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Agenda Item
1 23-0935 Subject: Affirming Oakland's Support For The Congressional And Worldwide Calls For Immediate Ceasefire In Gaza
From: Councilmember Fife
Recommendation: Adopt A Resolution Affirming Oakland's Love Life Commitment And Support For The Congressional And Worldwide Calls For An Immediate Ceasefire In Gaza
I am in full, unwavering support of a permanent ceasefire, an end to the apartheid regime, and an end to the brutal occupation of Palestinian peoples and land, in so-called “Israel.” The death toll of Palestinian lives since 10/7 is nearing 15,000, plus there are tens of thousands of Palestinians injured, there are thousands lost under the rubble, there are hundreds of thousands displaced, there are hundreds dying of lack of access to proper medical care, and there are thousands being held hostage and imprisoned without due cause, including hundreds of children. On top of that, Gazans have been cut off from clean water, fuel, medical supplies, food—the very most basic of human needs. Experts in the field are very clear that this is genocide, showing clear expression of intent by Israeli officials and clear execution of their genocidal plans. We must take a strong stance against genocide, against ethnic cleansing, against apartheid, against dehumanization, and a clear stance for the liberation and self-determination and dignity of all peoples. We must take a clear and strong stance against the conflation of anti-Zionism and anti-semitism, and instead protect a people’s’ right to hold a state accountable. We must show clear support of our Palestinian Oakland residents in their unfathomable suffering as they witness the genocide of their families and the theft of their land. This is not complicated, and this is the very least we can do!
How is this resolution helpful in creating a lasting peace in the middle east where Palestinians and Israelis live together with mutual respect? Hamas is a terrorist organization whose existence represents an existential threat to not only Israel, but to Palestinians as well. I support President Biden's compassionate approach in helping Israel return the hostages and in his approach to the removing Hamas from power and ending the conflict.
Dear Council Members,
Please vote in favor of the ceasefire. The community is watching, and your decision will be remembered for the next 50 years. This is not about religion but a humanitarian issue. People from all faiths, Muslims, Jews, Christians, and atheists, urge you to support this resolution. Stand with 99% of the community, as we've known you to do before.
Thank you.
I fully support this resolution. It is imperative to make a statement while our federal administration not only supports but finances genocide. I am devastated to see the ongoing genocide in Palestine, to which United States contributes $3.8 billion a year. Of that, Oakland contributes $6,121,149 a year. There are many other places in Oakland that these resources can go to. We must speak up and say no more money for military occupation and genocide.
For those who may think this doesn't concern us: Congresswoman Barbara Lee in Oakland, where I currently live, recently signed on to Resolution 786. I am reminded of how Congresswoman Lee was the only member of Congress to vote against the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) in Iraq on September 14th, 2001. She was the only member of Congress to vote against war in Afghanistan. Part of her speech said ‘let’s just pause, just for a minute, and think through the implications of our actions today, so that this does not spiral out of control.’ She faced death threats, insults and hate mail. While she was in the minority, decades later it is documented in history that she did the right thing. This reminds me how important it is, now, for us to do the right thing.
Please do the right and brave thing and call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire now! I am a district 6 resident who hopes to see a free Palestine in my lifetime and believes Oakland needs to stand against this genocide now.
As a Jewish resident of Oakland I strongly support the resolution to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. While the extremist Zionists may claim otherwise - we can all see that the IDF and Israeli government are enacting a genocide on the Palestinian people and using the history of oppression of the Jewish people as a cover for their war crimes. Calling for a ceasefire is the least we can do and I hope we collectively consider more ways we can support the end to genocidal acts around the world.
I am a resident of Oakland in District 1. I strongly support this resolution. Israel's genocide did not start on October 7th -- it started in 1948. And it's not just in Gaza -- it's in all of Palestine.
Here is a quote from a Palestinian father in 2002 after Israeli airstrikes killed his children and destroyed his home in Jenin (West Bank): "Every we time we build a home, they destroy it. Every time a child is born, they kill it. What can we do? They killed our hope and the love that was in our hearts. What harm have these houses done? What harm has the murdered child done? We are still pulling victims out of the rubble."
Bombings are just one aspect of Israel's genocide. In Gaza, 90% of the water supply is unfit for human consumption, and in the West Bank, 180 communities have no access to running water. And since 1967, Israeli authorities banned Palestinians from constructing water installations without permission. Palestinians are not even allowed to collect rain water! Not only does Israel restrict water, but it also restricts food and medical supplies. I don't have enough characters to detail all the atrocities.
