Mar 20

Mar 20 Sacramento City Council Passes Bilateral Ceasefire Resolution

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Sacramento (March 20, 2024) The Sacramento City Council Tuesday passed a resolution calling for a bilateral ceasefire in Israel and Gaza. The resolution was presented to the City Council by Mayor Steinberg and prominent members of the Palestinian, Muslim, Jewish, and interfaith communities.

The compromise resolution, passed after seven hours of spirited debate, was crafted over three months through extensive negotiations between Mayor Darrell Steinberg and community members. Unlike other resolutions being brought forth across the country, it acknowledges the importance of both a safe and secure Israel and an independent Palestinian state. It condemns the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7 and notes that Israel’s response has killed more than 25,000 people in Gaza and led to widespread suffering. It calls for the immediate release of hostages and the release of Palestinians held without charge in Israeli jails. It urges immediate humanitarian aid to Gaza and says a long-term, peaceful solution will require a change in leadership on both sides. Read the full resolution here.

“Last night was both painful and meaningful,” said Mayor Steinberg. “We passed a unique resolution that acknowledges the pain and the perspectives of all of our communities. This wasn’t easy, but it was important. We have a long history of string interfaith relationships in Sacramento. These relationships have been damaged since Oct. 7. It is our job as leaders to try to bring people together and foster better understanding.”

Leaders of the Sacramento Valley Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, prominent members of the Jewish community, and other interfaith leaders shared their support at City Council.

“As someone who has suffered the consequences of the ongoing crisis in Gaza, I thank Mayor Steinberg for bringing together the community to push through this resolution,” said Basim Elkarra, Director of the Sacramento Valley/Central California of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). “Behind the scenes, he worked tirelessly to make this happen, by serving as a bridge between our community and the Jewish community.”

Rabbi Seth Castleman said the values of peace and inter-faith unity espoused in the resolution reflect his deeply held values as a Jewish leader. “I do not see the dividing line as being between Muslim and Jew, between Israeli and Palestinian, but rather the dividing line is between those who are for peace and those who are for violence and war,” he said.

The Very Rev. Matthew Woodward, Dean of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Midtown Sacramento, also spoke in support of the resolution at City Council. “I agree with the actions the resolution calls for: a bilateral ceasefire, an end to the violence, a return of hostages and prisoners held without charge, a resumption of all humanitarian aid and fresh eyes in leadership to see the path towards a stable peace for all.”