Activists demand Los Angeles leaders drop pro-Israel resolution

Activists in Los Angeles are demanding that city leaders reject a proposed resolution that expresses support for Israel, despite overwhelming evidence that it has committed war crimes against Palestinians in Gaza, Press TV reports.

Activists gathered outside Los Angeles City Hall on Friday to protest against the proposed resolution.

The resolution makes false claims about Israel’s recent onslaught against the besieged Gaza Strip in which nearly 2,000 Palestinians were killed, activists said. It also portrays Israel as a victim.

“At every level the resolution which is going to praise Israel for restraint and blame Hamas for using civilians as human shields is a lie and an attempt to cover up what the rest of the world surely knows,” National Lawyers Guild Executive Director Jim Lafferty told Press TV’s correspondent Ross Frasier in Los Angeles.

Lafferty said organizations like Amnesty International have shown that Israel has been targeting civilians in Gaza and that attacks on refugee centers set up by the United Nations were an indication.

Organizers told Los Angeles officials that the resolution, presented by Councilman Paul Koretz, is a blatant political move that will put the city on the wrong side of history.

“That’s justifying the recognized war crimes that Israel is carrying out and excusing the killing of over 2,000 innocent people, a majority being civilians and hundreds of them being children,” Mike Prysner from ANSWER Coalition told Press TV.

City leaders have decided to put the pro-Israel resolution on hold. However, they made it clear that the resolution would be discussed again later.

Activists say they plan to return to City Hall with more numbers when the resolution is revisited.