Jewish, Arab communities in Detroit express hope, relief over ceasefire

Kim Kozlowski, The Detroit News on Jan 15, 2025

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Arab and Jewish residents expressed a range of emotions Wednesday after a ceasefire and hostage deal was agreed to by Israel and Hamas following a 15-month war in Gaza.

Some felt relief and were hopeful that the ceasefire would hold. Others called on the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump to make sure that Hamas lives up its commitment to release the final hostages.

“We’re filled with joy to see that after 15 months of unimaginable suffering, the innocent hostages are finally coming home," said Evan Cohen, a graduating UM senior and past president of Michigan Hillel's Wolverine for Israel. "We’ll be holding our breaths until we see all hostages returned.”

The ceasefire comes after the Oct. 7, 2023 surprise attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas in which about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and 250 were kidnapped. Since Israel's counterattack began, more than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to local health officials, and an estimated 90% of Gaza’s population has been displaced.

The deal promises the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in phases and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel. It will also allow hundreds of thousands of people displaced in Gaza to return to what remains of their homes.

The ongoing war has been hard on both Metro Detroit's Jewish and Arab community. Metro Detroit has one of the nation's largest Arab American communities.

"We are very happy and relieved that an agreement has been reached to end the killing and the devastation that Palestinians have been subjected to for the last 15 months," said Osama Siblani, publisher of the Arab American News, headquartered in Dearborn. "We hope and pray that this ceasefire will be a lasting one and the world can help Palestinians in Gaza rebuild their lives again from rubble."

Dawud Walid, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations-Michigan, said Trump "made good" on promises he made in Michigan when he visited during the campaign. He called the ceasefire long overdue.

"We expect that not only necessary humanitarian assistance must reach Gazans but also hope that anti-Muslim bigotry in Michigan which substantially increased since the siege will subside," said Walid in an emailed statement.

Jewish leaders, meanwhile, said they welcomed the agreement "to secure the release of 33 hostages who were inhumanely kidnapped and cruelly held captive by Hamas and other terrorist groups in Gaza since October 7, 2023," said Carolyn Normandin, Michigan regional director of the American Defamation League.

"For over 15 months, family members, friends, and many across Israel and the world, fought tirelessly and unwaveringly on behalf of the hostages, and today there is finally hope that they will return home," Normandin said.

"We are deeply appreciative to all those involved in helping this agreement come to fruition, including President Biden and President-elect Trump, who have long committed to ensure the release of the hostages," Normandin continued.

"We call on the incoming Trump Administration, and relevant global and regional actors, to make certain that Hamas upholds its commitments and releases all hostages. We reiterate our pledge to not rest until all 98 hostages held captive in Gaza are freed and returned to their families."

U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin called the ceasefire long overdue, "welcome news for the people of Israel and Gaza — and for the many Michiganders who have loved ones in the region."

"Most of all it is much-needed relief for the families of the first 33 hostages who will be released in the first phase of this agreement," she said in a statement on X and Facebook.

Still, she said there is still much work do, "especially to make sure every stage of this agreement is implemented and that every hostage comes home."

"To make this work, Hamas must make good on its commitments to release hostages and halt its terrorist activities; Israel must hold its fire, begin withdrawing its forces and speed the delivery of aid to Gaza’s civilians," she said. "It is in each side’s interests to make good on those commitments — the alternative is more death and suffering. For today, we should all be grateful that a ceasefire is becoming reality."

Tensions erupted on college campuses in Michigan and across the country where student activists and others have stood with Palestinians against Israel's war with Hamas in Gaza. Jewish students and leaders have counter-protested, emphasizing Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state and defend itself against attack.

Pro-Palestinian protesters pressured universities to divest from companies with ties to Israel — investments they claim are in the millions of dollars — with accusations that the university is complicit with Israel.

They held protests, set up encampments, even withheld funds to student groups at UM through student government funding. Leaders at UM, Michigan State and Wayne State have stood firm against the demands while most Jewish students have objected to the tone of criticism during the Israel-Hamas war, including that Israel is committing genocide.

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