"Today is a critical moment, far too many months in the making. The pain of the heinous terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 has compounded for over a year, from the tens of thousands killed in Gaza to the fear and anger of New Yorkers in the streets. I am grateful for the respite this ceasefire offers, even temporarily. The halting of violence and return of hostages are what people from across our city and the world have prayed and protested for, for so long. Families will be reunited because of this deal, many will return home – even as the prolonged campaign of violence has left far, far too many without their homes or family members.
"My relief, though, comes with a wariness that this cessation is temporary – a potential path to peace, but not peace itself. This is progress that I hope can be sustained and built upon, even with a new administration coming into the White House. Lasting peace means safety and freedom for Israelis and for Palestinians – the movement for justice cannot end with this most recent conflict, but with solutions that address decades of pain and prevent it in the future. Dr. King said that ‘We must concentrate not merely on the negative expulsion of war, but the positive affirmation of peace,’ and that ‘True peace is not merely the absence of tension: it is the presence of justice.’ As we honor him this weekend, I pray that we can advance to justice."
Back to press reports