Photo: Ford, Brad
The Morrison Bridge in Portland will be lit in white from Tuesday through Saturday as a message of peace in the war between Hamas and Israel.
The bridge is currently lit in blue and white, the colors of Israel's flag.
Two County Commissioners, Lori Stegman and Shuseela Jayapal, wanted the commission to send a message also recognizing the Palestinians being killed in the war.
The following is a statement from Chair Vega Pederson:
In recent days, we have seen tremendous harm and suffering inflicted on the Palestinian population in Gaza by the Israel Defense Forces, including the terrifying call to remove more than one million people from northern Gaza with only 24-hours notice.
I unequivocally condemn the indiscriminate use of munitions without regard for civilian casualties. Collective punishment against populations for the actions of a terrorist organization violates international law and the democratic values we cherish in Multnomah County and the United States.
On Thursday I directed that the Morrison Bridge be lit in the colors of the Israeli flag for five days to honor those lost and injured in the horrific terrorist attacks against people in Israel on Oct. 7. Beginning Tuesday evening, the bridge will be lit white for five days representing our collective call for peace in the war between Hamas and Israel and an equitable and lasting solution to the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict.