Contents:
Background:
Over the past six months, this genocide has taken a significant emotional toll on Bostonians. For over 200 days, we have been witnessing the slaughter of unarmed civilians in Gaza in real time. Israel’s ongoing bombing campaign in Gaza has led to the documented death of over 34,000 Palestinians in Gaza, of which more than 70 percent are women and children, and injury to another 77,084 Palestinians.[1] Over a million people have lost their homes and more than 1.7 million have been displaced[2]. Famine is now projected and imminent in all three regions of Gaza and that 1.1 million Palestinians in Gaza are facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity, which has already led to the malnutrition, starvation, and death of several children in northern Gaza[3], we cannot wait another minute to demand our elected officials, at all levels, proclaim their support for the immediate cessation of hostilities and demand urgent delivery of humanitarian aid.These numbers are most assuredly undercounts due to the wholesale and intentional destruction of Gaza’s hospitals and civil administration by Israel. The Gaza Strip has become a graveyard for children.
As American citizens from diverse ethnic and faith-based communities, we can not accept our government's participation in this genocide through funding and provision of military hardware to Israel, depriving Palestinians of food, water, and healthcare, and through vetoes of every ceasefire resolution at the UN Security Council.
We know that foreign policy is not traditionally the focus of Boston City Council, but this is a time where it is a moral imperative that elected officials at all levels express their support for human rights. This article from Iman Jodeh, a Palestinian-American State Representative in Colorado explains why these resolutions are important in the effort to sway congressional delegations. Over 100 resolutions passed in major cities like Chicago, San Francisco, Detroit, and Atlanta and many more municipalities currently under consideration. In Massachusetts, similar efforts are underway.At least 9 municipalities have passed resolutions and more than 60 activists from Wellfleet to Worcester gathered in mid-March to share experiences and strategies to advance resolutions in other locales.
We need our City Councilors to be a voice for its constituents and call on both Senators and all members of the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation, as well as President Biden to take urgent and immediate action. A City Council Resolution is a tool that they should use, as they have historically, to stand up against injustice locally and globally. Because our voices are not getting heard at the national level, we need our local elected officials to amplify this call for urgent action.
What are we asking for?
What is our timeline?
Immediately! We expect a ceasefire resolution will be filed and a vote will be taken at the next City Council Meeting on May 1 which starts at 12:00pm. (SHOW UP AT CITY HALL)
TAKE ACTION:
CONTACT:
The students across the country are showing us what it means to take a courageous stand. We need to make sure the leaders of our institutions at all levels represent the will of the people, the vast majority of whom support a ceasefire. Everyone should make 5 calls including to all four At-Large City Councilors and your own district city councilor and ask them to commit to vote in support of Councilor Anderson’s resolution SIMPLE Resolution- Ceasefire In Gaza 5_1_24.pdf
Councilor | District | Phone | |
At Large City Councilors Boston has 4 At-Large City Councilors who represent all Boston residents. You should call all four At-Large Councilors. | |||
City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune | At Large | Ruthzee.Louijeune@boston.gov | 617-635-4376 Yes vote, calls needed to secure commitment to send back to the (committee of the whole) next week and pull green sheets for another vote if any of the councilors object to a vote this week |
Erin Murphy | At Large | erin.murphy@boston.gov | 617-635-3115 *Status unclear, ask her to allow resolution to come a vote |
Henry Santana | At Large | henry.santana@boston.gov | 617-635-4205 *they are asking folks to send emails instead! |
Julia Mejia | At Large | julia.mejia@boston.gov | 617-635-4217 Yes vote |
District Councilors Not sure who your city councilor is? Enter your address here: https://www.boston.gov/my-neighborhood | |||
Gabriela Gigi Coletta | District 1 | gabriela.coletta@boston.gov | 617-635-3200 Yes vote |
Ed Flynn | District 2 | ed.flynn@boston.gov | 617-635-3203 *Rumor is likely NO vote, ask him to allow resolution to come a vote |
John Fitzgerald | District 3 | John.FitzGerald@boston.gov | 617-635-3455 *Status unclear, ask him to allow resolution to come a vote |
Brian Worrell | District 4 | Brian.Worrell@boston.gov | 617-635-3131 Yes vote |
Enrique Pepen | District 5 | enrique.pepen@boston.gov | 617-635-4210 Yes vote |
Ben Weber | District 6 | benjamin.weber@boston.gov | 617-635-4220 Yes vote |
Tania Fernandes Anderson | District 7 | Tania.Fernandesanderson@boston.gov | 617-635-3510 Yes vote |
Sharon Durkan | District 8 | sharon.durkan@boston.gov | 617-635-4225 *No information on vote status, ask her to make sure he allows the resolution to come a vote - let democracy play out! |
Liz Breadon | District 9 | liz.breadon@boston.gov | 617-635-3113 Yes vote |
The scripts below are meant to help you know what can be said to your City Councilor. Please feel free to make them your own and speak about these issues in a way that is meaningful to you, such as through the lens of something important to you (e.g. personal connections to the issue, etc.)
Advice on phone banking:
We strongly recommend customizing and shortening this script!
Hi, my name is [NAME] and I’m calling from [STREET/ NEIGHBORHOOD] and I am a constituent of Councilor [NAME OF COUNCILOR]. I am calling to ask the Councilor (or “you”) to vote in support of the ceasefire resolution filed for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Has the Councilors (or “Have you”) decided how you are going to vote?
