The Jersey City Council withdrew a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza after a raucous and lengthy public comment portion that saw some audience members removed at a five-and-a-half hour meeting last night.
By Daniel Ulloa/Hudson County View
Public Safety Director James Shea addressed the unusually large crowd before the meeting started.
“We’re at capacity: We need the aisles clear in case there’s an evacuation,” he said.
“I know this is a passionate subject. We have to be respectful to one another. If someone is getting out of hand, the council president has the authority to remove someone from the meeting because they’re becoming disruptive. We don’t want to do that. We want to have an easy going meeting,” City Clerk Sean Gallagher said, who also asked members of the audience not to yell out or applaud.
Ward D Councilman Yousef Saleh, who is Muslim, said the resolution was last updated an hour before the meeting.
“We’ve been trying to work with both communities to capture the spirit, the resilience, the pain, everything we’ve been going through. I’ve been trying to capture what the Muslim community has been saying to me and what the Jewish community has been saying,” he explained, noting that he and his colleagues considered every line in the resolution.
He indicated that everyone who signed up to speak will be heard and that the vote on the resolution would be next week, even though the plan at caucus was to vote on it as an emergency resolution last night.
“How many have to die?! Ceasefire now!” someone in the crowd yelled.
“If you’re gonna shout out, you’re gonna be removed from the meeting!” Saleh exclaimed before calling for levity.
“Everyone, please take a deep breath. I’m Palestinian American. No one feels it more than me, if not the Jewish-Israeli community. 99 percent of my family is overseas. I’m trying to thread a very delicate needle. My cousin died two weeks ago. If I can keep my composure, everyone else can keep their composure,” he asserted, drawing applause from the crowd.
The dozens of speakers addressed the Middle Eastern conflict from various points of view.
“I grew up in Hebrew School. I want to stand with the people calling for a ceasefire. No cause justifies the killing of civilians,” Cary Broder said.
“I ask for us to pray for peace,” said Andrew Gross, who opposed the local legislation.
Joseph Sforza noted the need to see the Israeli hostages return alive.
“Hamas has broken every ceasefire they have had with Israel. They’re behind the suicide bombings in Israel. They have vowed in English to repeat the October 7th attack again and again. An organization like Hamas should not be tolerated. This is for the benefit of innocent Palestinians who have been living under them for too long,” he declared.
The crowd booed him, to the chagrin of Council President Joyce Watterman.
“I know we are passionate about the subject. But stop interrupting. If you interrupt, we’ll stop the meeting. We know you disagree,” she stated.
“October 7th was the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. The 1,400 civilians slaughtered are now viewed as colonizers. It is not for the city council to get involved in international matters. I recognize the suffering of the Palestinian people,” said Robyn Grodner, who indicated she is Jewish.
Isaac Jimenez, of the Hudson County Democratic Socialist of America, sought to stand behind a speaker ahead of him, which is typically allowed. However, Gallagher reiterated the need to keep the room calm and the aisle clear.
“Israel has bombed schools, refugee camps. There is no food. The more we wait, the more Palestinians die. We are asking for a permanent ceasefire. Over 66 percent of Americans approve of a ceasefire,” Meera Jaffrey stated to cheers.
Evelyn Ibarra said she was in favor of the Israeli hostages being released.
“20,000 Palestinians have been killed. 1.7 million have been displaced. Palestinian hostages report beatings and abuse. Why does Israel have 10,000 prisoners… who have never been charged with anything? What about the last 75 years of illegal occupation?”
Gallagher then noted that former Jersey City Board of Education President Mussab Ali was removed from the chamber due to disorderly conduct and was therefore unable to speak at the podium.
“Innocent human lives are being lost. We should never be okay with that. 20,000 innocent Palestinians have been killed in the most brutal ways since October 7th. Families have been torn apart. More than 100 children have been killed there a day,” Percy Totten said.
“Hamas can’t break a ceasefire. Palestinians live under apartheid. Jersey City is an international city. Congress has to speak up. This is the lowest rung on the ladder where people have a voice,” Jimenez stated.
He also questioned why Saleh was the only council member speaking up and why the resolution was in jeopardy.
“We are simply requiring a ceasefire … and we are called antisemitic. It is a genocide. Calling for a ceasefire isn’t touchy or offensive: It’s necessary,” Julie Khiry Monge said.
“I’d like to propose a radical concept. I ask of you … to imagine… a free Palestine,” she said. “Imagine a world where Arabs and Israelis attend college together. That world might look a lot like America,” added Hoda Metwally.
Still, not everyone on hand was in favor of supporting a ceasefire.
