88S40636 KSM-F
By: Bhojani H.R. No. 76
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, On October 7, 2023, Hamas militants based in Gaza
attacked southern Israel, murdering approximately 1,200 people and
seizing over 230 hostages; the cruel assault was met with worldwide
condemnation; and
WHEREAS, The international community also deplores the
increasingly catastrophic response by the Israeli government; its
relentless campaign of air strikes has laid waste to entire
neighborhoods, including homes, schools, hospitals, and places of
worship; more than two-thirds of the population is displaced and
over 11,100 Gazans have died, among them 4,500 children and
thousands of women and seniors; this terrible death toll surpasses
the number of children killed in conflict zones around the world
each year since 2019, according to humanitarian organization Save
the Children; and
WHEREAS, Over 28,000 Gazans have been injured and the health
care system is collapsing; conditions in the region are growing
ever more dire, with dwindling access to food, clean water,
electricity, fuel, and communications; many Texans are wracked with
worry for relatives trapped in Gaza, and compassionate people the
world over fear for their plight, as well as for Israeli hostages
held by Hamas in dangerous locations; and
WHEREAS, We recognize that the Muslim, Jewish, and Christian
communities, as the Abrahamic faiths, are impacted and devastated
by the recent conflict in the Palestinian Territories of Gaza and
the West Bank, and Israel; and
WHEREAS, The State of Texas encompasses one of the most
socio-demographically diverse regions in the country, with
thriving Muslim, Jewish, and Christian communities, and is home to
hundreds of synagogues, mosques, and churches; the coalition
between Muslims, Jews, and Christians plays a fundamental role in
joining diverse communities and leveraging their strength to deal
with this conflict through extensive interfaith and community
engagement efforts; and
WHEREAS, Tensions in the Middle East have provided fuel for
those who would stoke prejudice and division, particularly among
communities that are connected to this ongoing conflict; and
WHEREAS, In Texas, local Arab, Muslim, and Jewish communities
are facing increased physical and verbal assaults and intimidation
due to heightened Islamophobia and antisemitism; these threats have
been made clear in recent years through such incidents as the murder
of a Muslim South Asian pediatrician in Conroe and the mass shooting
in Allen by a Nazi sympathizer; and
WHEREAS, Governor Greg Abbott and other officials have spoken
out forcefully against antisemitism and in support of Israel's
right to defend itself; Arab, South Asian, and Muslim communities
are increasingly frustrated and dismayed by the Abbott
administration's muted reaction to Islamophobia in Texas and by the
failure to call for a cease-fire in Gaza; these communities have
become more civically engaged in our democracy, as acceptance of
diversity has expanded, but silence in the face of mass civilian
casualties in Gaza and rising bigotry in our state leaves members
alienated and disheartened; and
WHEREAS, Governor Abbott has demonstrated his influence in
addressing the ongoing conflict, as evidenced by his assertive
measures, including the allocation of funds to 31 Jewish
organizations with the purpose of security enhancements and his
personal visit to the region; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature, 4th Called Session, hereby:
1. Urge Governor Greg Abbott to utilize all available means
to achieve a cease-fire in Gaza;
2. Mourn the lives lost and the destruction, both physical
and emotional, in the region known as the Holy Land, which holds
religious significance and reverence in all three Abrahamic faiths;
3. Grieve for our community members and all those throughout
the United States who are emotionally connected to this conflict or
have family and relatives in the Holy Land;
4. Condemn the rising antisemitism, Islamophobia, and
objectionable rhetoric and rising hate in our communities;
5. Believe that the diversity of our state is our strength
but the social bonds we create and nourish are our power; and
6. Seek understanding, respect, and recognition of our pain
through peaceful and civil discourse to set an example for other
communities to follow.