Councilwoman Rossana Rodriguez, who represents Chicago’s 33rd district, was slammed by the Israeli consulate after she posted “Free Palestine” on X as Iran launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on Saturday night.
"We condemn in the strongest terms this Chicago Alderwoman's celebration of Iran's unprecedented attack on Israel.,” the consulate shared online. “This is the same Alderwoman behind the highly controversial "ceasefire" resolution. We see a pattern - not aiming for peace, but for Israel's destruction. We hope @ChicagosMayor will speak out this time. #Chicago #StandWithIsrael”
We condemn in the strongest terms this Chicago Alderwoman's celebration of Iran's unprecedented attack on Israel.This is the same Alderwoman behind the highly controversial "ceasefire" resolution.We see a pattern - not aiming for peace, but for Israel's destruction.We hope… pic.twitter.com/GQPpqhWX2R
— Israel in Chicago (@IsraelinChicago) April 13, 2024
The ceasefire proposal referenced in the consulates post, Ceasefire Resolution R2023-0005730 submitted by the Chicago Progressive Staffers, called for the release of Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas on October 7. However, it also demanded the release of Palestinian security prisoners arrested by Israel, describing them as “arbitrarily detained Palestinians,” according to a copy shared by CBS News.
The resolution also included the note “We cannot remain silent as we hear a groundswell of Chicagoans who reject the notion that the United States must continue to use its geopolitical position to enable a genocide” and “it is not anti-semitic to want an end to the Israeli imposed Palestinian apartheid – in fact, we see many of our Jewish siblings in Chicago echoing this same call.”
The consulate shared a screenshot of a post from Rodriguez’s personal account.
After posting her comment, the councilwoman later tweeted “Ive been saying Free Palestine for decades & specially the last few months. I do not celebrate war or the loss of human life in any way. I just got off a plane to see people again trying to demonize me for saying something basic. Same people who have been cheering on a genocide.
“I hadn’t seen the news about the attacks when I tweeted, I had just watched a video of Gaza with a father sobbing holding his dead child. This moment is immensely tragic and it’s sad that there’s people choosing to create so much more hate.”
I hadn’t seen the news about the attacks when I tweeted, I had just watched a video of Gaza with a father sobbing holding his dead child. This moment is immensely tragic and it’s sad that there’s people choosing to create so much more hate.
— Rossana Rodriguez ✊️ (@RossanaFor33) April 14, 2024
The Israeli consulate has since contacted Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson about the incident, according to the New York Post.
Rodriguez has previously shared X posts calling for a single Palestinian state, and the eradication of Israel, according to ABC7 Chicago. In November, Rodriguez posted "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free."
"This means to the Jewish community erasing Israel, erasing the Jewish presence in our ancient homeland, and ending the Jewish experiment in the Middle East," Dan Goldwin, executive director of public affairs for the Jewish United Fund, told ABC.
How are social media users responding to the councilwoman’s post?
Social media users were quick to criticize Rodriguez, with one user writing “Nobody believes this. Also, how about tweeting free the hostages?”
Nobody believes this. Also, how about tweeting “free the hostages”?
— Patrick (@PMC713) April 14, 2024
Another user cast doubt over Rodriguez’s excuse that she had not seen the news, writing “'I live under a rock, please be nice to me' lol”
“I live under a rock, please be nice to me” lol
— Ricodamus (@puertoricodamus) April 14, 2024