Shamefully, the Minneapolis City Council voted to override Mayor Jacob Frey’s veto of the divisive “ceasefire” resolution.  

 

As we have said from the beginning of this charade, nothing the Minneapolis City Council says or does will impact the lives of Israelis or Palestinians enmeshed in a devastating, complicated conflict. However, the City Council has succeeded in amplifying antisemitism and causing Jews to be fearful in Minneapolis. 

 

We applaud Mayor Jacob Frey, Council Members Linea Palmisano, LaTrisha Vetaw, and Michael Rainville for their leadership and for promoting a unifying, inclusive, and representative vision for the city. We also thank CM Emily Koski for not supporting the divisive “ceasefire” resolution.  

 

The alternative resolution offered two weeks ago by CM Palmisano and the language incorporated today in Mayor Frey’s Proclamation could have been the basis for a consensus ceasefire resolution. That such language was rejected by the majority of the City Council is evidence that their intent was never peace but a maximalist approach that demonizes Israelis and erases the experiences and perspectives of the vast majority of their Jewish constituents. 

 

We thank the Minnesota Rabbinical Association for their continued leadership, including publishing a letter signed by 33 rabbis, a supermajority of the rabbis in our state.  

JCRC has the deepest gratitude to the lay leaders and members of our Jewish community who have faced down antisemitic abuse at multiple city council meetings, engaged with their Council Members, and continue to place their confidence in the JCRC to be the consensus voice for our community.  

 

Our work continues, including organizing over 20 meetings where hundreds of Jewish constituents have shared their experiences with state legislators. Overwhelmingly, state legislators have understood the negative ramifications of following the example of the Minneapolis City Council at our State Capitol. Additionally, we are encouraged that to date, the St. Paul City Council also appears uninterested in such one-sided, divisive, and antisemitic resolutions.