St. Paul City Council passes resolution calling for cease-fire in Gaza

The St. Paul City Council on Wednesday unanimously approved a resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza, after declining to take up the issue for weeks.

The symbolic statement comes after a month of pressure from pro-Palestinian activists, who packed the council chambers Wednesday for the fifth week in a row.

The vote by council members, all of them Democrats, marks the latest push by Minnesota progressives to demonstrate to President Joe Biden that large factions of his own party want him to support a permanent cease-fire in Gaza.

The council’s action came one day after nearly 46,000 voters sent a similar message by marking “uncommitted” rather than Biden’s name in the state’s Democratic presidential primary. Biden won with nearly 71% of the votes, while nearly 19% of voters registered as uncommitted.

Dozens of cities in the United States already have passed resolutions calling for a cease-fire, including Minneapolis, Hastings and Columbia Heights. Council President Mitra Jalali characterized the council’s vote as a “major departure” from St. Paul’s usual approach to international issues.

“We have been looking for a way to send a clear message that both Twin Cities support a permanent, mutual cease-fire,” she said. “Both Twin Cities expect our federal government to take all of this anguish and to make better choices — better than the past foreign policy that they have brought.”

Mayor Melvin Carter won’t veto the resolution, according to his press secretary, Kamal Baker. But the mayor will decide whether to endorse it with his signature after reading through the final language approved by the council.

Council Member Cheniqua Johnson authored the resolution to “make it clear to our United States federal elected officials what we need and expect of them to show up in this moment,” she said in a statement.

In addition to calling for a cease-fire, the measure urges the Biden administration to facilitate humanitarian aid promised to Gaza, ensure the immediate release of all hostages and discontinue unconditional U.S. military aid to Israel without clear guarantees for civilian safety. It also condemns the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel that launched the war.

A copy of the resolution will be sent to Biden, U.S. Sens. Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar and U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum, who represents St. Paul. All are Democrats.

Council Member Rebecca Noecker, who is Jewish, expressed the most reservations about the measure, saying she believed that “passing resolutions on international matters is not what we were elected to do.”

“Ultimately, I believe we have drafted a resolution that is by far more fair, nuanced and justified than any that I have seen to date,” Noecker said. “And I believe this resolution can help unite our community, rather than further divide it — which has to be our ultimate goal.”

The issue has created tensions at St. Paul City Hall in recent weeks, as protesters became increasingly frustrated with council members for their silence on the war. Activists temporarily shut down the council’s Feb. 21 meeting with chants calling for a cease-fire, and Council Member Nelsie Yang was the only official to publicly support their efforts.

Jalali, an outspoken advocate for the “vote uncommitted” movement, especially came under fire for abruptly adjourning last week’s council meeting, just as Yang was about make a last-minute attempt to introduce a cease-fire resolution.

Yang said Wednesday that she didn’t think St. Paul’s measure goes far enough, and lauded the Minneapolis City Council “for having the courage and the boldness to include the true historical context that needs to be uplifted.”

“I think it was long overdue for us to get here,” she said. “But I am proud that we were able to get here today.”

A handful of people in the chambers holding “We Stand with Israel” signs shouted criticism after the council’s vote Wednesday. But dozens more holding pro-cease-fire signs — including many saying, “Mitra Put Your Gavel Where Your Mouth Is!” — broke into applause amid chants of “Free, Free Palestine!”