[Update, 5/18/24]
Despite a number of speakers at today's Arlington County Board public-comment period pressing them, Arlington County Board members said there would be no change to their decision not to get involved in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
More coverage to come.
[Update, 5/16/24]
While Arlington County Board members say they will not be addressing a Mideast ceasefire through a resolution, that doesn't mean activists are giving up.
The first speaker signed up for the County Board's public-comment period on Saturday [May 18] at 8:30 a.m. plans to address the topic, county officials reported.
[Original coverage, 5/9/24]
Arlington County Board members are opting out of the foreign-policy business. For the moment, at least.
In correspondence with the public, County Board Chairman Libby Garvey says board members have decided not to weigh in on the current Mideast situation, despite a press from pro-Palestinian activists to do so.
“Foreign policy remains outside the purview of the Arlington County Board as a local government, and we respect this as a responsibility that rests on the shoulders of our federal representatives,” Garvey said in the letter, shared by a resident with the GazetteLeader. “An official stance would neither be appropriate nor helpful at this time.”
Both in February and April, individuals used the County Board’s public-comment period to press for an official statement related to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas-led Gaza, focusing on support for a ceasefire between the belligerents.
At the February meeting, Garvey seemed to reject the idea out of hand (and other board members stayed silent), while in April she and other board members signaled a willingness to at least consider the idea.
But apparently in the interim, there was internal consternation about getting involved in the situation, and board members opted to stay out.
“This is a sensitive, complex topic,” Garvey wrote. “Commenting on an issue as historically and socially complex as the Israel-Hamas conflict may add fuel to a public conversation that is more likely to exacerbate divisions and add to the anxiety and stress our Muslim, Jewish, Israeli and Palestinian residents are already experiencing.”
Whether that will be the end remains to be seen. The next County Board meeting, including a public-comment period, will be May 18.
Garvey suggested residents with views on the matter contact U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner and U.S. Rep. Don Beyer.
