Gov. Greg Abbott has condemned a proposed resolution by the city of San Marcos as “antisemitic” and is threatening to cut off the city from state grants.
The remarks came in a letter sent by Abbott to San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson.
The symbolic resolution from April 15 asked the council to discuss a possible resolution calling for the immediate and permanent ceasefire in “occupied” Palestine, an arms embargo on Israel, recognition of Palestinian sovereignty, and the protection of constitutional rights for all people under national and international law.
Before the meeting, State Sen. Donna Campbell (R-Bulverde) wrote to Mayor Hughson, warning that state funding for San Marcos would be paused if the resolution passed.
Local residents and Texas State University students called the letter “intimidation.”
Mayor Hughson, who voted against the resolution, said it would not affect the conflict and asked why it focused only on peace in Palestine rather than all warring countries.
City Councilmember Alyssa Garza, the resolution sponsor, said, “This resolution is rooted in the belief that all people deserve safety, dignity, and justice under US and international law.”
“This isn’t an issue that feels political to me; this is a moral issue,” said Councilmember Amanda Rodriguez, a co-sponsor. “This is the moral litmus test for many of us.”
Rodriguez explained that San Marcos should not fund Israel because the International Criminal Court has cases against Israel from Palestine and South Africa, and has issued an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
San Marcos residents commented for three hours, with 68 scheduled to speak.
Most urged the city council to pass the resolution. Some held signs featuring slogans such as “Ceasefire now,” “Would you stay silent during the Holocaust?” and “San Marcos Rejects Anti-Semitic Islamophobia.”
Residents who opposed the resolution agreed with Mayor Hughson that it was irrelevant to San Marcos’ more pressing priorities.
Others directly criticized Garza and Rodriguez.
“Since two council members seem very concerned, where was the concern when Hamas terrorized, killed, and took Israelis hostage on October 7th, 2023?” asked Sassy Youngstrom.
Abbott’s letter echoed similar sentiments to Youngstrom’s: “I have not found any past resolution that ‘unequivocally condemn[s] targeting civilians’ by Hamas or affirms that the Jews murdered on October 7th were ‘entitled to live life in safety and free from violence.’”
In response to such criticism, Rodriguez explained that, like all groups, Jews and Israelis are not a monolith and claimed that several Israelis oppose their country’s actions.
Rodriguez said that the resolution asks for the release of hostages and is against antisemitism. She defended the issue as locally relevant because local tax dollars subsidize the cost of a foreign war.
“I won’t apologize for fighting to protect local power,” said Garza. “Supporting this ceasefire resolution is one way we reclaim power.”
Ultimately, the council agreed to bring a possible resolution forward.
Councilmember Lorenzo Gonzalez, who voted to move forward with the resolution, said he wanted to add 17 amendments to it.
Only Mayor Hughson and Councilmember Matthew Mendoza opposed the motion to move the resolution forward. Councilmember Shane Scott abstained.
“If the city council adopts this resolution, the Office of the Governor will not enter into any future grant agreements with the city and will act swiftly to terminate active grants for non-compliance,” wrote Abbott in response.
“My office is reviewing active grants with San Marcos to determine whether the City has breached terms by falsely certifying compliance with Texas law.”
“Anti-Israel policies are anti-Texas policies,” wrote Abbott. “I have proudly signed legislation prohibiting government entities from supporting efforts to boycott, divest from, and sanction Israel. That remains the law here.”
Two days after the Hamas-led attack on Israel, Abbott signed an executive order prohibiting state agencies from purchasing goods produced in or exported from the Gaza Strip and any organization or state actor with ties to Hamas.
The San Marcos City Council will discuss the resolution on May 6.
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