Dozens of pro-Palestinian supporters showed up at the San Jose City Council meeting Tuesday demanding a resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza.
The group said they want the city council to put a ceasefire resolution on the next council agenda, adding that the biggest city in the Bay Area can no longer remain silent when people are dying in the Middle East.
Mamu Tonantzin of San Jose says this is his 16th day of fasting for peace in the Middle East.
He is one of several now asking that the city council issue a resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
“We are all funding, this genocide, this attack on children,” he said. “We are funding this with our taxes, and we need to say that San Jose you cannot support this.”
During the open forum, many demanded that the council vote on a ceasefire resolution similar to those already passed in Oakland and Richmond.
Nadine Mansore disagrees with those who say a San Jose resolution would just be symbolic.
“The reality is our community is impacted regardless, whether abroad or here, we have a huge Arab community in San Jose that is reeling from the events taking place. We need to feel safe, and we need to know that our council will stand by us, and say enough is enough,” she said.
Some of the speakers also asked the council to include an end to the U.S. aid to Israel in any resolution.
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This issue was not on the agenda Tuesday, so the speakers had to wait till the end of the meeting to make their bigger pitch.
Then, the council will have to decide whether to take it up.
