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Passionate pleas both for and against a resolution calling for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war reverberated through Redwood City City Hall on Monday, March 11.
An overflow crowd of more than 130 people packed the building downtown, with most of them – one by one – giving emotional remarks in the City Council Chambers for nearly three hours.
“We and you have a special responsibility to raise our voices and act,” said Siddharth Patel, one of the many speakers that night. “Genocide is everyone’s problem. We are all dehumanized. When a government oppresses and commits horrific violence against the population on the basis of nationality, ethnicity, race or religion, every ounce of international pressure for peace counts because that is the swiftest way to end this genocide, and you can add your voices to that pressure.”
Patel and scores of others converged at City Hall in response to Vice Mayor Lissette Espinoza-Garnica’s request for her council colleagues to put a cease-fire resolution on a future meeting agenda for formal consideration.
“The vast majority of Americans support a cease-fire, and it is our duty to advocate for the well-being of our community,” Espinoza-Garnica said, addressing her fellow council members. “I ask you, my colleagues, my neighbors, to please agendize this item and pass a cease-fire resolution because ‘never again’ means ‘never again’ for anyone. And these are our residents, our neighbors here, who are hurting all the time because there is no cease-fire.”
In part, a draft of the resolution reads: “The City Council vows to combat anti-Jewish hate, anti-Muslim hate, anti-Palestinian racism, anti-Arab racism, ethno-nationalism, and other forms of bigotry and hate that lead to increased hate crimes and attacks in our community with the goal of making the city of Redwood City a truly ‘welcoming city’ for all.”
The proposed resolution goes on to say that the council “condemns all violations of international law, including attacks on children and civilians, and calls for a permanent and immediate bilateral cease-fire in Palestine and Israel.”
As the Islamic holy month of Ramadan begins, the war in Gaza has raged on since the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7.
About 1,400 Israelis have died, while some 240 people were kidnapped by Hamas, according to news reports. At least 30,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel’s counteroffensive into Gaza.
Dena Koren told the council that passing the resolution would prove divisive, not unifying.
“I implore you not to put this resolution on any future agenda,” Koren said. “This proposal is undermining the very thing (Espinoza-Garnica) is seeking. We feel scared and anxious in our own city. Antisemitism and Islamophobia are on the rise in our schools and on our streets, and continuing to bring this to the Council Chambers is exacerbating the hatred.”
Ella Potash described the latest Middle East crisis as beyond the council’s purview.
“You have spent an inordinate amount of time listening to matters that don’t pertain to Redwood City,” Potash said, “and while I pray every day, multiple times a day, for peace in Israel and the return of our hostages, Redwood City bringing a cease-fire resolution will not accomplish this.”
Moving forward with the resolution would instead accomplish “discord, disunity and the opposite of peace right here in Redwood City,” she said, “so I urge you to keep the peace in Redwood City and focus on matters that pertain to our beautiful city.”
But Brian Mancilla urged the council to pass the resolution as a strong show of support for local residents impacted in one way or another by the human toll and devastation in Gaza.
He also encouraged council members to participate in Ramadan fasting as a way “to hopefully develop some empathy” for those suffering in the war.
“I’m not Palestinian, but I have decided to join in with my community members who are mourning,” he added.
Outside City Hall, Mancilla told this publication that he understands a resolution “will not stop the bombing and the starvation of children.”
He acknowledged that it’s symbolic. “But our voice is all we have,” he said. “We are hoping that by going to our local leaders they’ll actually give a damn. Now I’m not optimistic that they will pass this, but we will see which one of these council members are with us and which one of these council members are on the wrong side of history and which council members we will vote out this coming November.”
Ultimately, most of the seven-member council voted not to bring the resolution back for a future meeting. Only Espinoza-Garnica and Councilmember Chris Sturken wanted to have it returned.
“Given the perspectives that have been shared with the council this evening and then probably thousands of emails that we’ve received over the last several weeks and in the demonstrations throughout the region, I cannot see how a cease-fire resolution will bring our community together,” Mayor Jeff Gee said before the vote.
“Redwood City has stood and continues to stand united against hate. There is no place in Redwood City for racism and hate. Please don’t get me wrong. Whatever I choose is not anti-Jew, anti-Palestinian. I choose for all of Redwood City,” he added.
As it became clear that the council would not have enough votes to proceed with the resolution, outbursts of protest from the crowd – including shouts of “shame” and “cease-fire now” – built to a crescendo, and someone was escorted out of the chambers.
The council has previously heard calls for it to proceed with a cease-fire resolution. Other cities, such as Palo Alto, have also decided not to pursue a resolution, but others, like San Francisco, have done so.
