Berkeley City Councilman Darryl Moore ditches Davila

Via Emunah:

The Human Welfare and Community Action Commission of Berkeley, charged with dealing with  the issues of poverty in Berkeley is under fire for bypassing their central mission and instead focusing on the Israel/Palestinian issue.

Berkeley City Councilman Darryl Moore, appalled at the misuse of the commission,  terminated his appointee after she refused to withdraw the matter.  Cheryl Davila had been a commissioner since 2009.

Anti-Israel groups packed the South Berkeley Senior Center last Wednesday evening to urge the commission to pass a divestment from Israel resolution. Three supporters of Israel also addressed the council.

The events in Berkeley highlight the narcissism at the core of the BDS movement, and the hypocritical willingness of anti-Israel activists to sacrifice anything to achieve their goals- including those they purport to represent. 

Hundreds of Palestinians lost their jobs because of the BDS vendetta against Sodastream. On Wednesday night, the same phenomenon was on display. Berkeley’s poor were simply collateral damage as JVP and AROC pushed to have the resolution passed.

The long discredited Berkeley Daily Planet has picked up the cause, printing verbatim a press release by  local anti-Israel activists. In a desperate attempt to tie the resolution into her Commission’s mandate, Cheryl Davila is quoted as saying the war in Gaza  caused a “ severe social welfare crisis, particularly for children, women, and the elderly in Gaza.”

Commissioners voted to revise the resolution, in an attempt to get other Berkeley Commissions to endorse it. Voting will likely take place at the Human Welfare and Community Action Commission October 21st meeting.

What can you do?

Drop the Human Welfare and Community Action Commissioners an email, urging them to avoid distracting, divisive foreign policy proclamations, and to focus on the very real problems of Berkeley.

HWCAC@cityofberkeley.info 

And please, come to the Oct 21 meeting, and let your voice be heard
South Berkeley Senior Center
2939 Ellis Street
7:00 p.m.

The City of Berkeley debates Divestment.

Berkeley. A California city with its own foreign policy agenda.

The foreign policy branch of Berkeley’s municipal government has traditionally been the Peace and Justice Commission- however, the  Berkeley  Human Welfare and Community Action Commission has placed a divestment from Israel proposal on its agenda, and it will be heard tonight.  Professional anti-Israel activist Dalit Baum has been leading the lobbying effort to pressure the Commission.

Its an odd and wholly inappropriate choice.  The Commission’s mandate is to  advise  the  City Council  “concerning social welfare needs.  Creates citizen awareness and encourages improved standards.  Assists in the administration of the Community Action Program.”  

Anti-Israel activists have hijacked a commission meant to find solutions for struggling local families, and are using it to force through a one-sided, divisive  resolution on a foreign conflict thousands of miles away.

The meeting is scheduled for tonight at 7:00 pm. Speakers are needed.

South Berkeley Senior Center
2939 Ellis Street
3rd Wednesday every month

The text of the controversial proposal can be found here (Scroll all the way to page 68)

Emails and phone calls are also needed:

Contact the members of the Human Welfare and Community Action Commission here

  

The Roster of Berkeley City Council representatives can be found  here

Our municipal tax dollars at work. Thanks, Berkeley.

UPDATE:

Emunah attended the hearing and reported that Jewish voice for Peace packed the room, and heckled and harassed the few anti-divestment speakers.

JVP instructions to those attending Berkeley divestment hearing

The resolution is currently being reworked and reworded, and will be re-examined in 30 days.

To Jewish Voice for Peace's Gabi Kirk, this counts as a "lose".  After all, 30 days will give the mainstream Jewish Community time to weigh in and express their displeasure. And JVP knows that when all voices are heard they cannot prevail.   They can't win on a level playing field.