FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — After hours of public comment Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning, the Fayetteville City Council failed to pass a resolution to call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and for the prevention of further loss of human life in the Middle East.
The resolution was brought forward by Councilmember Sarah Moore. The resolution states that the city offers "their unqualified support for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, for life saving humanitarian aid for Gaza and for the release of all hostages and political prisoners."
It also says they would "condemn all anti-Palestinian, Islamophobic, anti-Semitic, xenophobic, and hateful speech directed at any person or group."
Friends of Palestine NWA, a local group long advocating for a ceasefire in Gaza, helped draft the resolution. Members of the group were present at the city council meeting.
"The goal is for Fayetteville to join the long list of cities that are calling for a permanent ceasefire and to be a leader in the Arkansas community to do this. As we need to show that here in Fayetteville, we support peace and justice and want to see a better world for everyone," said Charitha Katupitiya, a member of Friends of Palestine NWA.
Katupitiya added that the resolution went beyond the people of Palestine to encompass the Jewish community as well.
"This resolution is not just for the Palestinian people. But this is for the Jewish community as well. There's verbiage in the city resolution, speaking about the justice that is required for not just the Palestinian people, but the Israeli people, the Jewish people, the antisemitism that's on the rise that needs to be stopped," Katupitiya told 5NEWS.
Some groups were outspoken against the resolution, saying that it isn't the job of the Fayetteville City Council to call for a ceasefire.
“We urge the Fayetteville City Council, a body whose public mandate is to be responsible for enacting city laws and local politics, to refrain from involvement in any efforts to bring forth a resolution that involves complex issues in another country," said Marcy Paul, Executive Director for The Jewish Federation of Arkansas.
Paul said that the Jewish Federation of Arkansas is a statewide agency in partnership with the Jewish communities of Northwest Arkansas.
Dozens of people showed up to speak at the meeting, with City Attorney Kit Williams telling the council that there were nearly 100 people at City Hall to comment.
Of those who spoke, two commented against the ceasefire resolution.
After listening to all comments, the council began its discussion.
D’Andre Jones motioned to approve, saying that he had to go with his heart. "It's not political," Jones said, adding that he wanted to show empathy to those outside of Fayetteville.
Sarah Moore seconded.
Teresa Turk was the third and final vote in favor of passing the resolution, saying that the crowd "changed her opinion."
“At least 53 people have supported this resolution and only a couple of voices against it,” Councilmember Teresa Turk said. She added that she was fearful of retaliation from Senator Tom Cotton and Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders if the resolution were to pass.
"You all have changed my opinion tonight, and I'm going to support this resolution," Turk told the crowd. "Thank you for being here and talking to us and expressing concern over the horrible things going on in the Middle East."
Scott Berna, the only no vote, commented that after conversations with the community, he didn't want to create division in passing the resolution.
"It's not my job, as a city council member, to create divides," Berna said.
Councilmember Bob Stafford was the first of four councilmembers to abstain, saying "It's not the duty of any of us up here."
Mike Wiederkehr, another abstention, claimed that before the resolution had even come before him he had been called from people out of state lobbying for its passage. He said that Fayetteville was a "target," and that he wasn't interested in Fayetteville being "someone's project."
Sarah Bunch and Holly Hertzberg did not comment and voted to abstain.
The final vote was 3-1-4. The meeting ended just after midnight after the resolution failed to pass.
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