Bipartisan effort shuts down resolution calling for ceasefire in Israel, two Democrats vote in support

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include a lawmaker’s statement.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – A resolution calling for de-escalation and ceasefire in the Israel-Palestine conflict was struck down by a bipartisan group of lawmakers in a 2-104 vote Tuesday.

HR 31-C calls for cease-fire in order to advocate for the “dignity and safety of residents in every community.”

The bill was introduced by Rep. Angie Nixon, D-Jacksonville, who had previously opposed a resolution by Rep. Randy Fine, R-Melbourne Beach, that expressed Florida’s “unwavering” support of the state of Israel.

In a statement after the vote, Nixon said she supports a “federal strategy” that “severely reduces the current loss of innocent civilian life.”

“And to my colleagues unable to remain composed today: name-calling and false accusations in the chamber won’t save lives. It also won’t stop me from fighting for all people. Shame on you,” Nixon’s statement said. “Redirect that fury away from combatting the humanization of people suffering into something more constructive.”

Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, was the only other member to join Nixon in favorably voting for her resolution.

“I filed this resolution for the 1,400 Israelis and now over 10,000 Palestinian killed since the [Oct. 7] attack,” Nixon said.

“Sadly, my resolution was the only one that recognized explicitly the Palestinian people that have also suffered, and are continually suffering right now,” she said. “It’s never been my intent to downplay the heinous acts that took place at the hands of Hamas. Nor to downplay the ongoing hostage situation.”

Several House members, including Fine, grilled Nixon with questions on the bill.

Fine questioned where she got her numbers that she used for the total loss of life amongst Palestinian civilians that have been reported.

She responded by saying that “it’s all over the news.”

Fine then criticized her comment by saying that the total number of Palestinian casualties is produced by the Palestinian Health Authority, which is “run by terrorists.”

Nixon explained that the sole purpose of her resolution is to recognize that “all lives are seen with humanity.”

Rep. Dean Black, R-Jacksonville, asked Nixon why the state simply could not call for a cease-fire of Hamas, rather than both sides, in order to end the conflict faster.

“Since Hamas started this war, shouldn’t we, for simplicities sake, simply demand Hamas ceasefire by surrendering unconditionally?” he asked.

“We should also care about the babies,” she said directly after. “We should also humanize the babies that are being lost as well.”

Rep. Hillary Cassell, D-Hollywood, pressured Nixon by asking why Israel is always forced to defend its actions while conflicts such as Russia and Ukraine don’t get resolutions.

Rep. Mike Gottlieb, D-Davie, said the resolution was “born out of ignorance and anti-Semitism.”

“The responsibility for having to deal with this today falls on the shoulders of one person: the person who filed this bill,” he said.

Fine commented during debate that the issues with Israel and Palestine are “not a legitimate conflict,” it is a “fight between good and a fight between evil.”

Fine added that there is “evil in this room” and the legislative body needs to “fight it here today.”

The representative later took to social media and doubled down on his comments by explicitly stating that the evil in the room was Nixon and Eskamani and called them “Jew-haters.”

“If you vote for this, you are putting my child and every Jewish child in this state at risk because what you are doing is you are saying what these monsters that are parading through our college campuses and on the streets are doing, is justified. If you vote for this, you are an anti-semite,” Fine said.