With respect to the recent exchange, why does Israel even have hundreds children prisoners to exchange? Most have not been convicted of anything! And of those who are convicted of something, the most common charge is throwing stones. If Israel killed your family and friends, destroyed your home, and prevented you from leaving, wouldn't you throw stones too?
I strongly support the resolution to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. Thank you to those who brought this forward. I hope this is the beginning of a larger conversation to divest from an apartheid state.
The city of Oakland must stand for the liberation and IMMEDIATE and PERMANENT ceasefire. In doing this, our city takes a stand AGAINST genocide. The Palestinian people have been facing displacement, famine, and bombing of innocent civilian families for almost 2 months now. This is defined as heinous war crimes, Oakland must take a stand against this NOW. We need our officials to take a stance and it must be done soon. Our tax dollars have been used as US aid to fund the genocide of Palestinians and it is time our city takes a stance AGAINST it.
I am a mother who deeply desires a stop to the bombing and fighting in Gaza. I am also deeply dismayed by the resolution’s silence on terrorism. The resolution calls for an immediate ceasefire, while saying nothing about either the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7 or the terrorist organization's stated commitment to repeat the massacre in the future. Without an amendment, Oakland will not hold Hamas accountable for its continued reign of terror over Israelis and Palestinians. I urge the City Council to amend this agenda item and explicitly condemn the atrocious terrorism Hamas has inflicted on the people of Israel.
At this point, Israel has killed nearly 20,000 innocent civilians in Gaza, almost half of whom are children, using weapons that the United States gifted them, paid for by our taxes. The Israeli military has torn thousands of children limb-from-limb using American bombs, and thousands more have died afraid, alone, and in excruciating pain, trapped under rubble for hours or days with nobody to help them. The most common age of Palestinians killed by Israel is 5 years old. There are hundreds of people currently alive under the rubble who will die soon, because Israeli soldiers are shooting at anyone who tries to rescue them even during the temporary ceasefire. The Israeli military lied about Al-Shifa hospital being a Hamas base, and killed multiple medical staff and every ICU patient including dozens of babies there. Israel has killed more UN staff than Hamas leaders. It has also killed more doctors, teachers, and journalists than any other country in the UN. Israeli government officials have publicly asserted that no Palestinian is innocent or fully human, and that Palestinian land belongs to Israel. This is genocide, plain and simple.
Our senators, who ran on platforms of peace and racial justice, have yet to publicly denounce this genocide and demand its end. The USA continues to fund Israel. It is crucial for Oakland to affirm the equal humanity of all people and make it very clear that the people of Oakland will not accept being the benefactors of a genocidal regime.
There is a genocide happening in Gaza. You can listen to experts on the topic or see for yourself. The US has sent military aid to Israel since its inception, and as such is directly complicit in Israel’s crimes against humanity. To do anything less than express PUBLIC moral outrage, to demand a stop to the murdering, is to be complicit as well. As an acting body of leadership, you have a powerful voice in this matter. I understand that speaking up requires bravery, potentially putting your career at risk. But ask yourself—why are you here in public office? Was it to make a difference? Was it to do right by the people you stand for? Oakland is a city with resistance woven into its fabric. Advocating for real change is always disruptive. It always requires taking a bold risk that puts a lot on the line. And perhaps you are thinking to yourself that this issue isn’t worth it. The Palestinians, they can fight their own battle. But it’s our battle too. Because then what issue IS worth taking that chance on? What ARE you willing to fight for? Taking a stand for them is to take a stand for all of us. There are Palestinians in Oakland. There are Arabs. And most of those growing up in Oakland know what it means to struggle watching those in power turn their backs on you. We are all carefully watching what you do next. Your call for a ceasefire is a call for humanity that the whole world will hear. Take a risk on them, then turn to your constituents and take a risk on us.
I am a resident of Oakland and am also Jewish. I STRONGLY support the resolution in favor of a ceasefire in Israel/Gaza. I believe that the City of Oakland has a responsibility to speak out against the horrible massacre and destruction that are being committed in our name with our American tax dollars. Although this is not directly happening in Oakland, it reflects badly on all of us, especially if we don’t speak up in opposition. Please vote for the ceasefire resolution.
I am an Oakland resident and fully support the ceasefire in Gaza. I urge and demand for a complete and permanent ceasefire followed by end of settler occupation in Palestine. Palestinians and the people of Gaza deserve to return to their land with complete freedom, sovereignty, and protection.
