Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson votes to break tie-vote to pass "humanitarian ceasefire" resolution
City Council debate marked by protests from pro-Israel & pro-Palestinian activists. "Humanitarian Ceasefire" resolution included call for the immediate and unconditional release of Israeli hostages.
FREE/Jan. 31, 2024/Chicago -- Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson was forced to cast a vote to break a 23 to 23 vote tie to pass a resolution calling for "an immediate humanitarian ceasefire" to halt the continued massacre of civilians in the Gaza Strip.
The resolution, introduced by Aldermen Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez (33rd) and Daniel La Spata (1st), also called for "the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages," which is what "Humanitarian Ceasefire" opponent Ald. Debra Silverstein (50th) had proposed.
Silverstein introduced and passed a one-sided City Council resolution on Oct. 14 condemning the killing of the Israelis on Oct. 7, but her resolution made no mention of the thousands of Palestinians who had been killed.
And Silverstein forced the council last week to postpone the "Humanitarian Ceasefire" resolution on Gaza and instead introduced and led the passage of another a resolution introduced in its place to commemorate the 79th anniversary of the Holocaust, the horrendous murder of Jews by Nazis during World War II.
Silverstein’s supporters said it was “inappropriate” to pass the Gaza ceasefire resolution at the same meeting on Jan. 24 where a resolution commemorating the 79th anniversary of the Holocaust was being considered.
Silverstein is Jewish American. There are no Arab members of the Chicago City Council.
More than 30,000 people, mostly women and children, have been killed during the past four months of Israel's response to the Hamas attack on Oct. 7 which took 1,200 lives.
The vote to pass the "Humanitarian Ceasefire" Resolution was 23 to 23 with Mayor Brandon Johnson courageously standing up to oppose the continued massacre.
Mayor Johnson had spoken out forcefully at the January 24 City Council meeting in which the ceasefire resolution had been blocked by Silverstein and others, insisting that it was the right thing to do.
“I condemn the actions of Hamas. But at this point now, I believe we’re at 25,000 Palestinians that have been killed during this war, and the killing has to stop. So, yes, we need a ceasefire,” Mayor Johnson said despite criticism at the Jan. 24 meeting.
Pro-Israel and Pro-Palestinian protestors who shouted at each other during the meeting, were ordered out of the council before the vote was taken, reflecting the heightened emotions caused by the brutal conflict.
The resolution was also backed by the Chicago Teachers Union and the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson.
Many of the aldermen who voted against the "Humanitarian Ceasefire" resolution had spent time in Israel as the guest of pro-Israel organizations.
How anyone could vote against a ceasefire and support continuing the carnage and killing of civilians is absolutely appalling?
The resolution is non-binding and only symbolic and not enforceable as a law. But its passage by the City Council makes Chicago the largest city to call for a “humanitarian ceasefire” in conjunction with the release of all Israeli hostages.
Click to view a video of the meeting.
ALDERMEN WHO VOTE AGAINST A HUMANITARIAN CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION:
Brian Hopkins 2nd Ward
Gregory Mitchell 7
Michelle Harris 8
Anthony Beale 9
Peter Chico 10
Marty Quinn 13
Raymond Lopez 15
Derrick Curtis 18
Matthew O'Shea 19
Silvana Tabares 23
Monique Scott 24
Jason Ervin 28
Felix Cardona 31
Scott Waguespack 32
William Conway 34
Gilbert Villegas 36
Nicholas Sposato 38
Samanthah Nugent 39
Anthony Napolitano 41
Brendan Reilly 42
Timothy Knudsen 43
Bennett Lawson 44
Debra Silverstein 50
ALDERMEN SUPPORTING THE HUMANITARIAN CEASEFIRE RESOLUTION:
Daniel LaSpata 1
Lamont Robinson 4
Desmon Yancy 5
William Hall 6
Nicole Lee 11
Julia Ramirez 12
Jeylu Gutierrez 14
David Moore 17
Jeanette Taylor 20
Ronnie Mosely 21
Michael Rodriguez 22
Byron Sigcho-Lopez 25
Jessica Fuentes 26
Chris Taliaferro 29
Ruth Cruz 30
Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez 33
Carlos Ramirez-Rosa 35
Andre Vasquez 40
James Gardiner 45
Angela Clay 46
Matthew Martin 47
Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth 48
Marla Hadden 49
(Ray Hanania is an award winning former Chicago City Hall reporter. Email him at rghanania@gmail.com or visit his website at www.RayHanania.com. Readers can subscribe for FREE or pay $65 to receive special subscriber-only columns and analysis.)