Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey gives impassioned speech before City Council passes Gaza cease-fire resolution
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minneapolis City Council on Thursday passed a resolution supporting a cease-fire in Gaza, despite protestations from Mayor Jacob Frey that it was "one-sided" and would increase fear among Jewish people in the city.
The resolution, passed by a 9-3 vote, calls for a "a full, immediate, and permanent cease-fire … an end to U.S. military funding to the State of Israel … the release of all Israeli hostages taken by Hamas … [and] the release of thousands of Palestinians held indefinitely without cause and trial in Israeli military prisons." While the resolution ensures no tangible actions, it will be shared with legislators, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and President Joe Biden.
Frey, who is Jewish, spoke out against the resolution before the vote.
"I'm here because our city needs unity right now. We need to be taking care of our people, all of our people. And this proposed resolution, the first proposed resolution misses the mark," Frey said. "I support a cease-fire. I support a return of hostages. I support a two-state solution including both a sovereign Palestine and a sovereign Israel. And I support a resolution that can bring people together, not divide us. I would sign a resolution that meets those ends and draws those conclusions. This resolution, however, is one-sided. It chooses what context and history to include and what context and history to ignore."
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Frey explained he feels the resolution includes the "context and history" of the Palestinian people, but not the Israelis. It includes references to "the 75-year displacement of Palestinians" in Gaza, the "humanitarian crisis" Palestinians are facing and the genocide case against Israel that South Africa brought before the International Court of Justice.
"Including some people's histories — as valid, truthful and righteous as it may be — while ignoring others is neither progressive nor is it inclusive, it's just sad," he said.
Frey added that "many Jews are fearful right now, and a one-sided Minneapolis resolution only raises that fear."
"Council members have joined press conferences in front of my face, displayed an effigy with a Hitler mustache. Never mind that he slaughtered my extended community. Jews have been harassed at meetings, chased into elevators. My temple has been targeted with hate. My friends have been horrified by the blatant antisemitism and Islamophobia spread online," he said.
"And I ask: what if the previous examples that I just mentioned in the above scenario, what if we replaced the word Jewish with Black or Native or Somali or Hmong? What if I wasn't a Jewish mayor, but a Black or a Muslim mayor? I'd hope that we as a body would stand up then and we as a body should be standing up now."
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Council President Elliott Payne, who supported the resolution, thanked Frey for his speech, but took issue with the mayor's reference to an intention of division.
The council secured the nine required votes to override a veto from Frey.
