Pro-Palestine protesters looked down on Iowa lawmakers from the House gallery, shouting “shame” after a resolution to support Israel was passed on Thursday morning.
Nearly four months after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, which killed at least 1,200 citizens, the Iowa House of Representatives announced its support for Israel and condemned the attacks on the country.
Israel has killed at least 25,000 Palestinians in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza since the start of the conflict. Palestinians are continuing to face intense bombing campaigns and land invasions by the Israeli military.
Not long after the vote, Rep. Sami Scheetz, D-Cedar Rapids, reiterated his call for a ceasefire in a news conference.
Elected in 2022, Scheetz is of Syrian and Palestinian descent and is the first Arab American elected to the Iowa Legislature. Serving his first term in office, he has been calling for a ceasefire since mid-October.
The resolution, which passed the House by a voice vote, affirmed Iowa’s “support and unwavering commitment to the welfare, security, and survival of the state of Israel.”
House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, told The Des Moines Register that Iowa and the U.S. cannot ignore an unprovoked attack on an ally, and the resolution was a message from the House Republicans that they stand with Israel.
Grassley said “no one wants to see any level of death and destruction” in the Gaza Strip.
“Historically and currently, we’ve been very supportive of Israel,” he said. “And when it comes to any terrorist organizations, we’re going to stand with our ally and what we have in Israel.’
Following the passing of the resolution, the protesters shouted “free Palestine” before marching to the rotunda to stage a demonstration.
Calling on the U.S., the Iowa House requested that Congress assist in Israel’s defense against Hamas and other terrorist organizations via foreign aid.
The resolution urged Iowa’s state and local law enforcement agencies to protect Israel Americans and Israel supporters from acts of crime and discrimination.
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The House also recognized Israel’s right of self-defense to protect its citizens and oppose pressure to enter a ceasefire before its safety is secured.
The resolution expressed the House’s support for Israel to eliminate Hamas and any other terrorist groups without interference or condemnation until public safety is achieved.
House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights, would not comment on how she voted on the resolution during a press conference on Thursday.
