Swalwell Pushed on Gaza Ceasefire in Town Hall

US Representative Eric Swalwell (D-CA 14th District) held a virtual town hall last Tuesday to provide an update on the government’s status, preview a look ahead to the new year, and answer questions. 

The Bay Area congressman reiterated the importance of keeping the region moving with projects like a proposed rail line between Dublin and the San Joaquin Valley and local communities safe from coordinated retail theft.

An overwhelming number of people on the call asked Swalwell to call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. On October 7, Hamas launched an attack on Israel in response to the continued Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories. In response, the Israeli government declared war on Hamas and proceeded to drop 6,000 bombs on Palestinian territories. 

Swalwell said he believes Israel has a right to defend itself and that a ceasefire should be conditioned on the release of all Israeli hostages, as well as Hamas laying down its weapons. Speakers at the town hall offered their perspectives.

“I am horrified by the genocide,” said Sandra Nassar, a Castro Valley resident and Palestinian American. “You and other politicians say Israel has a right to protect themselves but protect itself from whom? Doctors, artists, mothers, and children?” 

Mack Levine, another Castro Valley resident, also pushed back on Swalwell’s response and the U.S. government’s resolution to not support a humanitarian ceasefire that the United Nations backed. 

“I feel it’s a moral imperative to claim there is a lack of empathy in our government’s response that makes these kinds of conversations impossible,” Levine said.

“I think it is patriotic if you’re Israeli or American to criticize your government,” Swalwell said.