BRADENTON, Fla. — Manatee County's board of commissioners approved a proclamation this week expressing what they call "unrelenting support" for Israel.

Commissioners say this is meant to remember the innocent Israeli and American victims, who have been held hostage since Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7 of last year.

“America will stand with Israel all the way to the end,” said commissioner Jason Bearden. “Anybody that goes against Israel will be cursed.”

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Florida says there was no support for the people in Gaza.

“Where are the statements of support for the 45,000 plus murdered Palestinians in Gaza,” said Mari Marks, CAIR Florida’s policy manager. “There are tens of thousands of Israeli citizens protesting their own government. So why is Manatee County and the U.S. government willing to give unwavering support?”

But some in the Israeli community are happy to see Manatee County’s support for Israel and hope other counties join.

Sarasota resident Karen Shani-Lifrak says her brother, Adi Shani, was killed in Gaza last December while serving with Israeli forces.

Since her brother’s death, Shani-Lifrak has been telling his story.

“I see so much misinformation and generalization and people not understanding what’s going,” she said. “On my brother was a regular person like you and me and he had to leave everything that he knows his job, his wife, his daughters, because he needed to protect them.”

Shani-Lifrak says his sacrifice was to protect his wife and kids, but also for Israel.

“We grow up having this understanding that it’s all hands on board we won’t survive,” she said. “We are not seeking wars. We are not seeking to kill. We just want to live peacefully side by side with our neighbors.”