Supporters of a local resolution for a ceasefire in the Middle East remain positive despite slow progress from local officials.
The group Little Rock for Ceasefire has spent the last four months organizing at local government meetings urging officials to adopt a resolution in support of a ceasefire in the Middle East. Tuesday night, dozens of supporters gathered at a meeting of the Pulaski County Quorum Court to urge justices to adopt their resolution.
The resolution was sponsored by Justice of the Peace Donna Massey and placed on Tuesday's agenda. Speaking before the meeting, Massey said she hopes Pulaski County will lead by example in calling for a ceasefire.
“Our tax dollars are being spent on the war. We are all being affected by this. I’m hoping that it will inspire others to do the same thing,” she said, adding the resolution isn’t about blaming any party for the crisis, but rather coming together and putting a stop to the violence.
When it was time for the vote, the resolution was tabled and sent back to the agenda committee following a motion from District 13 Justice of the Peace Phil Stowers.
Stowers said the resolution had not been voted on by the agenda committee and should be sent back for review and discussion before a full vote.
“Given that this item did not go through the committee process for debate and consideration, I want to refer item 24-I-33 back for discussion, so that we can have that debate and dialogue.”
All present justices voted in favor of Stowers' motion. Three justices were absent.
After the meeting, Massey said she suspected the resolution would be sent back for review and further discussion. Massey said usually resolutions are not discussed but she wanted the Quorum Court to hear the passion of constituents in support of the resolution.
“We look forward to the dialogue, and I believe I’ll have the support,” Massey said. “I just want to make sure that all of those that support it will be here, so that we will be victorious and get this passed.”
Stephanie Gray is one of the lead organizers of the Little Rock for Ceasefire campaign. Following the meeting, Gray said they were energized and eager for continued conversation.
Though disappointed the justices decided to postpone the vote, Gray said it’s better for the resolution to be sent back for discussion rather than denied outright.
“We see it as a challenge of continuing the work, but we’re excited for the challenge.”
Dr. Ali Khan is a physician in Little Rock. During the public comment period he shared stories of the medical crisis in Gaza and spoke about his patients in Little Rock who are affected by the war.
“I know of a patient, a Little Rock resident who lost 17 members of their family. I have patients who are too depressed to recount the horrors their families are facing daily.”
Khan asked the Quorum Court to look within themselves and at their faith systems, saying there is only “one true way” to vote on the resolution.
Speaking with Little Rock Public Radio after the meeting, Khan said he was “disappointed” the resolution didn’t receive a vote.
“The brave thing to do would have been to talk about it,” Khan said, noting dozens of people came to the meeting in support of the resolution. “If the Quorum Court is here to listen to the feelings and the issues that are important for the citizens of the county, then you can see from the attendance today that this is an urgent matter to be discussed rather than go through procedural hurdles.”
During the public comment period, which lasted about 10 minutes, several justices left the meeting early, including Justice Stowers. Khan said while he didn’t want to make assumptions about why these justices left, he said if it was because of a desire not to hear the comments, it was another disappointment.
“They are our elected representatives, and if our representatives are just going to walk out during public comment, what does that say about how important our opinions are to them?” Khan said. “Obviously we make note of these things, and if this continues we can mobilize enough to vote them out.”
In response to a request for comment on his departure, Stowers said it is "none of their concern where I was at, what I was doing or why I was doing it."
In addition to urging the Quorum Court to adopt the resolution, the group is also asking the Little Rock Board of Directors to pass a similar resolution. Though Gray says the group has received vocal support from several directors, the board has yet to place the resolution on the agenda.
“Right now we’re sort of in a waiting pattern of hearing back whether or not directors would favor being able to sponsor.” Gray said, adding some board members have said this isn’t a Little Rock issue, or passing resolutions such as this isn’t in their job description.
Gray said the language of the resolution ties the issues abroad to the local community, making that connection clear.
Along with calling for a ceasefire, the resolution condemns antisemitism and islamophobia, saying “harassment, discrimination, and violence towards Muslim and Jewish communities are contradictory to the values that define Pulaski County.”
“So if we’re talking about antisemitism islamophobia, all of these are on the rise since October 7, and Little Rock has a responsibility to the people of Little Rock to make sure this is a safe space for everyone,” Gray said. “So that is squarely within the responsibility of the board.”
Gray also noted the city board voted unanimously in support of a similar resolution in support of the people of Ukraine following the Russian invasion of the country in 2022. Gray called the disparity between the support for the two resolutions “hypocrisy”
“Why support a human rights crisis abroad in Ukraine, but not in Palestine?” Gray asked.
Gray says the group will continue to urge the city and county to adopt the resolution.
This story was updated to include a response from District 13 Justice Phil Stowers.
