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Ahead of an expected vote on Tuesday by the City Council of San Marcos, Texas, on a Gaza ceasefire resolution that calls for a boycott of Israel, Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) Chief Government Affairs Officer Lisa Katz wrote the following letter to San Marcos Mayor Jane Hughson:
Dear Mayor Hughson,
I am writing as the Chief Government Affairs Officer of the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), to express deep concern regarding the resolution introduced before the San Marcos City Council on April 15, 2025, calling for a transfer of “permanent sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territories” and an “Embargo on the State of Israel.”
While this resolution claims to promote peace and human rights, it fails to condemn the atrocities committed by Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, on October 7th, when more than 1,200 innocent civilians were brutally murdered and hundreds taken hostage in the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. It also fails to affirm the basic right of Israeli citizens (who include Jews, Arabs, Christians, Armenians, Bedouins, and Druze, to name a few ethnicities) to live in safety and peace.
More broadly, as a former Mayor myself, I also believe that the resolution reflects an inappropriate and divisive foray into complex foreign policy matters that fall well outside the scope of municipal governance. At a time when cities are grappling with real, urgent challenges — including the rise of hate crimes and extremism — mayors and city councils should remain focused on building safe, and tolerant communities for all residents.
Resolutions like this do not make Jewish residents feel safe. They contribute to a growing climate in which antisemitism is minimized, Jewish trauma is erased, and the Jewish community feels abandoned by the very leaders tasked with protecting them. This issue is not abstract. In 2024, antisemitic graffiti was discovered at Texas State University in San Marcos, a painful reminder that antisemitism is not just a distant problem — it exists right now in your community.
CAM works with hundreds of municipal leaders across the United States to help cities confront antisemitism and hate. I have attached the Municipal Antisemitism Action Index, a tool designed to help cities assess and strengthen their policies and practices in protecting Jewish life and confronting hate. I would welcome the chance to work with you to ensure that San Marcos remains a city where all residents — Jewish and non-Jewish alike — feel safe, respected, and protected.
I also invite you to join us at the 2025 Mayors Summit Against Antisemitism, taking place December 2–4, 2025 in New Orleans. This national gathering will bring together over 300 mayors and city officials to share solutions, elevate best practices, and affirm a united front against antisemitism, hate, and extremism.
Sincerely,
Lisa Katz, Chief Government Affairs Officer for the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM)
Katz’s letter to Mayor Hughson can be read in full HERE.
Read more: Governor Abbott Condemns City Of San Marcos Antisemitic Resolution
