HomeMy WebLinkAboutReso 2024-3725RESOLUTION 2024 -
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SUNNY ISLES BEACH,
FLORIDA, PROHIBITING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF RELATIONSHIPS WITH ANY
CITIES WHOSE BELIEFS AND OFFICIAL ACTS DO NOT ALIGN WITH THE CITY'S
WELL-ESTABLISHED SUPPORT OF ISRAEL AND ITS HISTORICAL TERRITORIAL
BOUNDARIES, OR WITH CITIES LOCATED WITHIN COUNTRIES THAT SUPPORT OR
SPONSOR TERRORISM OR THAT OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZE AND THEREBY
LEGITIMIZE TERRORIST STATES AND TERRITORIES CONTROLLED BY TERRORIST
ORGANIZATIONS; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO DO ALL THINGS
NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE THE TERMS OF THIS RESOLUTION; PROVIDING FOR
AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, relationships are developed and intended to increase global cooperation at
the municipal level, promoting cultural understanding and stimulating economic development
between municipalities throughout the world; and
WHEREAS, the City Commission has enacted at least 11 resolutions dating back to 2015,
establishing and confirming its unwavering support for the State of Israel, including its right to
exist and to defend itself against all terrorism and acts of war;
WHEREAS, on or about May 28, 2024, the governments of Spain, Norway, and Ireland
took the unprecedented steps of officially recognizing a Palestinian State; and
WHEREAS, the United States, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Japan, Canada, and the
European Union have refused to grant unilateral recognition to a Palestinian State; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to international norms, Palestine does not meet the traditional
standards for a "State", which typically include a permanent population, a defined territory, a
government, and the ability to enter into relations with other States; and
WHEREAS, the City Commission recognizes that Samaria is the historical and biblical
name for the central region of Israel, bordered by Judea to the south and Galilee to the north,
and that Judah and Samaria (Shomron), is the proper name for the disputed territory known as
the West Bank; and
WHEREAS, officially, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) represents Palestinians
worldwide at international forums, while the Palestinian Authority (PA), a newer institution led
by a PLO faction known as Fatah, is supposed to govern most of the West Bank and the Gaza
Strip; and
WHEREAS, as a result of elections held in January of 2006, however, representatives of
Hamas have formed the majority party with the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) and have
infiltrated and hold positions and influence within the PA; and
WHEREAS, in 2007, Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip from the PA, and since then
has seized full control over all aspects of the functioning of the Gaza Strip; and
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WHEREAS, Hamas has been designated
proscribed by the United States in 1997, by the
and by the European Union in 2005; and
a foreign terrorist organization or otherwise
United Kingdom in 2001, by Canada in 2002,
WHEREAS, in April 2024, Congress enacted the "Hamas and Other Palestinian Terrorist
Groups International Financing Prevention Act" (Division M of P.L. 118-50), which requires the
Executive Branch to impose sanctions on foreign states or persons that provide certain types of
support to Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), AI-Agsa Martyrs Brigade, and other groups or
their affiliates; and
WHEREAS, Hamas is a target of three Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) terrorism
sanctions programs, resulting in the blocking of any property and interests in property of Hamas,
which are in the United States or hereafter come within the United States, or that are in, or
hereafter come within the possession or control of a United States person. OFAC has determined
that Hamas has a property interests in the transactions of the PA; and
WHEREAS, accordingly, pursuant to OFAC's terrorism sanctions programs, U.S persons
are prohibited from engaging in transactions with the PA unless authorized; and
WHEREAS, the official recognition of a Palestinian State by Spain, Norway, Ireland, or
others is akin to recognizing and legitimizing a terrorist organization, Hamas, which threatens
global peace and security, and directly contravenes the City's enactments pertaining to the
State of Israel; and
WHEREAS, establishing a relationship with cities whose beliefs and official acts do not
align with the City's well-established support of Israel and its historical and biblical territorial
boundaries, and with cities located within countries that support or sponsor terrorism or that
officially recognize and thereby legitimize terrorist states or territories controlled by terrorist
organizations, such as Spain, Norway, and Ireland, and thwarts global cooperation and the
promotion of cultural understanding and the stimulation of economic development; and
WHEREAS, the City Commission desires to prohibit the City of Sunny Isles Beach from
establishing any relationships with cities whose beliefs and official acts do not align with the
City's well-established support of Israel and its historical and Biblical territorial boundaries, and
with cities located within countries that support or sponsor terrorism or that officially recognize
and thereby legitimize terrorist states or territories controlled by terrorist organizations, such
as Spain, Norway, and Ireland:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF SUNNY
ISLES BEACH, FLORIDA, AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Prohibition of Certain Relationships. The City Commission hereby prohibits the
City of Sunny Isles Beach from establishing any relationships with cities whose beliefs and
official acts do not align with the City's well-established support of Israel and its historical and
Biblical territorial boundaries, and with cities located within countries that support or sponsor
terrorism or that officially recognize and thereby legitimize terrorist states or territories
controlled by terrorist organizations, such as Spain, Norway, and Ireland;
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Section 2. Authorization of City Manager. The City Commission hereby authorizes the City
Manager to do all things necessary to effectuate this Resolution.
Section 3. Effective Date. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon
adoption.
PASSED AND ADOPTED on this 19th day of Septembe , 024.
ATTEST:
Maurici� Betancurf CMC, City Clerk
Moved by:6Zi:PSS/0a9, I 5 "
Vote:
Mayor Svechin
Vice Mayor Lama
Commissioner Joseph
Commissioner Stuyvesant
Commissioner Viscarra
Larisa Svechin, Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM
AND LEGAL SUFFICIENCY:
0&e"&W
AlIf
ain E. Boileau, for Nabors, Giblin
& Nickerson, P.A., City Attorney
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Seconded by:
Z(Yes)
(No)
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(No)
R2024 Agmt w MBPD for LPR Info Exchange (REVISED) Page 3 of 3
f LO
.frp OF S.VEi R.
City of Sunny Isles Beach
18070 Collins Avenue
Sunny Isles Beach, Florida 33160
(305) 947-0606 City Hall
(305) 949-3113 Fax
MEMORANDUM
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Commissioners
FROM: Larisa Svechin, Mayor
DATE: September 19, 2024
RE: Resolution Prohibiting the Establishment of -Sister-City Relationships with
Cities Located in Countries Supporting or Sponsoring Terrorism or that
Legitimize Terrorist States or Territories Controlled by Terrorist Organizations
RECOMMENDATION:
This Resolution is presented for your consideration.
REASONS:
Sister Cities International, based in Washington, D.C., formally recognizes sister city relationships
worldwide to foster global cooperation, cultural understanding, and economic development at the
municipal level. On May 28, 2024, Spain, Norway, and Ireland officially recognized a Palestinian State,
an action condemned by Israel's Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, as inciting genocide and war crimes. The
United States, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Japan, Canada, and the European Union have not granted
unilateral recognition to a Palestinian State, citing that Palestine does not meet the traditional
international standards for statehood, which include a permanent population, defined territory,
government, and the ability to engage in international relations. Hamas, designated as a terrorist
organization by the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and the European Union, holds significant
power within the Palestinian government and controls the Gaza Strip.
By way of this Resolution, the City Commission states its refusal to enter into sister city relationships
with cities in countries like Spain, Norway, and Ireland, which recognize and legitimize terrorist
organizations which do not align with the City's well-established support of Israel and its historical
territorial boundaries, and contravene the principles of Sister Cities International.
ATTACHMENTS:
Item Number: 10.X
387
Resolution
Item Number: 10.X
388