Minneapolis, MN – With hundreds of Palestine supporters packing the meeting room and the hallway outside, on January 23 the Minneapolis City Council’s Committee of the Whole voted 9-3 (with one abstention) to pass a Palestine ceasefire resolution.

The next step January 25, for a full council for a final vote.

The committee voted in favor of eight amendments to the original resolution, all of which clarified or strengthened the resolution.

If the nine council members who voted for the resolution in committee all stand firm, they would have enough votes to override a potential veto from Mayor Jacob Frey, who has publicly criticized the resolution.

The Free Palestine Coalition has organized a campaign to press the city council to pass a strong resolution. They’ve generated thousands of emails and calls to councilmembers. The coalition also organized a large rally outside City Hall the Saturday before the vote.

Increasing numbers of cities around the country are passing resolutions calling on the Biden administration to advocate for a ceasefire to stop the carnage in Gaza. The language in the Minneapolis resolution goes further than many that have passed in other cities.

While many cities’ resolutions start with October 7, the Minneapolis resolution puts the current events in historical context, saying, “Whereas, the ongoing bombardment in the Gaza Strip comes in the context of the 75-year displacement of Palestinians and in 2016 the United Nations Security Council found the settlements in the occupied West Bank, which have gone on for 56 years, unlawful, and the 17-year blockade of Gaza; and…”

The Minneapolis resolution also uses the word “genocide” in two places, referencing statements by the United National Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner and the South African case before the International Court of Justice arguing that Israel is carrying out genocide in Gaza.

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