**SPECIAL NOTE FOR FLYNN, MURPHY, DURKIN, FITZGERALD** As of 4/30 we do not know how they intend to vote so the most important question for them, after finding out how they intend to vote, is whether they will ALLOW this resolution to come to a vote.
I know foreign policy is not traditionally the focus of city councilors, but we desperately need our elected representatives at all levels to amplify our voices to the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation and to President Biden who are not taking sufficient action. We need the Councilor (you) to be our voice. There are also critical local issues including the impact on our students who are courageously and peacefully standing up for justice on campuses across the city, and who are being treated with excessive force and unnecessary arrests.
As you already know:
The war on Gaza is causing significant trauma and pain to Bostonians, many of whom have close connections to the communities directly impacted.
We also ask that you join Council President Louijeune in calling for the dismissal of all charges against these students. We would like to see the Council call a hearing in the near future on the issue of police tactics and surveillance regarding pro-Palestinian student protestors.
We know that the US government has the political leverage to compel Israel to act, but he has chosen to be silent in the face of genocide. In response to President Biden finally calling for a ceasefire, Israel finally opened the Erez crossing to allow some, still insufficient, humanitarian aid into Gaza.
We are focused on the following demands, all of which are represented in the ceasefire resolution filed:
These demands represent a consensus position based on over 13 resolutions filed or passed in municipalities across Massachusetts in recent months. I’d be happy to send you a link to the spreadsheet: https://tinyurl.com/mass-ceasefire-resolutions. I would kindly appreciate a response from the Councilor about what action they are going to take on this matter. It is urgent that action is taken immediately. People are dying every day.
Again, to recap, we are asking the Councilor to pledge to work toward passage of a ceasefire resolution by the Boston City Council.
Thank you.
LOG YOUR CONTACT at this document: https://tinyurl.com/bostonceasefire-calllog
EMAIL TEMPLATE:
We’ve drafted the below email template that can be used to begin writing emails to councilors. Please add to these templates and share your own perspective on why we need to pass a ceasefire resolution in Boston. We strongly recommend customizing and shortening these emails!
Dear Councilor [Name of Councilor]
Hi, my name is [NAME] and I’m writing from [STREET/ NEIGHBORHOOD] and I am a constituent of Councilor [NAME OF COUNCILOR]. I am writing to ask the Councilor (or “you”) to vote in support of Councilor Anderson’s resolution for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. I know foreign policy is not traditionally the focus of city councilors, but we desperately need our elected representatives at all levels to amplify our voices to the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation and to President Biden who are not taking sufficient action. We need the Councilor (you) to be our voice. There are also critical local issues including the impact on our students who are courageously and peacefully standing up for justice on campuses across the city, and who are being treated with excessive force and subject to arrest.
As you already know:
The war on Gaza is causing significant trauma and pain to Bostonians, many of whom have close connections to the communities directly impacted.
We also ask that you join Council President Louijeune in calling for the dismissal of all charges against these students. We would like to see the Council call a hearing in the near future on the issue of police tactics and surveillance regarding pro-Palestinian student protestors.
We know that the US government has the political leverage to compel Israel to act, but he has chosen to be silent in the face of genocide. In response to President Biden finally calling for a ceasefire, Israel finally opened the Erez crossing to allow some, still insufficient, humanitarian aid into Gaza.
We are focused on the following demands, all of which are represented in the ceasefire resolution filed:
These demands represent a consensus position based on over 13 resolutions filed or passed in municipalities across Massachusetts in recent months. I’d be happy to send you a link to the spreadsheet: https://tinyurl.com/mass-ceasefire-resolutions. I would kindly appreciate a response from the Councilor about what action they are going to take on this matter. It is urgent that action is taken immediately. People are dying every day.
Again, to recap, we are asking the Councilor to pledge to work toward passage of a ceasefire resolution by the Boston City Council.
Thank you.
LOG YOUR CONTACT at this document: https://tinyurl.com/bostonceasefire-calllog
May 1 City Hall Council Meeting Attendance Guidelines
City Council meetings are held in the Iannella Chamber on the fifth floor of Boston City Hall which is located at 1 City Hall Square, Boston, MA 02201.
According to Rule 42 of the City Council Rules, members of the public are welcome to attend Boston City Council Meetings in the gallery when the council is in session, but no one will be admitted after all the seats are occupied so get there early and let's fill the stands! Anyone can attend Boston City Council meetings, there is no Boston residency or ID requirement.
No demonstration of approval or disapproval from members of the public will be permitted (including, but not limited to signs, placards, banners, cheering, clapping, booing, etc.) and if such demonstrations are made, the gallery or public seating area will be cleared.
It has been communicated that 8.5 x 11 sheets of paper are allowed - and can function as mini signs with writing on them e.g. Ceasefire Now, etc. People can wear keffiyehs, t-shirts with slogans, buttons and pins, etc. Banners can only be outdoors.
Electronic devices, including cell phones, must be turned off or put in silent mode upon entering the Iannella chamber, and any person violating this rule shall be asked to leave the chamber by the city messenger.
It has been suggested that our approach should be to keep quiet until the resolution is approved (which it must!), then we celebrate. There are many additional, important battles to fight before this council regarding police surveillance of pro-Palestinian movement members by the BRIC, divestment, and more. We want to win this battle and future ones.
[1] https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/04/un-human-rights-chief-deplores-harrowing-killings-children-and-women-rafah
[2] The Gaza Strip Interim Damage Assessment Report (The World Bank, the European Union, the United Nations, March 29, 2024)
[3] Famine Review Committee Report on the Gaza Strip (The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Analysis Team, March 2024)