This city, very carefully, calls for end to Mideast ‘hostilities.’ It’s a first for Miami-Dade

City governments across South Florida moved quickly last October to express support for Israel and condemn an unprecedented and brutal attack by Hamas, which killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took another 250 hostage.

In the months since, however, local politicians have largely avoided passing proclamations as Israel’s retaliation became an increasingly divisive issue, with the death toll of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip reaching an estimated 30,000-plus.

On Wednesday, the Doral City Council decided to weigh in on the continuing violence in the Middle East — but very carefully.

The council unanimously passed a resolution, initially proposed by Mayor Christi Fraga, calling for a permanent end to “hostilities” in the region and supporting peace and protection for all civilians in Israel and Palestine.

At the meeting, Councilwoman Maureen Porras called the move the “first ceasefire resolution” coming out of South Florida. But Fraga was more circumspect, explaining that the measure was not a “ceasefire resolution” but meant more as a promotion of “unity.”

Specifically, the resolution acknowledges the suffering and loss of life experienced by everyone impacted by the conflict while calling for “an immediate end to all hostilities in Israel, Gaza, and Occupied Palestinian Territories,” the “release of all hostages,” and promoting “the unrestricted entry of humanitarian assistance into Gaza.” It also condemns the recent rise of antisemitic and Islamophobic attacks in Florida and across the nation among other measures to promote safety in the Middle East.

In a memo sent ahead of the meeting, Fraga urged the rest of the council to show their support by taking “a stand for peace and justice.” While the resolution is symbolic, it does make a statement, she said.

“As a mother I know the world I want to leave my son,” Fraga said during a brief discussion about the proposal. “This shows that as a community we can come together to recognize human life.”

Zohra Khorashi, an attorney who lives in Doral, said she brought the idea of the resolution to the Doral City Council in an effort to spotlight the rising death toll of Palestinians and humanize their suffering amid a war that she believes has repercussions for the Palestinian and Muslim communities in Miami.

“I just felt compelled as a citizen of Doral to reach out to the mayor and see that just as she is being very mindful and inclusive of the Jewish community, as she should, if there is something that we could do, where we can also make the Muslim community living in the city of Doral feel included,” she said.

Khorashi, a vocal advocate for Palestinian liberation, said that all Palestinians have been unfairly conflated with the actions of Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip and has been labeled a terrorist group by the U.S., resulting in the dehumanization of innocent people. She believes this resolution is an important step in finding common ground.

“What kind of world do we want to create? A child in Palestine is dying every 10 minutes, and the world could have done something about it, but chose to stay silent, not even a mere acknowledgment of their pain and suffering.”

In the weeks following the Oct. 7 Hamas raid, many cities in Miami-Dade, including Doral and even the county itself, were quick to show their support for Israel by supporting pro-Israel resolutions, and even boosting financial investments in Israel bonds at the county level. Khorashi points out that there had been little discussion about the plight of the Palestinian people.

“The intention of the resolution was not in any way, shape, or form to minimize or devalue the suffering of the Israelis or the Jewish community or ignore the atrocities that took place on October 7,” Khorashi said.

Khorashi’s cause resonated with Fraga, who responded to Khorashi’s outreach immediately. The two quickly began working on language for a resolution.

“Ms. Khorashi wanted to bring something forward that recognized her community but also was sensitive to what was happening to our world,” Fraga said at the meeting.

Though the issue of the Israel-Gaza war has been fraught with political tension, Fraga, who was a strong conservative voice on the Miami-Dade school board, urged her colleagues to show their support for the resolution which she said is “a testament to our unwavering commitment to prioritize the safety, security and well-being of civilians irrespective of their affiliations.”

‘Ceasefire’ too politically charged

The passing of the resolution did not come without some complications. Notably absent from the three-page resolution was the word “ceasefire,” which supporters say was necessary to omit in order to gain official support.

The term ceasefire, which is historically understood to mean a stoppage of war on each side, has been viewed in some circles as a call to support Hamas or a denial of Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas’ actions.

The resolution comes at a time where talks of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas have been escalating, but nothing has been formally accepted. The hopes for a ceasefire deal dimmed after Israeli tanks began invading Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost city where more than a million Palestinians have been sheltering, earlier this week.

At the meeting, Fraga said the wording intentionally avoided entering the ceasefire debate.

“We were really careful in crafting this,” she said.

Councilwoman Maureen Porras asked if the new measure would effectively annul Doral’s prior resolution to support Israel’s right to defend itself. Jalal “Jay” Shehadeh, a local Palestinian lawyer who helped organize the resolution, told the council that it would not in any way undo their previous resolution for Israel.

While the measure is symbolic, Khorashi hoped Doral’s support would be a first step and other cities might follow suit.

“I’m hoping that this resolution will set the first brick,” she said. “It opens up this door to be able to now have these tough conversations, which hopefully lead towards some sort of a peaceful resolution.”

This story was produced with financial support from Trish and Dan Bell and from donors comprising the South Florida Jewish and Muslim Communities, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners. The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this work.