Malu 'Aina

Press Release for Immediate Release Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024

Hawaii County Council Chair refuses to introduce a resolution calling for a Permanent Ceasefire in Gaza

Jim Albertini Malu 'Aina Center For Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box 489 Ola'a (Kurtistown) Hawai'i 96760
Phone 808-966-7622 Email ja@malu-aina.org Visit us on the web at www.malu-aina.org

further contact Jim Albertini 966-7622 or email ja@malu-aina.org

I was informed this morning by Hawaii Councilman Matt Kaneali’i Kleinfelder that that Hawaii County Council Chair, Heather Kimball, has declined to introduce at his request a resolution calling for a Permanent Ceasefire in Gaza identical to the resolution adopted unanimously by the Hawaii Democratic Party State Central Committee.  (See the Resolution below.)

I find this disgraceful given the Israeli genocide taking place in Gaza with US weapons provided by US taxpayers.  As Americans we are complicit in this genocide and I want all of our elected officials to speak out to stop this genocide in our names.  I ask Council Chair Kimball to reconsider.  Senator Maile Shimabukuro has introduced a similar resolution in the Hawaii State senate.

Jim Albertini,

President of Malu ‘Aina

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 2, 2021

CONTACTS
Adrian Tam
Interim Chair, Democratic Party of
Hawaiʻi
Will Caron
Resolution Author & Assistant
Secretary

Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi Adopts Resolution
Calling for a Permanent Ceasefire in Gaza

HONOLULU, Hawaiʻi — The State Central Committee (SCC) of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi
adopted a resolution on Saturday, December 2, 2023, calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza
and initiation of negotiations for a lasting peace.
The resolution calls on the members of the Hawaiʻi Congressional Delegation to support the
Ceasefire Now Resolution introduced by Representative Cori Bush at the national level. The
resolution also calls on the delegation to insist that the Biden Administration call for an
immediate, permanent ceasefire, to facilitate the de-escalation of hostilities to end the current
violence, to promptly send and facilitate the entry of humanitarian assistance into Gaza,
including fuel, food, water, medical supplies, and to begin negotiations for a lasting peace.
“This resolution serves as an acknowledgement that the pathway to peace cannot be
illuminated by the awful glow of bombs bursting over Gaza,” said Will Caron, assistant secretary
of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi and co-introducer of the resolution. “We must do everything
we can to push our elected officials to exercise the United States’ immense influence over
Israel, and bring the killing to an end. Only when the bombs stop dropping on Gaza can the
pathway to peace begin to be uncovered and dug out of the rubble.”
The resolution was adopted unanimously by the members of the SCC, making the Hawaiʻi
Democratic Party the second state party to adopt such a resolution after the Texas Democratic
Party’s executive committee adopted a resolution earlier on the same day.
The resolution is attached for reference.

Calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and initiation of negotiations for a lasting peace

Whereas, All human life is precious and the targeting of non-combatants in a conflict zone is a
violation of Rule 1 of customary International Humanitarian Law;
[1]

Whereas, Between October 7 and December 2, 2023, armed violence has claimed the lives of
more than 13,000 Palestinians and some 1,200 Israelis, and wounded tens of thousands more,
the vast majority of which are civilians;
Whereas, Hundreds of thousands of lives are at imminent risk if a permanent ceasefire is not
achieved and humanitarian aid is not delivered without delay;
Whereas, Roughly half of the Palestinians killed or wounded during the violence in Gaza are
children and International Humanitarian Law requires that all parties to an armed conflict protect
children and prevent the commission of grave violations against them, including killing and
maiming, attacks on schools and hospitals, recruitment and use of children, abduction of
children, and denial of humanitarian access;
[2]

Whereas, These children and their families face further imminent threats due to Israeli
government restrictions on food, water, fuel, and other humanitarian assistance being able to
reach them;
Whereas, The dismantling of Hamas, a recognized terrorist organization, cannot and should not
be achieved at the expense of innocent lives; and
Whereas, The United States Federal Government holds immense diplomatic power to save both
Palestinian and Israeli lives; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the State Central Committee of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi calls on the
members of the Hawaiʻi Congressional Delegation to support the Ceasefire Now Resolution
introduced by Representative Cori Bush; and to insist that the Biden Administration call for an
immediate, permanent ceasefire, to facilitate the de-escalation of hostilities to end the current
violence, to promptly send and facilitate the entry of humanitarian assistance into Gaza,
including fuel, food, water, medical supplies, and to begin negotiations for a lasting peace; and
be it
Ordered, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the offices of the members of the
Hawaiʻi Congressional Delegation, the U.S. House Minority Leader, President Joe Biden, as well
as the chair of the Democratic National Committee.
[1]
International Committee of the Red Cross, “Rule 1, The Principle of Distinction between
Civilians and Combatants,” ICRC Study on Customary International Humanitarian Law, Volume I
(Rules), 2005, Cambridge University Press
[2]
International Committee of the Red Cross, “Rule 135, Children,” ICRC Study on Customary
International Humanitarian Law, Volume I (Rules), 2005, Cambridge University Press

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Jim Albertini Malu 'Aina Center For Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box 489 Ola'a (Kurtistown) Hawai'i 96760
Phone 808-966-7622 Email ja@malu-aina.org Visit us on the web at www.malu-aina.org