HOBOKEN, New Jersey (WABC) — Hoboken’s next mayor is speaking out against the current city administration for raising the Palestinian flag in front of City Hall this week.
Current Mayor Ravi Bhalla reportedly allowed the flag to be raised on Tuesday without input from the community or other officials.
Mayor-elect Emily Jabbour said she heard from Jewish residents who were upset the flag raising took place on the anniversary of the First Intifada.
Back on Dec. 9, 1987, an uprising began after Palestinian workers were killed and attacks turned on the residents of Israel.
Since that time, the Intifada has been associated with rising up against Israel.
Bhalla says the city does not take sides in international affairs, but Jabbour said the process of raising flags should include more input from the community.
“I think I heard from a number of people yesterday who felt not included in that process, and to some degree, also felt it was insensitive and inappropriate given some of the other factors with respect to yesterday’s date,” Jabbour said.
“It was an oversight, it was not intentional, it’s not a political statement, we want to make sure that we honor and respect the cultural heritage of all people and residents in Hoboken, and that’s simply what we were doing in raising the flag,” Bhalla said.
The flag is no longer up at City Hall.
Jabbour said the city will continue to do flag raising events in the future, but they will put more emphasis on getting more information from the community before the ceremonies take place.
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