MIAMI.– A dozen mayors from the south of Floridaled by the county mayor, met on the last night of Hanukkah to show their support for the Jewish community and oppose the growing anti-Semitism registered after the invasion of the terrorist group Hamas to Israel on October 7 and the response of the Jewish government.
According to the Anti-Defamation League, the 337% increase in anti-Semitism in the US since the events of October is unprecedented.
The elected officials, along with the consul general of Israel, met this Thursday at the headquarters of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation.
“We have seen an increase in attacks on our synagogues and hate crimes against Jews,” said Levine Cava.
“My heart is broken for all those who lost their lives and the many families who have been torn apart in the midst of this violence. “The loss of innocent lives anywhere, especially in the escalation we are seeing now, is a tragedy and a violation of our highest rights and values.”
“We say unequivocally that North Miami condemns all forms of hate, anti-Semitism, intolerance and violence,” said North Miami Mayor Alix Desulme.
“We don’t realize the daily effects that anti-Semitism has on the lives of our Jewish constituents,” said Brent Latham, mayor of North Bay Village.
The mayor of Hialeah, Esteban Bovo, described the event as refreshing and appealed to the role of the media: “The UN has not failed miserably, and I feel that some of the main media have done the same.”
“Not only do I believe that Israel has the right to defend itself, I firmly believe that Israel has the obligation to wipe Hamas off the face of the earth, because it is responsible for everything we have seen,” Bovo said.
For his part, Francis Suárez, mayor of Miami, said: “All of us elected officials here are struggling to figure out how to project security, provide security and eliminate that feeling of fear in the hearts of so many people in our community.” And he added: “There is enormous misinformation about the conflict in the Middle East.”
According to Levine Cava, our community finds strength and comfort in diversity, no matter how tragic the news from Israel and Gaza has been and urged other officials to always oppose all intolerance and terrorism. “Love is always stronger than hate.”
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