Legislature rejects local ceasefire resolution in a close vote

By Vivian Rose, Assistant News Editor

February 12, 2024

In November 2023, Cornell University’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine organized a protest and die-in. At the Jan. 2 and Jan. 16 Tompkins County Legislature meetings community members urged the legislative body to develop a local resolution calling for a ceasefire. TCL rejected a ceasefire resolution for the ongoing Israel-Hamas war Feb. 6 in a 7-6 vote.

The Tompkins County Legislature rejected a ceasefire resolution for the ongoing Israel-Hamas war Feb. 6 in a 7-6 vote.

At the Jan. 2 and Jan. 16 Tompkins County Legislature (TCL) meetings — the two public meetings of 2024 — community members urged the legislative body to develop a local resolution calling for a ceasefire.

This was inspired by the resolution that the Tompkins County Human Rights Commission (TCHRC) released in December 2023. TCHRC’s resolution strongly urges Tompkins County to call on President Joe Biden and the U.S. Congress for an immediate and sustainable ceasefire and for strong leadership to counteract antisemitism and Islamophobia.

In previous TCL meetings, a ceasefire was not previously on the legislature’s agenda. However, Tompkins County residents publicly commented on the subject since the legislature’s Jan. 2 meeting, calling for the county to draft a resolution calling for a ceasefire.

The resolution was submitted by legislators Greg Mezey, Anne Koreman, Travis Brooks and Veronica Pillar. Legislators Travis Brooks, Shawna Black, Susan Currie, Anne Koreman, Amanda Champion, Greg Mezey and Veronica Pillar who voted in favor of the resolution. Legislators Mike Sigler, Lee Shurtleff, Dan Klein, Randy Brown, Rich John and Mike Lane voted against it.

During the Feb. 6 meeting, Pillar said the resolution acknowledges the scope of the county’s power, where it calls on President Joe Biden and the U.S. Congress to call for a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza.

Pillar said the TCL received many emails from the public and said most of them said not to call for a ceasefire without also calling for Hamas to release hostages in Gaza. Pillar said this was taken into consideration.

“This is not about which of two sides we want to side with or whether Palestinians are better or if Israelis are better or anything like that — that doesn’t even make sense,” Pillar said during the meeting. “This is about life versus death and destruction.”

Legislator Susan Currie, county liaison to the TCHRC, said in the meeting that the commission worked tirelessly to foster mutual respect for everyone in Tompkins County with their resolution. Currie also spoke about the necessity of compassion when discussing the Israel-Hamas war.

“I think that it’s important that we acknowledge the suffering, the pain and the need for humane care for everyone caught in this terrible situation,” Currie said. “I believe that we need to extend condolences to everyone who has been affected by this and hope that the future brings a lasting peace in which the dignity of human rights and the dignity of every individual is respected by all.”

The TCL’s resolution used the TCHRC’s resolution as a baseline and added that the actions of Hamas and the Israeli government have impeded Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of life, liberty and security of persons; are affecting local colleges and the local community in terms of increased antisemitism; and resolves that the U.S. government should use its power to release hostages from Hamas and achieve a sustainable ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The resolution concludes that a copy of it be sent to President Joe Biden along with New York State representatives.

The TCL’s proposed resolution addresses hate speech in the county. Legislator Sigler spoke about how words like antisemitism and ceasefire are unclear. He also said the resolution is a symbolic gesture and will not change foreign policy.

“We come back to these words and all of these words are symbolic,” Sigler said. “I think ceasefire has been marketed as a word that’s very symbolic in this debate. It was taken on by the folks that did not disqualify Hamas and called for a ceasefire immediately. And that was the rallying cry, that word ceasefire.”

Despite the 7-6 vote, a majority of eight votes needs to be obtained in the TCL to pass a motion. Deborah Dawson was excused from the meeting, according to the Ithaca Voice.

Legislator Dan Klein, chair of the TCL, was the final member to vote. After the vote, the TCL took an 18-minute recess. Once the TCL came back from the break, Klein concluded the discussion about the resolution and said how important uncomfortable conversations are.

“We need to get comfortable having uncomfortable conversations,” Klein said. “I think we did that tonight.”