BERKELEY — Berkeley councilmembers voiced their support for peace and security for all city residents in what some described as a watered-down Israel-Hamas ceasefire resolution and others said was a more balanced reflection of a split community.
Three resolutions were under consideration during a special council meeting Monday. The original proposal by the city’s Peace and Justice Commission, a 15-member body advising both the city and Berkeley Unified School District, was put forward in September 2024 in an 8-7 vote.
It called for the council to signal its support for a ceasefire, arms embargo to Israel, release of Palestinians held in Israeli jails, Israel’s removal from Palestinian territory and for humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza.
“There were a lot of disagreements, but the fact remains that democracy still lives in Berkeley and it shouldn’t take this long for the process to come this far,” said Peace and Justice Commission Member Pastor Rev. Dwayne L. Phillips during the meeting Monday.
Another resolution drafted by Councilmember Terry Taplin aimed to focus the council’s stance on the ways the war has affected local residents. The proposal acknowledged the pain and grief experienced in a divided community and a rise in hate crimes against Jewish, Arab and Muslim residents.
Taplin said the resolution was meant to reflect a call for universal peace while allowing the council and city staff to refocus on local issues. His resolution was ultimately the one approved by the council after hours of tense public comment.
“We on this dais are not the U.N. Security Council. However, it is fair that we would try to reflect some semblance of the community’s will for peace with a focus on the impact of the Israeli-Hamas war on the local community,” Taplin said. “Moving forward, it will no longer make sense for me personally to expend the resources of our offices to entertain matters outside the authority of our jurisdiction.”
A third resolution by Mayor Adena Ishii and Councilmember Ben Bartlett aimed to strike a balance between the prior two. It disavowed bigotry, violence and hate toward all peoples and called for an immediate and lasting ceasefire, return of all hostages, expansion of humanitarian aid, protection of physical safety and free speech for all students on school campuses.
“My stated goal has been and continues to be to find common ground rooted in compassion, peace and justice,” said Ishii, who grew emotional while reading the resolution. “Our resolution seeks to address peace, the increase in hate crimes since October 2023 and the attacks on free speech.”
Hundreds of people attended Monday’s meeting, filling the chambers, waiting outside to enter, observing from an overflow room and watching online, waiting to weigh in on a conflict that, according to the Associated Press, has seen 1,200 Israelis killed and another 250 people kidnapped by Hamas and more than 52,000 Palestinians killed in retaliatory attacks by Israel.
Most spoke in support of the Peace and Justice Commission’s resolution, which they said best reflected the gravity of the crisis in Gaza and urgency for action to end what they described as a genocide, holocaust and total annihilation of Palestinians in the region.
Some local Palestinian residents talked of the horrors their families have faced. Some Jewish residents likened Israel’s military actions to the Holocaust. And medical professionals, including some who’ve been on the ground in Gaza, highlighted the lack of access to adequate medical care or basic necessities.
“It is a question of stopping our participation in monumental crimes. We have the power to end the absolute menace that is being visited upon Gazan society, half of which are children, and the Berkeley City Council can make a major difference in that regard,” said Dr. Feroze Sidhwa, a trauma and general surgeon who said he’s treated Gazans on the ground during the current conflict.
Among those speaking in support of the resolution were current and former Richmond mayors, Eduardo Martinez and Gayle McLaughlin, who coauthored what is believed to be the first Gaza ceasefire resolution to be adopted in the nation. Adopted in October 2023, it was followed up by another resolution in May 2024 directing city investments to be divested from companies supporting Israeli military efforts or illegal settlements.
Others, including many from the Jewish community, implored the council to either take no stance or to adopt Taplin’s resolution. They argued the Peace and Justice Commission resolution was dehumanizing to Jews, mischaracterized the history of Israel and Jewish claim to the land, and legitimized terrorism and harassment locally and abroad.
Despite moving to Berkeley because they felt it was a safe community, multiple people said they feel more unsafe than ever. Hate crimes against Jews have spiked, according to Berkeley Police Department data, and their children have faced antisemitic actions at school, speakers said.
Some also lambasted those they perceived as celebrating Hamas, which they noted is an internationally recognized terrorist organization that is accused of redirecting resources meant to support the Palestinian people to build up military capabilities, using civilian infrastructure as cover, initially starting the war with Israel without consideration for their civilian population and committing war crimes against Palestinians and Israelis.
Like Taplin, some said city resources should be directed toward local issues rather than focusing on complicated foreign affairs, particularly for such a divisive issue. And some speakers also noted the war has continued despite Richmond’s ceasefire resolution and others approved by jurisdictions across the country.
“When you bring foreign affairs into local government, this is what happens. This is what I warned about,” said Jonathan Mintzer, director of Policy and Government Affairs for the Jewish Community Relations Council. “Our elected leaders are supposed to bring people together and ensure everyone feels welcomed and safe. … Please bring us together to help us heal. This is not the way.”
When it came to council deliberation, Taplin and Councilmember Mark Humbert were the most defiant of the electeds, asserting they would not be “bullied” into voting for a resolution Humbert said was a “nonstarter” for him.
Councilmember Shoshana O’Keefe said she didn’t support the council weighing in on foreign affairs and would only back Taplin’s proposal. Councilmembers Igor Tregub and Rashi Kesarwani signaled their support for either Ishii’s or Taplin’s resolutions.
The final vote, drowned out by shouting and chants by an unhappy crowd, showed Taplin, Ishii, Humbert, O’Keefe, Tregub and Councilmember Brent Blackaby approved Taplin’s resolution. Councilmember Cecilia Lunaparra was the lone opposition vote and Bartlett abstained.