BOLINGBROOK, IL — Bolingbrook trustees unanimously voted Tuesday night to pass a resolution calling for an immediate and permanent cease-fire in Gaza.
Besides Chicago, Bolingbrook is the only other Illinois town to adopt a Gaza cease-fire resolution, according to Arab News.
The resolution that was approved was not the original document that was brought before the Board. Trustees voted to change the title to “Affirming the Village of Bolingbrook’s commitment to diversity, a cease-fire in Gaza and all regions of the world under attack, and in support of peace” and also call “for an immediate and permanent cease-fire in Gaza and all regions of the world under attack.”
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The changes were met with cheering and multiple rounds of applause from a crowded audience at Town Center.
The resolution rejects all violence, including the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, the “rapid and continued deterioration in the region,” and the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
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“The Mayor and Board of Trustees believe, and hereby declare, that it is in the best interest of the Village to re-affirm the Village’s commitment to supporting diversity, standing up against all forms of hatred, and supporting lasting global peace through an immediate and permanent cease-fire in Gaza and all regions of the world under attack,” the resolution reads.
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The resolution commends the village’s commitment to diversity, calls for the return of prisoners and hostages, condemns all acts of violence aimed at civilians, and expresses a desire that “all people be free from occupation, authoritarian regimes, or extremist rulers who do not truly represent their populations while continuing to put people in harm’s way.”
Trustee Michael Carpanzano commended the Board and mayor for taking courage to “even approach this topic.”
“I think we have to appreciate the courage of this Board … and this mayor to put this on the agenda this evening for discussion, for us to have what I think we all believe in in this country is the ability to talk about this, listen, engage and hopefully love each other,” he said.
Trustee Jose Quintero echoed Carpanzano’s comments, saying, “We are listening. We did listen. Is there work that can be done with what was presented? Absolutely. That’s why you guys are here. We appreciate the fact that you guys are here. But we are listening and we will continue listening to Bolingbrook.”
Ahead of the regular meeting, the Board received 33 public comments calling for trustees to pass the resolution, according to Village Clerk Martha Barton.
Mayor Mary Alexander-Basta commended the youth who attended the meeting. After asking them to stand up, the audience recognized them with a round of applause.
“Keep your passion,” the mayor told them. “Never forget who you are, where you came from, your heritage and your history. Always keep that, always keep that, always remember that and always share that.”
Before the Board approved changes, many residents spoke out against the resolution’s wording, which affirmed the village’s “commitment to diversity and in support of peace.” The original document did not call for a cease-fire but stated the Board “expresses deep concern at the initiation of violence against civilians and the attack of Oct. 7, 2023, and the rapid and continued deterioration in the region, particularly in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, throughout Israel and now Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen, along with the continued war in Ukraine and Russia.”
The resolution also said the mayor and Board “condemn all acts of violence aimed at civilians including all acts of terrorism and indiscriminate attacks as well as acts of provocation, incitement and destruction.”
Reem Townsend, a first-generation Palestinian-American, called it “worthless, nothing to be proud of [and] a meaningless fluff piece to make the Board feel like they did something good.”
Kathy Rodriguez, a Bolingbrook resident and attorney, called the original draft a “weak stance.”
“We are a diverse city,” she said. “You always boast about that, businesses, government, but we can’t be tokenized and only pulled out when it’s convenient. You have to stand with all of us, always … and not just pull us out to parade us as something that you should be so happy to have here but then do away with all that of what we’re asking of you, which is very simple: putting a resolution that says there must be a cease-fire … in Palestine. They need immediate humanitarian aid and this shouldn’t be a hard ask at all.”
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