listen to this note
By Pamela Cruz with information from Raúl Ayrala.
On the night of this Monday, February 26, at least a dozen young residents of Redwood City They demonstrated at the regular meeting of the City Council with the aim of pressuring the councilors to sign a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, a place where the war between Israel and Hamas has left 29,878 Palestinians dead, being a large part of them children and women.
The protesters, mostly young people in tertiary education, belonged to a group that supports the ceasefire in Gaza, and which presented itself simply as “a coalition of citizens,” and expressed their opinions to the city's mayor, Jeff Gee. , and the councilors.
Following this demonstration, the city council will consider signing a resolution on Monday, March 11, demanding an end to fighting in the Palestinian enclave.
Brandon H., a participant in the group, said that the group is largely made up of Cañada College students, and he thought that providing his comments in front of the full Council would be an effective way to support the passage of the resolution.
?Our tactic is to speak to them from the heart, because we have this opportunity in which the public can refer to any topic. The ceasefire is not on today's agenda, but we take the opportunity to explain why we support it. We are of different beliefs, we have Muslims, Jews, Christians, secular people, immigrants and Americans born here, young and old, we all want the atrocities to end? Brandon expressed before the Council.
So far, and according to the Reuters agency, some 70 cities in the country have passed resolutions referring to the bombing of Gaza by Israel. Among them are San Francisco, Chicago, Seattle and Atlanta. Some of those resolutions call for the release of hostages and humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people.
Brandon told Peninsula 360 Press that, while it is true that these types of actions can be symbolic, the fact that there are more and more resolutions demanding an immediate ceasefire is something that puts pressure on the government of President Joseph Biden, ahead of the November general elections.
?It's 100 percent symbolic, but this is what we need, because Biden is not listening to us and neither is Congress. We know that Congress and State representatives do not listen to us. But maybe they will listen to the mayors, the vice-mayors, the councilors? Brandon stressed.
There are those who criticize these local resolutions, thinking that they do not really have a practical and tangible effect on national politics, and that they distract people from domestic problems.
Others say they, especially young people and communities of color, are frustrated and want the White House and Democratic leaders to listen to them on issues like this.
However, the government warned that it will not call a ceasefire, because (they argue) that would only make Hamas stronger.
Another citizen who was present at the Council was Marselene Luna, who defined herself as a friend of the young people who made up the group and told Peninsula 360 Press that "what happens in Gaza affects us all as human beings, not just the Palestinians?
On March 11, the Redwood City Council is expected to consider signing the resolution demanding a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict zone and thus join other cities calling for an end to what, for many, is a genocide.
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