic resolution after facing a barrage of backlash, with Mayor Christi Fraga now calling it “fundamentally flawed.”
“While my actions were well intended, the process in which I’ve followed, and the final wording of the resolution that was unanimously approved by my colleagues in the city council was naive of me and fundamentally flawed,” Fraga said during the press conference in downtown Doral.
Fraga said the original resolution caused “unintended consequences” and a “complete misunderstanding” of her actual stance on the issue of the war between Israel and Gaza.
The replacement resolution, which is on the agenda for Tuesday’s special council meeting, is in stark contrast to the first measure, which acknowledged the suffering and loss of life on both sides while calling for “an immediate end to all hostilities in Israel, Gaza, and Occupied Palestinian Territories,” and promoting “the unrestricted entry of humanitarian assistance into Gaza.” Both resolutions call for a release of all hostages.
Now the wording doubles down on Doral’s support for Israel, recognizing “Israel’s right to act decisively and unilaterally in self-defense.”
“I want to say that I’m very sorry for the turmoil it has caused in our city and in our state, but also the hurt it may have caused the many Jewish and Israeli members of our community,” Fraga said.
Fraga was joined by Councilman Rafael Pineyro, Miami Beach Commissioner David Suarez, Florida Rep. Alex Rizo, who also is chairman of the Miami-Dade Republican party, and several leaders from the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and the Jewish Community Relations Council, whom she thanked for helping her “arrive at this corrective action.”
“Unlike my political opponents, when I make a mistake, I take responsibility for it. I own it, and I learn from it,” Fraga said.
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In her brief comments to the media, who were not allowed to ask questions during the press conference, Fraga condemned the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel and urged her colleagues to adopt the new proposed language at the next meeting.
“Let me be clear, Israel has a right to defend its citizens and its existence,” Fraga said. “This is not a matter of partisanship, it’s a matter of what is right versus wrong.”
Fraga described the new resolution as a remedy to her “mistakes,” and said that it was crafted with input from members of the community. Specifically, the updated resolution includes details about Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel and characterizes Hamas as a terrorist organization that was “founded with the stated goal of destroying the State of Israel.”
It also says the council recognizes that Hamas “must be defeated in order for there to be peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians,” and that it “commends the extraordinary measures Israel has taken to minimize casualties among innocent civilians.” It then calls for the Biden administration to “immediately transfer all Congressionally approved military aid to Israel.”
The updated language strips any mention of condemning Islamophobic incidents, but keeps a mention of a global rise in antisemitism.
In the months since the October attacks, in which Hamas killed about 1,200 Israelis, most of them civilians, and took another 250 hostage, local politicians have largely avoided passing proclamations. Israel’s retaliation became an increasingly divisive issue, with the death toll of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip reaching an estimated 35,000-plus, according to Gaza health authorities.
Doral’s resolution was recognized as the first in South Florida that acknowledged Palestinian suffering along with mourning Israeli civilians.
Josh Sayles, director of Jewish Community Relations and Government Affairs for the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, said at the press conference that this is not the time for a ceasefire because it will not create “lasting peace.” He said that instead the United States should focus on supporting Israel and let them “finish the job.”
“When we fight back, as we always do, we fight them with full force for as long as it takes. We need to treat Hamas like we treated ISIS and Al-Qaeda because they are the same. They, like all evils, need to be annihilated.”
After a detailed summary of the brutal attacks from Hamas, Sayles said that the Palestinian people deserve better than “to be governed by terrorists.”
He also said that Hamas is murdering their own people, blaming Israel, and “turning to foreign governments and the United Nations to seek aid, sympathy and political favor.”
Zohra Khorashi, a Doral attorney who helped craft the language in the first resolution, said she was disappointed that the council caved to influences outside of the Doral community.
“It completely defeats the mayor’s initial intent to propose a resolution that was rooted in peace, as well as bringing the communities together and humanizing one another,” Khorashi said about the updated resolution.
Khorashi, a vocal advocate for Palestinian liberation, said that the first resolution was created with the local community’s intentions in mind.
“They have not only completely made this a one-sided resolution, but they purposely failed to acknowledge the present and current threat to the Muslim community that the Muslim people are facing, which is the rise in Islamophobia.”
Councilwoman Maureen Porras, who was not in attendance at the press conference, told The Floridian earlier this week that she only voted for the resolution because she “did not think that it would get a motion or a second,” and that she felt Fraga was trying to sneak the resolution past the council without discussion.
Khorashi, who argues that all council members were aware of the resolution last week when they unanimously passed it, has some theories on why members changed their mind on the first resolution.
“To completely backtrack on it, and try to pin the blame on Mayor Fraga ... The only thing I can see that she would do this is for the furtherance of her own political agenda.”
After the press conference, Vice Mayor of Hallandale Beach Anabelle Taub-Lima and Commissioner Michele Lazarow were vocal about their criticism of Mayor Fraga. Both women, wearing shirts that read, “Bring them Home,” said Fraga was merely doing “damage control.”
“I believe she is apologizing only because of the backlash,” Taub-Lima said. “The new resolution really doesn’t count. It’s not going to undo the damage.”
Taub-Lima called the original resolution “antisemitic,” referring to some of the original language as “Hamas talking points,” including the word “occupation.”
“The apology today never mentioned the women that are being raped and tortured,” said Lazarow. “We’re politicians, we know this is damage control.”
Correction: This story has been updated to reflect that Rabbi Avrohom Brashevitzky said he did not review or endorse the original resolution before it passed.
This story was produced with financial support from Trish and Dan Bell and from donors comprising the South Florida Jewish and Muslim Communities, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners. The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this work.
This story was originally published May 16, 2024 at 5:47 PM.
