Bhalla says ‘I would never cancel the people of Palestine’ at Hoboken flag raising

By
Daniel Ulloa
-
11

Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla refused to back down from having a Palestinian flag raising inside the council chambers of City Hall this afternoon, declaring that “I would never cancel the people of Palestine.”


By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County View

“The somewhat unfortunate news is that … there’s been a lot of folks who have  misconstrued or mischaracterized this gathering as a way that is somewhat negative, that is somehow associated with things that don’t represent Hoboken and have actually asked me to cancel this event, to not have this event,” began Mayor Ravi Bhalla.

“But I want to make sure that I am absolutely clear: I will not cancel the people of Palestine,” he declared to applause.

The Mile Square City mayor, who called for a ceasefire when he ran against U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez (D-8 in the primary, noted that he has been to both Israel and Palestine.

“They’re a generous people. They’re a loving people, welcoming people. [An] intelligent community. A thoughtful community, the same with the people I met in Israel. And it’s that connection, that humanity I want to make sure we try to promote in the City of Hoboken as well because that’s what I came away with,” he explained.

He also emphasized that he didn’t believe that was a political gathering, with is not allowed on government premises, but rather to honor a specific group of people, as they have done dozens of times this year, which also includes Israel.

“This is a gathering to celebrate Palestinian people. Your culture, your heritage. And most importantly to let the Palestinian people know, that in the City of Hoboken, you are recognized,” he declared to great applause. “

Local Palestinian mom Dana Assile Hanna then gave a speech.

“We’ve been told that raising the Palestinian flag is a controversial act or activity. But no one’s existence should be controversial. Thank you for your humanity,” she said to Bhalla to applause.

Hanna said she is a second generation Palestinian with two children born and raised in Hoboken.

“When I was a kid, I was not allowed to tell people I was Palestinian because my parents were afraid for my safety. That fear is still with me. I only hope our neighbors continue to see us as the same helpful, kind people we have always been,” she added.

“If women in Gaza can manage to have unmedicated C-sections on the floor of a hospital, I can stand here today and tell you about Palestine.”

She said her Christian grandfather was born in Bethlehem and joked he was born in the same stable as Jesus.

“My humanity is your humanity, and my safety is your safety,” Hanna said, thanking those who had protested the war and acknowledging that many supporters were afraid to attend due to negativity surrounding the event on social media.

“I don’t know how much longer I can keep defending my humanity, but I’m not going to stop,” Hanna exclaimed to applause before stating it is a joy to be Palestinian.

As people left the event, a few protesters mouthed off at the pro-Palestine crowd, but Hoboken police kept the situation from escalation and nothing of note ended up escalating.

The Hoboken City Council had been pressured to support a resolution calling for a ceasefire early this year after both sides protested, but like neighboring Bayonne and Jersey City, opted not to get involved.

In her newsletter sent this morning, 2nd Ward Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher, who is Jewish, included an email she sent to Bhalla asking for the event to be cancelled.

“This is a difficult and divisive topic for many reasons, which is why the City Council unanimously took the position that we didn’t want to take any action that would bring divisiveness to our community,” she wrote.

“Unfortunately, we are already feeling the impact of this proposed action as only being divisive within Hoboken. I hope you reconsider this decision and choose not to have this event on Monday.”

Bhalla explained in great detail why he decided to host this flag raising in a lengthy social media post that followed Fisher’s email today.


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11 COMMENTS

  2. Mr. Hoboken Guy:
    please recognize my Venezuelan crew, TDA Tren de Aragua. With the final of the Copa Mundial being held soon in NJ, my boys want to help clean up those ebikers and pesky police you have.
    Can we come chill at your little council hall cuzzie?

    Real Hasta la Muerte

  3. How wonderful.
    You love the Palestine people and respect their choices as they’re so welcoming and compassionate.
    And they’re so intelligent, they elected Hamas to lead them?
    Amazing intellect!
    You should definitely invite a lot of the loving and compassionate Hamas members to come help you celebrate.
    It could really help your town blow up… in media attention.

  6. What a shocker that crazy Audrey Truschke is in the picture.

    The same Dr that recently wrote an op ed calling for understanding and saying that people at the public safety meeting were misguided.

  7. For anyone interested in the ultra-Orthodox gentleman in the picture, he belongs to Neturei Karta, a tiny, fringe and extremist anti-Zionist sect. Their anti-Zionist beliefs are based on an interpretation of the Torah that is held by very few in the Jewish community and by no one to the extreme that they take this belief. They do not believe Israel should exist and hope for its destruction. Neturei Karta celebrates Hamas and the murder of Israeli Jews, their representatives have met with members of Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah and the president of Iran. They have also attended a well-known conference for Holocaust deniers held in Iran. This event seems to have included at least as many anti-Israel activists as actual Palestinian-Americans. Personally, I am against the raising of any non-American governmental flag, including that of Israel, but this is beyond the pale.

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