In an upside-down scenario, a Republican mayor in South Florida has ditched her resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza after criticism from a Democratic city councilwoman.
According to the conservative website The Floridian on Thursday, Doral Mayor Christi Fraga rescinded the city's resolution supporting a ceasefire, which was adopted last week, and announced a new resolution was in the works to rip Hamas as a terrorist group.
"Last week's resolution was an honest mistake that contained errors, so I chose to correct the errors with this rewrite that fully reflects my sentiment," Fraga told The Floridian.
Read: Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz Slams New York Trump Trial And Judge “Mr. Potato Head Doll Of Crimes”
The outlet reported that Fraga drafted the initial resolution with the help of pro-Hamas activist and lawyer, Zohra Mehdi Khorashi, who has been accused of being an anti-Semite and who was recently fired for her social media comments about the war.
The first document called for an end to “all hostilities” in what it referred to as “occupied Palestinian territories." It also referred to Hamas as “resistance fighters,” The Floridian noted.
A major supporter of the original document was left-wing Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who called it a "really important signal" to America.
Yet one critic on Thursday lashed out at Fraga for promoting a resolution “full of Hamas talking points."
The Floridian also noted that Democratic City Commissioner Maureen Porras was among those who called for the first resolution to be axed.
Porras explained that Fraga put the resolution on the council’s consent agenda, which is a group of items considered as a block and typically passed with one vote and no discussion.
"I think that our Jewish community feels very hurt,” Porras told The Floridian. "I don't think that it's something that truly reflects what the city should — or at least from my personal opinion — what we should be supporting. I think that the city of Doral was fine the way it was."
Another critic was Republican Sen. Marco Rubio.
“They let some Palestinian lady write the resolution, and of course, it's geared towards Hamas," Rubio told The Floridian. "The fastest way to have peace is for Hamas to surrender and lay down their weapons, or to come out in the open and fight like soldiers since they're so tough — or they claim to be — and let the civilians move to where they need to go — but they won't do it."
"That's what the resolution should have been — I don't know what internal pressures there are. I never viewed Doral as some sort of Palestinian stronghold," Rubio added.
Read: Experts Puzzled By Biden Admin’s Claim That Rafah Invasion Wouldn’t Help Israel Defeat Hamas
"These are pro-Hamas activists, these are pro-terrorist activists, these are anti-Semitic activists who are pushing these sort of narratives out there."
On Thursday, Fraga called the first resolution "naive" and "fundamentally flawed."
"While my actions were well intended, the process in which I 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," she told reporters.
That, she added, caused "a complete misunderstanding of my true intentions and stance on this international and local issue."
She then apologized "for the turmoil it has caused in our city and our state, but also the hurt it may have caused the many Jewish and Israeli members of our community."
Read: Pointing To Federal Law, Florida AG Ashley Moody Calls For Removal Of Pro-Hamas Student Visas
"Israel has a right to defend its citizens and its existence," she added.
“The pain and suffering, the loss of innocent lives, can end today, if Hamas releases the hostages, drops its weapons, and turns themselves in without conditions. This is not a matter of partisanship. It is a matter of what is right versus wrong."
__Help support the Tampa Free Press by making any small donation by clicking here.__
Android Users, Click To Download The Tampa Free Press App And Never Miss A Story. Follow Us On Facebook and Twitter.Sign up for our free newsletter.