I am in full, unwavering support of a permanent ceasefire, an end to the apartheid regime, and an end to the brutal occupation of Palestinian peoples and land, in so-called “Israel.” The death toll of Palestinian lives since 10/7 is nearing 15,000, plus there are tens of thousands of Palestinians injured, there are thousands lost under the rubble, there are hundreds of thousands displaced, there are hundreds dying of lack of access to proper medical care, and there are thousands being held hostage and imprisoned without due cause, including hundreds of children. On top of that, Gazans have been cut off from clean water, fuel, medical supplies, food—the very most basic of human needs. Experts in the field are very clear that this is genocide, showing clear expression of intent by Israeli officials and clear execution of their genocidal plans. We must take a strong stance against genocide, against ethnic cleansing, against apartheid, against dehumanization, and a clear stance for the liberation and self-determination and dignity of all peoples. We must take a clear and strong stance against the conflation of anti-Zionism and anti-semitism, and instead protect a people’s’ right to hold a state accountable. We must show clear support of our Palestinian Oakland residents in their unfathomable suffering as they witness the genocide of their families and the theft of their land. This is not complicated, and this is the very least we can do!
How is this resolution helpful in creating a lasting peace in the middle east where Palestinians and Israelis live together with mutual respect? Hamas is a terrorist organization whose existence represents an existential threat to not only Israel, but to Palestinians as well. I support President Biden's compassionate approach in helping Israel return the hostages and in his approach to the removing Hamas from power and ending the conflict.
Oakland should support a ceasefire in Gaza
Dear Council Members,
Please vote in favor of the ceasefire. The community is watching, and your decision will be remembered for the next 50 years. This is not about religion but a humanitarian issue. People from all faiths, Muslims, Jews, Christians, and atheists, urge you to support this resolution. Stand with 99% of the community, as we've known you to do before.
Thank you.
I fully support this resolution. It is imperative to make a statement while our federal administration not only supports but finances genocide. I am devastated to see the ongoing genocide in Palestine, to which United States contributes $3.8 billion a year. Of that, Oakland contributes $6,121,149 a year. There are many other places in Oakland that these resources can go to. We must speak up and say no more money for military occupation and genocide.
For those who may think this doesn't concern us: Congresswoman Barbara Lee in Oakland, where I currently live, recently signed on to Resolution 786. I am reminded of how Congresswoman Lee was the only member of Congress to vote against the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) in Iraq on September 14th, 2001. She was the only member of Congress to vote against war in Afghanistan. Part of her speech said ‘let’s just pause, just for a minute, and think through the implications of our actions today, so that this does not spiral out of control.’ She faced death threats, insults and hate mail. While she was in the minority, decades later it is documented in history that she did the right thing. This reminds me how important it is, now, for us to do the right thing.
Please do the right and brave thing and call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire now! I am a district 6 resident who hopes to see a free Palestine in my lifetime and believes Oakland needs to stand against this genocide now.
As a Jewish resident of Oakland I strongly support the resolution to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. While the extremist Zionists may claim otherwise - we can all see that the IDF and Israeli government are enacting a genocide on the Palestinian people and using the history of oppression of the Jewish people as a cover for their war crimes. Calling for a ceasefire is the least we can do and I hope we collectively consider more ways we can support the end to genocidal acts around the world.
I am a resident of Oakland in District 1. I strongly support this resolution. Israel's genocide did not start on October 7th -- it started in 1948. And it's not just in Gaza -- it's in all of Palestine.
Here is a quote from a Palestinian father in 2002 after Israeli airstrikes killed his children and destroyed his home in Jenin (West Bank): "Every we time we build a home, they destroy it. Every time a child is born, they kill it. What can we do? They killed our hope and the love that was in our hearts. What harm have these houses done? What harm has the murdered child done? We are still pulling victims out of the rubble."
Bombings are just one aspect of Israel's genocide. In Gaza, 90% of the water supply is unfit for human consumption, and in the West Bank, 180 communities have no access to running water. And since 1967, Israeli authorities banned Palestinians from constructing water installations without permission. Palestinians are not even allowed to collect rain water! Not only does Israel restrict water, but it also restricts food and medical supplies. I don't have enough characters to detail all the atrocities.
With respect to the recent exchange, why does Israel even have hundreds children prisoners to exchange? Most have not been convicted of anything! And of those who are convicted of something, the most common charge is throwing stones. If Israel killed your family and friends, destroyed your home, and prevented you from leaving, wouldn't you throw stones too?
