- Miles Kofman | Staff
- 9 hrs ago (DailyCal.org)
During a special meeting of the Berkeley City Council regarding the war on Gaza, the council passed a resolution committing to peace and condemning anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim hate.Notably, resolutions advocating for a ceasefire or arms embargo did not pass.
District 2 Councilmember Terry Taplin put forward a statement that makes no direct criticism or condemnation of the Israeli government’s actions in Gaza, which is something many members of the public called for.
The council considered three different resolutions from Mayor Adena Ishii, the Peace and Justice Commission, or PJC, and Taplin. Of the three, only the PJC resolution called for an arms embargo, and both the PJC and Ishii’s resolutions called for an end to the war on Gaza.
Taplin’s resolution passed 7-1-1, with Councilmember Cecilia Lunaparra voting “no” and Councilmember Ben Bartlett abstaining. Ishii’s failed 4-1-4, with Ishii and Councilmembers Igor Tregub, Bartlett and Lunaparra voting in favor.
“If I had a button that I could press to end this horrific war, I would press it. I do not have such a button,” said Councilmember Shoshana O’Keefe. “I felt for a very long time that City Council should focus on local affairs and things within our sphere of influence.”
The meeting lasted more than six hours, with the council imposing a maximum of four hours for public comment speaking time. Originally, the council limited it to three hours, but approved an additional hour. For the majority of the meeting, the room was at capacity with more than 100 people.
Many speakers advocated for the PJC resolution, calling for an arms embargo and said their tax dollars should not contribute to the war. Many argued that the city of Berkeley should have a moral imperative to take a firmer stance against the Israeli government’s actions.
“Because money is fungible, there is a direct line between American tax dollars sent to Israel and the housing we do not build,” said PJC commissioner Luke Taylor. “Congress is about to cut nearly $900 billion in Medicaid funding, but we can keep sending 2,000-ton bombs to Israel.”
Among the speakers were current and former mayors of Richmond, which was the first city to pass a ceasefire resolution, as well as doctors who worked in Gaza and UC Berkeley students.
Others advocating for Taplin’s resolution argued City Council should focus on local issues and not make foreign policy judgments.
“I want everyone living in that country to have safety and autonomy. But it is not the job of the City Council to get involved with a complicated foreign affairs issue that is dividing our Berkeley community, resulting in an increase in hate incidents,” said an advocate for Taplin’s resolution during public comment.
Advocates from both sides claimed they have been threatened and doxxed. Supporters of Israel claimed that there was a physical altercation outside the meeting.
An hour before the meeting, there was a rally to advocate for the PJC resolution.
“Arms embargo is the right action to take if we want to be among those who do not increase the shedding of blood. (An) arms embargo is the first step in declaring our common love for humanity,” said Rabbi Lynn Gottlieb at the rally.
Throughout the meeting, there were persistent interruptions and heckling, both during public comment and while council members were speaking. Ishii called for decorum numerous times.
After Ishii’s resolution failed and before Taplin’s was voted on, pro-Palestine members of the public began to chant, “No justice, no peace,” drowning out the vote on the resolution. The meeting adjourned after the vote while members of the public were still chanting.
