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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
My name is Brandon Vesely and I am a Jewish resident of District 1. The ongoing genocide that Israel is perpetrating in Gaza and occupied Palestine, supported by U.S. taxpayer dollars, is unconscionable. As a Jewish American, I am appalled that Israel and its allies weaponize my grief for past antisemitic atrocities to justify their campaign of ethnic cleansing. Please pass this resolution so that Oakland can join other justice-minded communities across the globe to demand a ceasefire.
I am a D1 Oakland resident and am in strong support of this resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. For many reasons, the current pause in place is wholly inadequate, including the fact that IDF forces are still attacking Palestinians trying to return home. While this local resolution is long overdue, it is important and invaluable for this Oakland City Council to join the global chorus calling for a ceasefire after over 13,000 Palestinians have been murdered and hundreds of family blood lines have been wiped out. I applaud the council members who have already made public statements in support of the ceasefire and call on ALL council members to vote in favor of this resolution to reflect the overwhelming local, national and international demand for a ceasefire and for humanitarian aid to be brought in for Palestinians in dire need of clean drinking water, food, warm clothes and medical attention after near constant Israeli bombardments for 7 weeks now. Thank you in advance for standing on the right side of history!
I'm an Oakland resident and social worker at a primary care clinic. I am strongly in support of this resolution. In 2014 I had the opportunity to spend time in Palestine, a month-long trip that has had a lasting impact on me. I saw first-hand the horrific impacts of Israeli occupation and apartheid on the Palestinian people. One image seared into my mind is a statue in a refugee camp in Jenin created from pieces of ambulances blown up by the Israel Occupation Forces in 2002 during the Second Intifada. I bring up this horrifying image here to reiterate that (1) this violence against Palestinians is not new, (2) Palestinian resistance is happening in the context of decades of brutal suppression, and (3) the horrific tactics that we have seen from the IOF in the last 48 days - targeting hospitals and medical workers, forcing the wounded that Israel creates to evacuate while facing more bombings - are part of a decades-long practice. As a therapist in a medical setting who works with young people who have experienced trauma, I am overwhelmed by both the extreme, intentional violence (over 14,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 7th) and the impacts of this devastation that will be felt for generations. We, as Americans funding this genocide with our tax dollars, are complicit; we will feel this harm in our community for generations to come as well. As people dedicated to the values of life and liberation, the least we can do is advocate for a permanent ceasefire.
I strongly support the passing of this resolution and I'm proud of Oakland City Council for continuing to reflect our city's rich history and overwhelming support of social justice, advocacy, and accountability. Our federal government continues to fund and arm a genocide in front of our eyes and against the best wishes of most of its constituents, including me, and I appreciate the city's amplification of its citizen's strongly held viewpoints and beliefs. I also fully believe that the city can and should continue to support justice for marginalized people outside of our immediate community, because our collective and global health, well-being and progress is intrinsically linked, and because part of the City Council's purpose is to amplify the voices of their constituents. Furthermore, I fully believe the City Council can do many things at once — including advocating for its people and working on solutions to the complex issues we face locally, while simultaneously supporting collective liberation globally.
I’ve been a D3 resident for the last decade, intend to be a lifelong resident, and I support Oakland’s resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
I am based in Oakland and I wholeheartedly support Oakland's resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. It is so important for our Oakland councilmembers to vote in support of this resolution, and to represent the many voices of Oakland residents who are putting so much effort into calling for a ceasefire, into fighting for Indigenous sovereignty, into seeing the humanity of Palestinian people. I mourn the loss of Palestinian and Israeli lives. I mourn the Hamas attacks on innocent Israelis. AND there is no justification for the senseless, mass, violent killing of Palestinians by the Israeli government and military. There is no justification for denying Palestinian people safety, food, water, and access to medical care. Jewish values honor life, and the actions and dehumanizing violence of the Israeli government that we are seeing are not aligned with these values. Supporting this resolution is an important step in bringing this devastating violence to an end and fighting for Palestinian liberation.
First, the City has better things to do than spend time and money on foreign policy matters. I'm sure that the expense of drafting this resolution could have filled at least one pothole.
Second, it would have been more even-handed had the resolution begun with, 'WHEREAS Hamas caused the war by slaughtering hundreds of innocent Israelis and committing unspeakable atrocities, AND WHEREAS Israel has the right to defend herself AND WHEREAS Israel's right to exist is absolute" and go from there.
I am an Oakland resident and a long-time supporter of the creation of a Palestinian state. We must pursue a two-state solution premised on mutual understanding and coexistence. I oppose this resolution because it fails to clearly call for the parameters that would make this possible. The resolution should unequivocally condemn Hamas for breaking the cease-fire that held until October 6th; it should condemn its use of Palestinian citizens and infrastructure as human shields. Hamas's actions make life more difficult for the Palestinian people and make peace impossible to achieve. We must help the Palestinian people in their pursuit of a state living side-by-side in peace with Israel, which Hamas opposes. Our community has a proud history of supporting liberation movements. This resolution fails to uphold that history. Let's do better to support the Palestinian people by opposing Hamas and instead fostering authentic, meaningful relationships between Palestinians and Israelis that will lead to peace.
