Rep. Ro Khanna’s political director has resigned over the congressman refusing to co-sponsor a resolution calling for a cease-fire between Israel and Palestine.
The former political director, Adam Ramer, had only been on the job for about two weeks before quitting.
In a post on his private X account, Ramer wrote, “Personal note: I resigned my job on Monday because of a refusal to call for a ceasefire. I will be doing everything in my power to stand against war & for Palestinian justice. So please continue to dm for any volunteering/organizing needs that I can assist with in NY/DC.”
“…and he is a passionate voice for human rights for Palestinians. I will continue to call for protecting civilian life, humanitarian aid, and living up to the standards of the Geneva convention.”
Ramer himself posted: pic.twitter.com/KKhzxY3Spa
— Ryan Grim (@ryangrim) October 19, 2023
Speaking to Ryan Grim, the DC bureau chief for The Intercept, Khanna said, “I have great respect for Adam’s conviction and he is a passionate voice for human rights for Palestinians. I will continue to call for protecting civilian life, humanitarian aid, and living up to the standards of the Geneva convention.”
The House resolution in question calls for “an immediate de-escalation and cease-fire in Israel and occupied Palestine.” It was authored by Rep. Cori Bush and is co-sponsored by Rep. Rashida Tlaib.
The resolution explains that “between October 7 and October 16, 2023, armed violence has claimed the lives of over 2,700 Palestinians and over 1,400 Israelis, including Americans, and wounded thousands more” and says that “hundreds of thousands of lives are at imminent risk if a cease-fire is not achieved and humanitarian aid is not delivered without delay.”
With that in mind, the resolution calls on the Biden administration to “immediately call for and facilitate deescalation and a cease-fire to urgently end the current violence” and “promptly send and facilitate the entry of humanitarian assistance into Gaza.”
Rep. Tlaib is the only Palestinian in Congress.
“We need legislation that saves as many lives as possible, no matter one’s faith or ethnicity,” Tlaib said in a statement. “I am proud to join my colleagues and a coalition of human rights advocates in calling for de-escalation, ceasefire and a strong humanitarian response that prevents more devastating civilian casualties across the region.”
The congresswoman has asked her colleagues to see the Palestinian people as “human beings” so that they “see that these are war crimes.”
“I don’t know what else to say (to American officials) other than please turn on the TV, see what’s happening, don’t turn away,” Tlaib said Monday. “All they have to do is see the Palestinians as human beings to see that these are war crimes.”
It is unlikely that the resolution will pass as many Democrats have expressed strong support for Israel and Republicans control the House.
As Timcast News previously reported, an ADL researcher has also resigned over the organization’s chief executive, Jonathan Greenblatt, publicly condemning Jewish people protesting and calling for a ceasefire.
The researcher, Stephen C. Rea, has a doctorate in anthropology and has worked at the organization for about a year in the Center for Technology and Society, focusing on online hate and harassment.
“So, I uh, just quit my job?” Rea wrote on the Bluesky social media platform. “I couldn’t square my morals and politics with the direction I saw the org going in. I think that ADL does a lot of great work, and trust me, there are some AMAZING people there (many of whom agree with me…). But there are times when you have to stand up and say ‘enough.'”
Rea explained that the ADL’s positions on the war are “ just a personal red line for me, and some things are more important than a job.”
