House calls for Gaza ceasefire

The CNMI House of Representatives adopted yesterday a House resolution that calls for an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire in Israel and occupied Palestine.

One of the organizers of Marianas for Palestine in Guam, Monica Flores, attended the House session and described the resolution as a historic moment for the CNMI as it is among the first U.S. territories to call for such a ceasefire.

Group members and supporters applauded after the 17 House members who were present in yesterday’s session adopted House Resolution 23-15 that House Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez (Ind-Saipan) had introduced that day.

According to the resolution, thousands of people from Israel and Palestine have already been killed in a matter of weeks since the conflict broke out, with a significant number of fatalities being children. Gaza is in dire humanitarian crisis that is getting worse with each passing day, with the only remaining hospital running out of fuel and medical supplies, and over 1.5 million Palestinians facing displacement, homelessness, and starvation.

The CNMI resolution states that it supports U.S. Congress Resolution H.R. 786 and joins other cities in calling on U.S. Congress members to demand an immediate ceasefire; release of all hostages; the unrestricted entry of humanitarian assistance into Gaza; the restoration of food, water, electricity, and medical supplies to Gaza; respect for international law; and calls for a resolution that protects the security of all innocent civilians.

With the adoption of the CNMI resolution, the House clerk shall transmit a certified copy to U.S. President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, members of the U.S. Congress, Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (D-MP), and Senate President Edith E. DeLeon Guerrero (D-Saipan).

Before the House’s action yesterday, some leaders of the Marianas for Palestine spoke during the session’s public comments portion to support the resolution.

Suaad Castro Younis, a teacher, recounted that her father, Abed E. Younis, who was a Palestinian, first came to the CNMI in 1971 to learn about the world.

“That was one of his reasons why he left. The other reason was because he was wrongly thrown in jail for six months by the Israeli government. They accused him of being a spy for the British,” she said.

Suaad Younis said her father was no spy, but an artist who painted landscapes.

She has only seen her father cry on two occasions: One was because he couldn’t go to his brother’s funeral in Syria and the other is when he spoke about being in an Israeli jail where he was beaten severely.

When her father was released from prison, that’s when he decided to leave his hometown, Suaad Younis said, adding that her father chose the CNMI because he could use his voice here to expose injustices and could provide news to the people of Micronesia.

The late Abed Younis was the founding publisher of the Marianas Variety.

She said here her father was welcomed and not persecuted for being a Palestinian.

Suaad Younis said her father was proud to be a Palestinian and loudly proclaimed it to the people here.

“Could you imagine not being able to proclaim your own identity in your own homeland?” she asked.

Suaad Younis said they were not in the House to ask lawmakers to support race, religion, and terrorism, but to ask them to support humanity, to request a ceasefire and to end the unnecessary killing and violence against innocent civilians who are mostly women and children.

She said there is no reason why 20,000-plus innocent people have had to die, to be buried under rubble, to be left on the streets to rot, to die in a hospital bombing.

“Please stop the violence, request a ceasefire and protect the innocent people of Gaza Palestine,” Suaad Younis said.

Businessman Salam Younis, who is son of Abed Younis, said he is here as a concerned citizen to fight for the passage of the ceasefire resolution.

“In the spirit of the Marianas, we must stand with the oppressed and fight for freedom against apartheid and stop this ongoing genocide,” said a tearful Salam Younis.

With the House resolution, he said, they will put more pressure on Washington, D.C. to call for a ceasefire and end supplying arms to Israel.

Jihann Younis, who is a park ranger and wife of Salam Younis, said at least 20,674 Palestinians been killed in Israeli air strikes on Gaza since Oc. 7 and 8,200 of them are children, and 7,000 are still under the rubble.

“This is not only about Palestine. This is about being on the right side of history,” she said as she urged House members to support a ceasefire resolution.

“This is not a conflict. It’s an occupation. This is not a war. It’s a genocide. This is not terrorism. It’s a right to resist,” she added.

Monica Flores said there are a few of them from Guam who are here because they felt compelled to come to speak and thank House members for the introduction of this resolution.

“We’re here to urge you to pass this resolution and encourage you to strengthen its language,” said Flores, adding that the United States is funding the genocide.

She strongly encouraged the House to include language for the U.S. to stop sending arms and funding to Israel.

Flores said they are also here because leaders in Guam are failing them. She said Guam leaders have introduced a very problematic racist resolution, which their group successfully campaigned against and it did not pass.

“Unfortunately, they continue to stay silent in the face of this genocide and occupation, which only grows worse with each day and their silence signals complicity,” Flores said.

She praised Villagomez and others who co-authored the resolution for being “very brave and wise” for introducing this resolution.

“And what you’re doing today is you’re going out of these colonial frameworks to say that our administering power doesn’t have to speak for us. We speak for ourselves as indigenous Pacific people,” Flores said.

She said this is a very powerful moment and a historic moment for the CNMI, and something all people here should be proud of.

“You’re among the first territories of the United States to call for a ceasefire,” Flores added.

Roberto Santos, representing his family and as a member of the LGBTQ community, reiterated his support for the call for a ceasefire in Gaza, and all the other resolutions where they previously expressed solidarity with Palestine, for the immediate restoration of water and power in Gaza, and to stop the delivery of munitions from the U.S. to Israel.

“And I also want to reiterate that this is very much connected to what people across the world are experiencing,” Santos said.