Minneapolis city council passes Gaza ceasefire resolution

The Minneapolis City Council has passed a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, making it one of the largest US cities to take the position.

The measure, passing with a 9-3 veto-proof vote, calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, an end to US aid to Israel, and the release of Palestinian and Israeli political prisoners, in addition to other steps to de-escalate the violence and humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

“We thank the council members, coalitions and community members who have been advocating for this in the last two months. This resolution is not just symbolic, but also very important and powerful, and it highlights how this issue is impacting our local community members and residents of Minneapolis,” Jaylani Hussein, executive director for the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said in a public statement.

“The ball is now in the court of our federal delegation and representatives. They need to listen to their constituents and other American citizens calling them every day to call for a ceasefire. The killings need to stop right now,” he added.

Since 7 October, when Hamas launched a surprise attack and  killed around 1,150 Israeli civilians and military personnel. For its part, Israel killed more than 26,000 Palestinians and wounded around 70,000 in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, many of whom were women and children.

Minneapolis, which is home to progressive Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, is known for having a significant Somali Muslim community and has historically been a leader in leftist causes. 

In calling for a ceasefire, Minneapolis joins more than 60 other localities since the war began nearly four months ago.

This week’s vote in Minneapolis, with a population of around 430,000, makes it the second-largest city so far to vote in favour of a ceasefire. Earlier this month, the Board of Supervisors in San Francisco, with a population of around 874,000, voted 8-3 for a ceasefire.