COUNCIL CLASH: The war in the Middle East is exposing tension within the Chicago City Council just when Mayor Brandon Johnson would like to have some unity as he unveils his budget today. Ald. Debra Silverstein, the council’s only Jewish member, told Playbook she’ll be presenting a resolution to address the attacks by the militant Hamas group on Israel over the weekend. The resolution condemns the surprise assault and vows to stand behind Israel. Ahead of today’s meeting: Ald. Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez (33rd) sent an email to Silverstein suggesting the wording of the resolution also mention Israel’s treatment of Palestinians leading up to the attacks. Her not-so-subtle take: “Although I wholeheartedly agree that the attacks from Hamas are brutal and that no one should be subjected to that violence, I also understand that the situation is more nuanced than what this resolution expresses,†Rodriguez-Sanchez, a member of the council’s Democratic Socialist Caucus, wrote in an email obtained by Playbook. Adding her two cents: Rodriguez-Sanchez also offered to “work together†to present a “more nuanced†resolution, according to her email. Rodriguez-Sanchez didn't respond to a request for comment. Thanks but no thanks is how Silverstein responded. “Thank you for your comments. However, drawing a moral equivalency between one of the worst acts of terror in world history and Israel’s legitimate right to defend itself is absurd,†according to Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman. Responding to terrorism: “Hamas came in focusing on killing innocent people — men, women, children and elderly. That’s what this is about. This is condemning their attack on Israel and the way they went about doing it,†Silverstein told Spielman in an interview. Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th), who serves as Johnson’s floor leader, didn’t respond to requests for comment but he did post stories that compared Israel’s treatment of Palestinians to that of South Africa’s apartheid, via X, formerly known as Twitter. And Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th), who has previously denounced “extreme human rights abuses†in the Palestinian territories, told Playbook it's the “abhorrent and deadly policy choices†of Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu that have increased tensions this week. A united front: Sigcho-Lopez, Ramirez-Rosa and Rodriguez-Sanchez are all members of the Democratic Socialist Caucus on the council. Not commenting so far: The mayor has stayed above the fray. In his ear: Kennedy Bartley of United Working Families, which backed Johnson for mayor, posted pro-Palestinian takes on X, formerly known as twitter. More about Kennedy Bartley operating in City Hall, by WBEZ’s Mariah Woelfel RELATED Biden condemns ‘sheer evil’ of Hamas attack, urges Congress on aid for Israel, by POLITICO’s Myah Ward and Adam Cancryn Pritzker says Illinois ‘unequivocally stands’ with Israel in battle with Hamas, by Sun-Times’ Tina Sfondeles and David Struett The long shadow of Israel’s hostage crisis, by POLITICO’s Calder McHugh Top American colleges seek to quell anti-Israel sentiment in wake of Hamas attacks, by POLITICO’s Madina Toure SIDE NOTE: State Sen. Ram Villivalam and state Rep. Kevin Olickal, who each represent Northwest Side neighborhoods of Jewish and Middle Eastern communities, have worked to choose their words carefully in speaking about the Middle East war. They each signed letters of support with the Illinois Legislative Jewish Caucus here and with progressives’ call for peace here. And then they wrote a letter to constituents explaining their views.
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