I strongly support the resolution to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. Thank you to those who brought this forward. I hope this is the beginning of a larger conversation to divest from an apartheid state.
The city of Oakland must stand for the liberation and IMMEDIATE and PERMANENT ceasefire. In doing this, our city takes a stand AGAINST genocide. The Palestinian people have been facing displacement, famine, and bombing of innocent civilian families for almost 2 months now. This is defined as heinous war crimes, Oakland must take a stand against this NOW. We need our officials to take a stance and it must be done soon. Our tax dollars have been used as US aid to fund the genocide of Palestinians and it is time our city takes a stance AGAINST it.
I am a mother who deeply desires a stop to the bombing and fighting in Gaza. I am also deeply dismayed by the resolution’s silence on terrorism. The resolution calls for an immediate ceasefire, while saying nothing about either the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7 or the terrorist organization's stated commitment to repeat the massacre in the future. Without an amendment, Oakland will not hold Hamas accountable for its continued reign of terror over Israelis and Palestinians. I urge the City Council to amend this agenda item and explicitly condemn the atrocious terrorism Hamas has inflicted on the people of Israel.
At this point, Israel has killed nearly 20,000 innocent civilians in Gaza, almost half of whom are children, using weapons that the United States gifted them, paid for by our taxes. The Israeli military has torn thousands of children limb-from-limb using American bombs, and thousands more have died afraid, alone, and in excruciating pain, trapped under rubble for hours or days with nobody to help them. The most common age of Palestinians killed by Israel is 5 years old. There are hundreds of people currently alive under the rubble who will die soon, because Israeli soldiers are shooting at anyone who tries to rescue them even during the temporary ceasefire. The Israeli military lied about Al-Shifa hospital being a Hamas base, and killed multiple medical staff and every ICU patient including dozens of babies there. Israel has killed more UN staff than Hamas leaders. It has also killed more doctors, teachers, and journalists than any other country in the UN. Israeli government officials have publicly asserted that no Palestinian is innocent or fully human, and that Palestinian land belongs to Israel. This is genocide, plain and simple.
Our senators, who ran on platforms of peace and racial justice, have yet to publicly denounce this genocide and demand its end. The USA continues to fund Israel. It is crucial for Oakland to affirm the equal humanity of all people and make it very clear that the people of Oakland will not accept being the benefactors of a genocidal regime.
I am a resident of Oakland, demanding for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
I am a district 6 resident strongly in support of Oakland calling for a PERMANENT ceasefire and a free Palestine.
There is a genocide happening in Gaza. You can listen to experts on the topic or see for yourself. The US has sent military aid to Israel since its inception, and as such is directly complicit in Israel’s crimes against humanity. To do anything less than express PUBLIC moral outrage, to demand a stop to the murdering, is to be complicit as well. As an acting body of leadership, you have a powerful voice in this matter. I understand that speaking up requires bravery, potentially putting your career at risk. But ask yourself—why are you here in public office? Was it to make a difference? Was it to do right by the people you stand for? Oakland is a city with resistance woven into its fabric. Advocating for real change is always disruptive. It always requires taking a bold risk that puts a lot on the line. And perhaps you are thinking to yourself that this issue isn’t worth it. The Palestinians, they can fight their own battle. But it’s our battle too. Because then what issue IS worth taking that chance on? What ARE you willing to fight for? Taking a stand for them is to take a stand for all of us. There are Palestinians in Oakland. There are Arabs. And most of those growing up in Oakland know what it means to struggle watching those in power turn their backs on you. We are all carefully watching what you do next. Your call for a ceasefire is a call for humanity that the whole world will hear. Take a risk on them, then turn to your constituents and take a risk on us.
I am a resident of Oakland and am also Jewish. I STRONGLY support the resolution in favor of a ceasefire in Israel/Gaza. I believe that the City of Oakland has a responsibility to speak out against the horrible massacre and destruction that are being committed in our name with our American tax dollars. Although this is not directly happening in Oakland, it reflects badly on all of us, especially if we don’t speak up in opposition. Please vote for the ceasefire resolution.
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I am an Oakland resident and fully support the ceasefire in Gaza. I urge and demand for a complete and permanent ceasefire followed by end of settler occupation in Palestine. Palestinians and the people of Gaza deserve to return to their land with complete freedom, sovereignty, and protection.
Please support this resolution. An immediate AND PERMANENT ceasefire is imperative.
Please support this resolution. An immediate AND PERMANENT ceasefire is imperative.