The City of Melbourne council voted against a motion calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war on Tuesday night at a fiery meeting where hundreds of people rallied outside.
Independent councillor Jamal Hakim put forward the motion asking the federal government to advocate for a list of seven demands.
They included a permanent ceasefire, the release of all Israeli hostages and imprisoned Palestinians, and advocacy for “an end to illegal Israeli settlements and the illegal occupation of Palestinian territories”.
The council was split on the motion, however, with five councillors voting for it and five against.
Deputy Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece had the deciding vote in the absence of Lord Mayor Sally Capp, who was on leave, and he voted against the motion to cries of “shame” within the council chamber and booing from the rally outside that could be heard inside the chamber.
Reece voted against the proposed motion as he said there were “too many red flags” and the motion did not comprehensively and unequivocally condemn Hamas.
“I think it will inflame not heal the tensions in the city. It will make a really challenging situation worse not better,” he told the meeting. “This is one of the most volatile debates this city has ever seen.”
Read the article by Cara Waters in The Age.
[Editor: See how the police treat the Jewish man who was pushed around in the scuffle.]