St. Petersburg councilman votes against pro-Israel resolution that condemns Hamas

Amber Jo Cooper contributed to this report.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The St. Petersburg City Council approved a resolution supporting Israel and condemning Hamas Thursday, with one council member voting against it.

“The City Council supports and stands with the State of Israel as it defends itself against the barbaric war, condemns Hamas and Iran, and calls for Hamas to immediately end the violent attacks and release all of the hostages,” the resolution said.

Council Chair Richie Floyd voted against the resolution, saying it should have advocated for an end of violence.

Council Member John Muhammad, who had previously walked out of a September antisemitism resolution vote, was out of town for the Thursday meeting, according to his legislative aide.

Prior to Council Member Ed Montanari reading the resolution Thursday, he said the Holocaust happened because people “looked the other way.”

“People didn’t want to rock the boat. We’re gonna rock the boat today,” Montanari said. “We’re going to stand up today. We’re going to stand for freedom, and democracy, and for the peace-loving people that call Israel their home.”

The resolution talked about Hamas’s “heinous assault” firing thousands of rockets and “slaughtering” Israelis while abducting hostages.

“More Jewish people were murdered October 7, 2023 than any other single day since the Holocaust,” the resolution read.

“The people of Israel are now engaged in an armed conflict to defend their lives, independence, and democratic way of life,” it continued.

Council Member Lisset Hanewicz compared the terrorist attack on 9/11 to the atrocities in Israel.

“Each one of us, we didn’t have to be in New York to feel that impact and I cannot imagine how Israel feels right now,” Hanewicz said.

“The indiscriminate killing of human beings, children, mothers, fathers, grandparents, whole families […] Hamas is no better than Al-Qaeda or any other terrorist organization in the world,” she said.

Floyd spoke about the attacks in Israel being “undeniably horrific and atrocious” while noting why he was voting against the resolution. He wished for the resolution to make a “unifying statement” to “comfort” the community.

“We’ve included condemning Iran in the resolution, a country that, like one of the speakers said, we do not have a link to them in this and they’ve denied participating in it,” Floyd said.

“I do think this feels eerily similar to 2003 when, quite frankly, a tragedy occurred and it was used as an excuse to invade a separate country,” Floyd continued.

Muhammad’s legislative aide told Florida’s Voice that he has been out of town since last week with sparse internet connection and is unable to provide a comment on the resolution.

In September, Muhammad walked out during a vote on a resolution that aimed to recognize a clearer definition of antisemitism.

“I have concerns about accepting this working definition as it stands,” Muhammad said at that time.

“Again, I know what it’s like to be falsely accused of being an antisemite and considered a hater based upon disagreements with dominant narratives and challenging the status quo,” he had explained.

Muhammad, also known as John C. Malone, has reportedly been involved with the Nation of Islam since joining in 1997. He was appointed to St. Petersburg’s City Council by a 4-3 margin in October 2022.

Jewish groups, including the Florida Holocaust Museum, have criticized Muhammad over his support for Louis Farrakhan, who is the leader of the Nation of Islam. Farrakhan is delineated as an antisemite by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

“It was stated I was not qualified for the job I’ve been doing for the last 11 months because someone I am affiliated with is called an antisemite,” Muhammad had previously said. “This is somewhat personal to me also, and its important that we have these conversations and the discourse where we really can understand the nuances.”