“On several occasions, those advocating for a ceasefire… are threatening Jewish businesses. This is bullying. Will you give into bullying?” Zarina Burbacki asked.
“I truly don’t understand what the city has to gain from passing a resolution. Any time spent working on this is a waste of time. A resolution will literally have no impact globally. The only reason this is on the agenda is the background of one council member,” exclaimed Adam Knoll.
His remarks drew a rebuke from Ward E Councilman James Solomon.
“That is just out of bounds: We can’t attribute actions to people’s ethnicity,” he said.
“I ask everyone to respect everyone. The whole council is involved in this. Don’t insult us,” Watterman interjected.
Councilman-at-Large Daniel Rivera again warned speakers to be respectful or they would be ejected.
“I have Jewish family living in Israel and I am proud to support a ceasefire. Anti-Semitism and a critique of Israel is not the same. Not in our name when Israel maims Palestinians,” Jake Ephros, also of the Hudson County DSA, said.
Petra Gucunski said posters of Israeli hostages have been continually ripped down despite her best efforts. She also claimed that community members have made threatening remarks to Jews in the city.
“This is terrifying. There would be a lot more people speaking if they did not feel the same way,” she said, noting that both anti-Semitism and Islamophobia are unacceptable.
“Someone should motion to amend the resolution. We should try to make history and show global leaders,” Jersey City Board of Education Member Younass Barkouch said, also voicing concern for the hostages.
When public comment finally concluded, Saleh said that there would be a special meeting next Wednesday at 4 p.m. to vote on the ceasefire resolution before making a motion to withdraw.
“I’m going to abstain. We could have voted on this. I see what Councilman Saleh is going through. I don’t see both sides agreeing. It’s just such a passionate issue. I did meet with leaders from both communities. We knew this would be a difficult task. We see what’s going on in the world,” she said.
The motion passed 7-0(1), with Watterman abstaining and Ward A Councilwoman Denise Ridley absent.
Correction: This story was updated to accurately reflect comments from public speaker Petra Gucunski.
It’s nice to see Democrats taking a public stand with Hamas. Yesterday, Hamas launched another terrorist attack in Jerusalem shooting over a dozen people and leaving three people dead, one a rabbi. If Israel tries to eradicate Hamas, these leftist Democrats will stand against it. There’s no resolution about all the Jews killed in pure out and out terrorism.
A lot of our Jewish relatives supported eroding American law and allowing mindless, anti-American, illegal immigration sabotaging the country. We tried to talk to them at holidays and family dinners and they would never listen. Now look at your handiwork. Your fellow Democrats brought them in from the Third World don’t want you to oppose terrorism. They want you to let them vote and stop putting up posters of Hamas hostage victims. They demand a “ceasefire” to protect Hamas which has run Gaza since 2005. Even as Hamas proclaims they will repeat their massacre of Jews every chance they get. They’re saying it not only in Arabic but English.
You cultivated and imported foreign ideology into America. You backed the Leftist radicals using them to gain more power with Antifa and the BLM looting, burning and killing across states with Democrat governors who sat by and allowed it befre the 2020 election. Now, all your handiwork is coming back to roost.
Yesterday, they attacked an American man carrying an American flag in Rockefeller Center at the Christmas Tree lighting. Nothing in America is respected; no tradition of the country sees reverence. You’ve fostered and urged this anti-American foreign enemy among us. Now Jews across America are not safe. Congratulations to you and your Democrat Hamas Caucus.
https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/1730211023880077730
Such BS. But you know that.
You can’t even muster an illogical reply to the simple truth.
Israel’s ambassador to the U.N. disagrees with you too. He stated George Soros, the biggest donor to the Democrat Party is enriching Hamas NGOs to the tune of $15 million. Looks like some people will need
“George Soros’ donations to organizations that seek the destruction of the State of Israel as a Jewish state is shameful. However, I am not surprised.”
– Israeli ambassador Gilad Erdan
The biggest donors to the Democrat party are George Soros and Sam Bankman Fried.
The resolution says hate is bad and people shouldn’t kill each other because of their race or religion. This will surely bring peace to the Middle East.
The only true thing in this entire article is that Jersey City is the lowest rung on any ladder. Jersey City has to rely on handouts to fund their failed socialist experiment but has time to pass meaningless resolutions. Congrats.
More MAGA nonsense. But you know that.
I’m a registered Democrat, but not a lover of Hamas like a lot of Democrats these days. I wouldn’t vote MAGA if you paid me.
I am shocked… SHOCKED… that in a city whose black community literally celebrated the JC Kosher shooting a few years ago, a lynch mob comes out to boo people for saying Hamas is bad.