Oakland has a long history of solidarity with local and global anti-oppression movements. Now is the time that we sign on as a city that stands against the ongoing war crimes being committed against Palestinians. Global acts of violence, genocide, and oppression do not exist in a vacuum separate from us. Let us not be silent or complacent in response to global atrocities. As a mental health clinician, I know too well the generational impacts of trauma. Ceasefire Now so that all can begin to heal.
This resolution is measured and well written. I do not want to see any more harm in this conflict. However, this type of resolution does little to change or impact a war that is across the world. The Oakland City Council needs to be steadfast and focused on issues of Oakland. Council President Bas' letter to President Biden, while very anti-Israel, was adequate to state her position and as a representative of Oakland. Like Council President Bas' letter, this resolution will only brings out divisiveness in our community. We need to work to bring the people of Oakland together, not tear this community apart. Focus on Oakland.
The innocent lives of millions of people are at stake. We have the power to ensure their right to freedom, safety, food, housing and medical care and the right to lead normal lives, follow their dreams and passions and share their gifts with the world. We must act now.
Killing innocent civilians will only further radicalize them and put the lives of both Israelis and Palestinians in danger. Ceasefire and defending of this military occupation is a must
I am a Jewish resident, voter & community organizer in district 1. I wholeheartedly support this resolution and urge Oakland City Council to stand on the right side of history and pass a resolution in support of a ceasefire. Polls show that the overwhelming majority of voters support a ceasefire.
Nearly 14,000 civilians have been killed, funded by US taxpayer money - this is unconscionable. I trust Oakland City Council members to do the right thing and send a strong message that we need a permanent ceasefire NOW.
I wholeheartedly support this resolution, and applaud our Oakland City Council for continuing its legacy of social justice and advocacy. Israeli forces killing more than 14,000 civilians is unacceptable. It’s even more unacceptable that the indiscriminate bombing campaign is funded by US taxpayer money. An immediate ceasefire is needed to save innocent lives. I know you will do the right thing and pass this resolution.
My name is Brandon Vesely and I am a Jewish resident of District 1. The ongoing genocide that Israel is perpetrating in Gaza and occupied Palestine, supported by U.S. taxpayer dollars, is unconscionable. As a Jewish American, I am appalled that Israel and its allies weaponize my grief for past antisemitic atrocities to justify their campaign of ethnic cleansing. Please pass this resolution so that Oakland can join other justice-minded communities across the globe to demand a ceasefire.
I am a D1 Oakland resident and am in strong support of this resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. For many reasons, the current pause in place is wholly inadequate, including the fact that IDF forces are still attacking Palestinians trying to return home. While this local resolution is long overdue, it is important and invaluable for this Oakland City Council to join the global chorus calling for a ceasefire after over 13,000 Palestinians have been murdered and hundreds of family blood lines have been wiped out. I applaud the council members who have already made public statements in support of the ceasefire and call on ALL council members to vote in favor of this resolution to reflect the overwhelming local, national and international demand for a ceasefire and for humanitarian aid to be brought in for Palestinians in dire need of clean drinking water, food, warm clothes and medical attention after near constant Israeli bombardments for 7 weeks now. Thank you in advance for standing on the right side of history!
I support this resolution. The slaughter of innocent Palestinians must stop immediately.
I support an immediate cease fire. Oakland can not ignore the genocide of innocent Palestinians.
I'm an Oakland resident and social worker at a primary care clinic. I am strongly in support of this resolution. In 2014 I had the opportunity to spend time in Palestine, a month-long trip that has had a lasting impact on me. I saw first-hand the horrific impacts of Israeli occupation and apartheid on the Palestinian people. One image seared into my mind is a statue in a refugee camp in Jenin created from pieces of ambulances blown up by the Israel Occupation Forces in 2002 during the Second Intifada. I bring up this horrifying image here to reiterate that (1) this violence against Palestinians is not new, (2) Palestinian resistance is happening in the context of decades of brutal suppression, and (3) the horrific tactics that we have seen from the IOF in the last 48 days - targeting hospitals and medical workers, forcing the wounded that Israel creates to evacuate while facing more bombings - are part of a decades-long practice. As a therapist in a medical setting who works with young people who have experienced trauma, I am overwhelmed by both the extreme, intentional violence (over 14,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 7th) and the impacts of this devastation that will be felt for generations. We, as Americans funding this genocide with our tax dollars, are complicit; we will feel this harm in our community for generations to come as well. As people dedicated to the values of life and liberation, the least we can do is advocate for a permanent ceasefire.
