Tuesday marked the fourth consecutive Naperville City Council meeting where discussion on a potential Gaza cease-fire resolution drew a large crowd, as audience members from both sides of the argument filled the council chambers.
During the meeting, several council members acknowledged the audience’s recent persistence on the issue, some giving their thoughts on the idea of a local resolution.
Council members discuss cease-fire resolution
Over 50 speakers addressed the council during Tuesday’s meeting. The dais decided to separate public forum into two sections, and discuss city business on the agenda in the middle.
Before the second half of public forum, Councilman Ian Holzhauer read a written statement sharing his opinion on a potential resolution. He began by voicing his support for Naperville’s “tolerance and friendship” among different faith groups around the city.
“I will never stop supporting religious diversity in our local community,” said Holzhauer. “I will do so by voting to continue to support local religious facilities and faith groups in their charitable efforts.”
Holzhauer then said he would not vote on a “foreign policy decision” that came before the dais.
During new business, a few of the council members voiced their thoughts on a cease-fire resolution.
Councilman Patrick Kelly opened up the discussion by commending the audience’s engagement on the topic, but said he believes the dais should only consider a resolution if there’s “widespread consensus in a way that brings the city and our council together.”
“I know there’s been very little feedback from the dais over the past many council meetings, which I think is in part because we’ve honestly never dealt with something like this,” said Kelly. “We’ve had a number of good faith conversations over the past few weeks in an attempt to reach that consensus… Despite those conversations, I don’t think we have yet arrived at that point. I’m open to continuing those conversations with anyone who is interested.”
Councilwoman Allison Longenbaugh encouraged audience members to contact their local congressmen about the war in Gaza.
“What I’ve been doing is calling my representatives, both as a constituent and as a councilwoman, to tell them about these meetings and ask them to prioritize getting aid in,” said Longenbaugh.
Councilman Nate Wilson called for peace around the world.
“My sympathies have gone to anyone who’s innocently died,” said Wilson. “Women, children, aid workers. That distinction doesn’t come just with Gaza. It also goes to Syria, Yemen, any other worldwide conflicts.”
Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli had addressed the push for a Gaza cease-fire resolution at council’s March 19 meeting. Wehrli announced the dais had no plans to bring a Gaza cease-fire resolution to a vote, which was followed by a protest in the council chambers that lasted for nearly 10 minutes.
The mayor did not speak on the topic on Tuesday.
Larger number of Jewish speakers on hand
At the past three meetings, the majority of the audience was in support of a cease-fire resolution. But on Tuesday, a large contingency of Jewish speakers – many from Naperville’s Congregation Beth Shalom – made their voices heard.
Naperville resident Zena Goldenberg said if the council supported a cease-fire, it was “support for Hamas.”
“This call is a campaign of emotional manipulation,” said Goldenberg. “It did not start with the war in Gaza. This has been a continuous worldwide campaign for decades to destroy the one Jewish state in the world.”
Pro-Palestinian speakers continue their pleas
Many audience members in favor of the resolution returned to council chambers for Tuesday’s meeting – one being Naperville resident Nicole Pronger.
“We have a local responsibility in this genocide over Palestine through our tax dollars, ignorance, and inaction,” said Pronger. “It is a local issue. Naperville can and should add our cease-fire resolution to the agenda at the next meeting.”
During the meeting, five Pro-Palestinian audience members held a banner in the back of council chambers that read “cease-fire now.” Many in the crowd held signs advocating for a resolution and painted fake blood on their hands in protest.
Included in the speaker list at Tuesday’s meeting were the names James Kirby, James Henderson, and Zomi Frankcom. The three were among the seven food aid workers from World Central Kitchen killed in an Israeli airstrike on Monday.
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