City, state leaders call for cease fire in Middle East

CHICAGO - Illinois representatives, Chicago alderman and activists called for a cease fire in the Middle East, to encourage others to condemn the killing of innocent people, including the 6-year old boy in Plainfield.

The group held a news conference Wednesday at City Hall after President Joe Biden spoke in Israel, pledging support from the United States in Israel’s war with Hamas.

Thousands have died, causing sorrow for relatives in Illinois. They pointed to the murder of 6-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume, who was stabbed to death Saturday in his Plainfield home, allegedly by a landlord who did not trust Muslims.

"We cannot continue to invest in war," Ald. Rossanna Rodriguez (33rd) said. "We cannot continue to allow this country to invest in murdering children and destroying Palestine." 

State Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid, the first Palestinian-American elected to the Illinois General Assembly, called the White House to urge the president to push for a cease fire. 

"We need to agree to a cease fire so that we can protect everyone in the region," Rashid said.

The elected officials said they hope their constituents will demand it, too.