Last week’s City Council meeting was dominated by the Israel-Gaza resolution proposed by Councilmembers Gleam Davis, Caroline Torosis and Jesse Zwick. The 16D Discussion Item drew over two and a half hours of public comment with some 94 speakers coming forward to share their opinions.
On several occasions Mayor Phil Brock had to insist that gathered members of the public be respectful to other speakers after multiple instances of jeering, sneering, hollering and hooting before finally asking several of them to leave the chamber, resulting in even more of a furor.
This item caused the meeting to sail into the early hours of Wednesday morning, causing tiredness to exacerbate an already extremely divisive subject with many commenters shouting into the microphone and others banging their fists on the lectern.
The majority of the gathered speakers were in favor of the resolution, however, not everyone was and some instead highlighted how this item has caused a divide in the community on a scale seldom seen before.
“Unfortunately, this resolution is more divisive than bridging gaps together. [We’ve] seen more acts of anti-semitism in the last month than I’ve ever seen in the last 42 years of being a Santa Monica resident. It’s everywhere…” said one speaker before being cut off by shouts from the gathered crowd. “…and that’s exactly what I’m talking about,” he added.
On October 7, last year, Hamas — a Palestinian Sunni Islamist political and military movement that has governed the Gaza Strip since 2007 — chose the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah to launch a deadly attack on the people of Israel. The next day, Israel declared war.
What has followed since then is, in essence, a no holds barred, non-stop exchange of fire that has killed thousands of innocent people as hospitals and refugee camps have been decimated.
Some speakers compared these atrocities to those committed during the Second World War, others spoke of other ongoing conflicts where innocent people have also tragically been caught in the crossfire, such as the war in Ukraine, the Myanmar conflict and the Somali Civil War.
Most referenced details that are known, including the escalating number of casualties, the deaths of aid workers killed plus of course the treatment and continued imprisonment of hostages by Hamas. And some were angry over pure speculation, including the threat of nuclear war and catastrophic consequences of potential fallout.
However, some speakers highlighted that the same level of opinionated outspokenness that we’re witnessing now, with a war taking place 7,575 miles away, had not been expressed in those previous instances.
“City councils are to enact city policies and laws, not to weigh in on nuanced and complex international issues. This resolution takes away your attention from issues affecting our city. The city council’s being used to spread anti-Israel sentiment in a large public forum. I seek peace, the release of our hostages … and the end of death of all innocents,” said Michele Prince, a 30 year resident of Santa Monica over audible hisses from other members of the public.
Zwick began the discussion, “I’m quite aware that as a small city, in California, the actions of this council are, on the whole, deeply, deeply insignificant when it comes to one of the most anxious and intractable conflicts around the world,” he said.
Zwick continued, “[However] as a body we are asked to, and we regularly weigh in on issues around the world from public health programs administered by our county to the rights of women in Iran to the war in Ukraine … all of which we have no direct power over other than the ceremonial weight of our office.
“There are clearly a lot of people in our community who feel deeply about this issue and have brought their feelings to the attention of this body. Many of them have called for us to weigh in. And that’s why I chose to do so,” Zwick said.
“The language before you [in the resolution], which to be frank I wish more people had read closely, was crafted in close consultation with local experts … and were an attempt to craft a series of statements so obvious in their factual basis and universal values that they might bridge a terrible divide in our community. Obviously, that hasn’t quite succeeded.”
Zwick added that he had a few small suggestions for the resolution, including mentioning that Hamas is listed by the US as a terrorist organization.
Every member of Council was more or less in agreement, with the exception of Councilmember Christine Parra, who at first said she still wasn’t sure how she was going to vote.
“I appreciate the conversation, I appreciate everybody coming and speaking and sharing their stories … and I truly want peace. But what’s equally troubling to me is the division that it’s also caused. And that’s the part that I’m struggling with right now,” she said.
Brock made a friendly and somewhat moving amendment to either add the following statement to the resolution or have it as an additional one.
“It is resolved that while tragic armed conflicts are occurring in the Middle East, we acknowledge the feelings of hate and despair within our community from these outside events are stirring anti-semitism and Islamophobia in Santa Monica, Be it known to all that tolerance of all faiths and beliefs are integral to life within Santa Monica and that all faiths and beliefs are welcome here without prejudgment. Further, verbal and or physical attacks on any member of the Santa Monica Community will not be tolerated. No matter their religion, faith or creed. Santa Monicans strive for peace in our community and throughout the world. As the City Council we are responsible for promoting the safety and security of all who live and come here. Tolerance, not intolerance, are the key to peace in our city. We urge all of Santa Monica’s residents to treat each other respectfully and to not judge others based on external factors, but as humans dedicated to peace and justice for all other humans.”
A motion was made to keep the two resolutions separate by Zwick, which was seconded by Davis and passed 6-1, with Parra being the only member of Council to vote against it. She reiterated that her feelings were reflected in her earlier statement, “I’m concerned about the division,” she said, adding, “You can shake your heads all you want. I am trying to be sensitive to what our community members’ concerns were.”