Minneapolis council committee moves forward Israel ceasefire call

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A Minneapolis City Council committee moved forward with a call for a ceasefire in Gaza during a vote on Tuesday.

The resolution approved on Tuesday by the Committee of the Whole, which includes the entire council, calls on the Biden administration to end military funding for Israel and support an immediate ceasefire to the conflict that followed October's terrorist attack against Israel.

The ceasefire resolution, like much of the conversation around the Israel-Hamas war, has been a contentious issue, with supporters of the measure showing fierce support, while critics wonder why the council is wasting its time on something it has no control over.

Last week, council member LaTrisha Vetaw wrote a blistering op-ed for the Star Tribune, arguing the resolution is divisive and outside the council's purview.

"What makes my colleagues think anyone in Israel or Gaza cares what they think?" wrote Vetaw. "We were elected to do things like make sure the snow gets shoveled and find ways to improve our public safety system. We should stay in our lane, and this is not even close to our lane."

Vetaw continued her arguments during Tuesday's meeting.  "I'm a council member who represents an already underserved ward," Vetaw added. "My commitment when I knocked on doors in Ward 4 on the north side, was 'I'm going to do the business of the City of Minneapolis first, that is my priority.'"

On the other side, council members felt motivated to take a stand on the situation in the Middle East.

Council Vice President Aisha Chughtai, who authored the resolution, argued the council had worked to write a fair call for peace, that considers both Muslim and Jewish voices.

"The defense of humanity is a shared project," she added. "The defense of human life is a shared project. Not all people in this world, in this country, in this state, in this city, have the power to stop a humanitarian crisis and the mass killing of thousands of people that has already happened and is going to continue without intervention. Very few people have the authority to do that. Every single one of us has the power… to say something about it, to make our position known."

Chughtai also criticized the bill's opponents for not taking part in the process of refining the language.

"This was the product of the process that was longer than usual for policy resolutions," she explained. "We did so, so that if any member had specific concerns they could write an amendment, and bring it forward for this body's consideration. This body can not consider language that was not formally brought in front of it… Every member had equal opportunity to engage in this process."

A statement from Mayor Jacob Frey's office, who is Jewish himself, reads: "The Council had an opportunity to support a unifying resolution calling for peace, a two-state solution, return of hostages, and ceasefire. Instead, the language advanced today was one-sided and divisive. The Mayor is currently focused on City business. He will be reviewing his options over the next several days."

The resolution now moves to a full council vote this Tuesday, where it's likely to pass again.