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In a 4-0 vote, the Hollister City Council Dec. 4 approved a resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.
Councilmember Rick Perez was present for the first two hours of the meeting but absent for the vote.
Before the vote, Councilmember Tim Burns reminded the public that the city’s resolution calls for a ceasefire in both Gaza and Israel.
No other councilmember made a comment about the resolution.
On Oct. 7 Hamas staged an attack on Israel, killing civilians and taking hostages. On the same day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war against Hamas. The Hamas attack killed approximately 1,200 people and Israeli military leaders said more than 200 people were taken hostage, AP News said.
Since the declaration of war more than 15,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), AP News and other outlets have said.
This is not the first time the council has voiced its concern over international affairs.
During a special meeting in 2022, the council unanimously passed a resolution to support the people of Ukraine and condemned the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine.
Other jurisdictions in the state have approved similar resolutions.
On Nov. 27 the Oakland City Council unanimously approved a resolution demanding a ceasefire and condemned the rise of antisemitic, islamophobic and racist actions in Oakland and across the U.S. The resolution also called for the release of all hostages, respect for international law and unrestricted entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
The World Health Organization, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the International Rescue Committee, Amnesty International and the United Nations have also called for a ceasefire.
A copy of the Hollister council resolution will be sent to the offices of California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, Gov. Gavin Newsroom, Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren and President Joe Biden.
One speaker thought the council should stick to local politics.
Stacie A. McGrady, who is running for District 1 county supervisor against incumbent Dom Zanger said: “I really want to encourage our local City Council; I think you have a lot to do with local government and I don’t necessarily think we need to be stepping into resolutions regarding foreign nations,” she said.
But, if a resolution were to pass on this item, McGrady wanted the council to also condemn Hamas.
“I hope that you will include, unlike what happened in Oakland, a condemnation for Hamas for the attacks on Israel, for the attacks on women and children,” she said. “A condemnation for the violent crimes, taking noncombatant women and children as hostages, which is a violation of the rules of war and a war crime.”
Two speakers spoke in favor of the resolution.
Andy Hsia-Coron, who identified himself as Jewish, said, “We all actually have a legal obligation when we see genocide happening to act.”
“I think it’s the right thing to do, to take a stand,” Hsia-Coron said about the resolution. “I think it’s the legal thing to do. And I think we’re compelled as human beings to stop what’s going on from happening.”
Julio Rodriguez thanked the council for bringing forward a resolution calling for a ceasefire. He said the United Nations considers what’s happening to the people of Palestine a genocide.
“What Hamas did was wrong and evil, but that does not give Israel the right to commit genocide,” Rodriguez said.
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