I strongly support the passing of this resolution and I'm proud of Oakland City Council for continuing to reflect our city's rich history and overwhelming support of social justice, advocacy, and accountability. Our federal government continues to fund and arm a genocide in front of our eyes and against the best wishes of most of its constituents, including me, and I appreciate the city's amplification of its citizen's strongly held viewpoints and beliefs. I also fully believe that the city can and should continue to support justice for marginalized people outside of our immediate community, because our collective and global health, well-being and progress is intrinsically linked, and because part of the City Council's purpose is to amplify the voices of their constituents. Furthermore, I fully believe the City Council can do many things at once — including advocating for its people and working on solutions to the complex issues we face locally, while simultaneously supporting collective liberation globally.
I’ve been a D3 resident for the last decade, intend to be a lifelong resident, and I support Oakland’s resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
I am an Oakland worker and support Oakland's resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
I am based in Oakland and I wholeheartedly support Oakland's resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. It is so important for our Oakland councilmembers to vote in support of this resolution, and to represent the many voices of Oakland residents who are putting so much effort into calling for a ceasefire, into fighting for Indigenous sovereignty, into seeing the humanity of Palestinian people. I mourn the loss of Palestinian and Israeli lives. I mourn the Hamas attacks on innocent Israelis. AND there is no justification for the senseless, mass, violent killing of Palestinians by the Israeli government and military. There is no justification for denying Palestinian people safety, food, water, and access to medical care. Jewish values honor life, and the actions and dehumanizing violence of the Israeli government that we are seeing are not aligned with these values. Supporting this resolution is an important step in bringing this devastating violence to an end and fighting for Palestinian liberation.
First, the City has better things to do than spend time and money on foreign policy matters. I'm sure that the expense of drafting this resolution could have filled at least one pothole.
Second, it would have been more even-handed had the resolution begun with, 'WHEREAS Hamas caused the war by slaughtering hundreds of innocent Israelis and committing unspeakable atrocities, AND WHEREAS Israel has the right to defend herself AND WHEREAS Israel's right to exist is absolute" and go from there.
I am an Oakland resident and a long-time supporter of the creation of a Palestinian state. We must pursue a two-state solution premised on mutual understanding and coexistence. I oppose this resolution because it fails to clearly call for the parameters that would make this possible. The resolution should unequivocally condemn Hamas for breaking the cease-fire that held until October 6th; it should condemn its use of Palestinian citizens and infrastructure as human shields. Hamas's actions make life more difficult for the Palestinian people and make peace impossible to achieve. We must help the Palestinian people in their pursuit of a state living side-by-side in peace with Israel, which Hamas opposes. Our community has a proud history of supporting liberation movements. This resolution fails to uphold that history. Let's do better to support the Palestinian people by opposing Hamas and instead fostering authentic, meaningful relationships between Palestinians and Israelis that will lead to peace.
Oakland has a long history of solidarity with local and global anti-oppression movements. Now is the time that we sign on as a city that stands against the ongoing war crimes being committed against Palestinians. Global acts of violence, genocide, and oppression do not exist in a vacuum separate from us. Let us not be silent or complacent in response to global atrocities. As a mental health clinician, I know too well the generational impacts of trauma. Ceasefire Now so that all can begin to heal.
Supporting a ceasefire is a no brainer for the humanitarian minded and is the absolute least we can do.
This resolution is measured and well written. I do not want to see any more harm in this conflict. However, this type of resolution does little to change or impact a war that is across the world. The Oakland City Council needs to be steadfast and focused on issues of Oakland. Council President Bas' letter to President Biden, while very anti-Israel, was adequate to state her position and as a representative of Oakland. Like Council President Bas' letter, this resolution will only brings out divisiveness in our community. We need to work to bring the people of Oakland together, not tear this community apart. Focus on Oakland.
The innocent lives of millions of people are at stake. We have the power to ensure their right to freedom, safety, food, housing and medical care and the right to lead normal lives, follow their dreams and passions and share their gifts with the world. We must act now.
Killing innocent civilians will only further radicalize them and put the lives of both Israelis and Palestinians in danger. Ceasefire and defending of this military occupation is a must
I strongly support this resolution for ceasefire. Oakland needs to stand on the right side of history in solidarity with Palestinian freedom.
I am a Jewish resident, voter & community organizer in district 1. I wholeheartedly support this resolution and urge Oakland City Council to stand on the right side of history and pass a resolution in support of a ceasefire. Polls show that the overwhelming majority of voters support a ceasefire.
Nearly 14,000 civilians have been killed, funded by US taxpayer money - this is unconscionable. I trust Oakland City Council members to do the right thing and send a strong message that we need a permanent ceasefire NOW.
I wholeheartedly support this resolution, and applaud our Oakland City Council for continuing its legacy of social justice and advocacy. Israeli forces killing more than 14,000 civilians is unacceptable. It’s even more unacceptable that the indiscriminate bombing campaign is funded by US taxpayer money. An immediate ceasefire is needed to save innocent lives. I know you will do the right thing and pass this resolution.
I am an oakland resident and I support the ceasefire, in fact we need a permanent ceasefire!