Personal Experience Fighting CeaseFire Resolution in Las Cruces City Council
Written by Francis Williams
On May 4th, I received a phone call from Councilman Bill Mattice, who informed me that the pro-Palestinian protestors had sent a proclamation to the Las Cruces City Council to condemn Israel and wanted it to be voted on at the City Council meeting to be held on May 6. As soon as the call ended, I called Rabbi Evette (Temple Beth El), Rabbi Schmukler (Chabad Las Cruces), and Monika Kimball, who would help spread the word about the Council Meeting. Interestingly, I had run against Bill Mattice for Mayor of Las Cruces. He won, and I lost. We were not bosom buddies, but now Bill has become a very blessed friend to me and a great City Councilor.
After this phone call, I immediately wrote a Proclamation in support of Israel. I asked that it be put on the agenda for this meeting along with the proclamation submitted by the pro-Palestinian protesters. Then I got on the phone and called everyone that I knew would want to be at the May 6th meeting and asked that they call people to advise them of the meeting. I also found out that the protestors had set up ten tents at New Mexico State University for other protestors, and I called Chairwoman Ammun Devestali, head of the Board of Regents at New Mexico State University, to confirm this and wanted to know why they had not evicted the protestors for trespassing. She reported that as long as they were not breaking into buildings, she would allow them to stay there. At the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, the protestors had broken into buildings and were arrested and considered felons and would be tried in a Court of Law.
May 6th came, and the Council chambers were full to capacity. The pro-Palestinian protestors were there, and when the Council meeting started, they came into the chambers. Anyone who wanted to speak was given two minutes. I spoke first, and when I started, the protestors were yelling and screaming and would not let me speak. The Police came into the Chamber and escorted them out.
The Council let everyone speak of their concerns for two minutes. It took over two hours for those present at the meeting to say their piece, with only three individuals speaking in favor of the Proclamation to condemn Israel. The rest of the audience spoke in favor of Israel and voiced their concerns as to why the City Council was involved in an issue in Israel and not more concerned about the many needs of the City. Two of the City Councilors who were sympathetic to the Protestors and wanted their proclamation voted on were not aware of the proclamation that I sent to the City Council. After a discussion, the vote was taken to eliminate the issue and not to bring it up again.