The Washington County Democratic Central Committee (of Oregon State) passed a CEASEFIRE resolution on December 6, 2023

WCDCC Dec 2023 Statement on Israel & Palestine
Brought for a vote of the Central Committee at the Special Meeting on December 6th, 2023

As Oregonians and Democrats, we are dedicated to a better world- a world founded on peace, unity, equity, and genuine democracy for all.

We recognize that when communities such as Israel and Palestine are under threat, sometimes resistance is an expected response, and in certain cases may be justified. We denounce the attacks taking place in Israel and Gaza.

We recognize that Hamas and Palestine are not the same and that the Palestinian people as a whole, have suffered greatly due to the actions of Hamas and the subsequent Israeli offensive. The majority of the thousands of dead are innocent Palestinians, Israelis, and immigrants predominantly from African and Asian countries who deserve to live long, happy, and full lives. As Democrats, we mourn all of them.

We call for a ceasefire in Gaza, and the unconditional release and accounting of all Israeli hostages. We call for an end to violence against innocent civilians. We firmly stand for peace, justice, and freedom for all, recognizing the legitimate aspirations of both the Palestinian and Israeli people. In the days ahead we remain committed to working together as allies and friends to prevent human suffering and environmental damage, establish humanitarian corridors, and support the Israeli and Palestinian people in efforts to create the conditions necessary for peace.

Our goal is a world where dialogue and cooperation prevail, and where the voices of all people, regardless of their background, are heard and respected; a world where anti-Semitism and Islamophobia are not part of our lives. We believe that there is a path forward for a peaceful, equitable, democratic solution rooted in shared values, empathy, and humanity.

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Washington County Democrats Pass Policy Statement Calling for a Ceasefire in Gaza

At our Central Committee Meeting on Wednesday, December 6th, the Washington County Democrats passed a policy statement regarding the war in Gaza.

Here are some thoughts from our party Chair, Martita Meier, about the policy statement:

I want to say a special thank you to all of the people involved in putting this together.

First and foremost, thank you for the patience of our community members throughout Washington County, as well as the various activist groups who called on us to create this policy statement. I appreciate your candor and urgency in calling us to action.

I would also like to thank the subcommittee who helped write the draft to get us here. Thank you to Michele Wise, Ronnie Wise, Zeloszelos Marchandt, and Garrett Fleenor. I appreciate your time and attention to the details, and your commitment to a statement that would assure all communities who are suffering feel heard and understood.

We can be slow-moving sometimes, but I am proud of our truly democratic process. I thank the PCPs who came tonight – called to a special meeting together to help us pass this motion for the policy that you see here today.

Our hope is that as more and more Americans express their urgency on this matter, our representatives and electeds in higher office will take actions that are fair and clear. If there’s one thing I feel confident all Americans can agree on: we do not want civilians to suffer from the acts of war, and we do not want terrorist groups enabled to cause harm.

Sincerely,

Martita Meier, Washington County Democrats Chair