12/21/23 Ceasefire letter
Re: Pursuit of immediate ceasefire between Hamas and Israel
Dear Senator ____,
On behalf of the City of Alameda, we join thousands of our fellow Americans in demanding that the U.S. government
pursue an immediate ceasefire between Hamas and Israel.
While we unequivocally condemn Hamas for its barbaric
attack on October 7, and recognize Israel’s desire to ensure the safety of its citizens, the ongoing destruction of Gaza and escalating humanitarian crisis does nothing to achieve that objective. The seemingly unrestrained violence in Gaza
serves no one’s interests—not the remaining hostages
trapped in Gaza who must be released immediately, not the hundreds of thousands of innocent Palestinians who fear every moment could be their last, and certainly not U.S. national security.
Some have argued that a City Council should confine itself to local issues, but we cannot, in good conscience, remain silent in the face of this intense suffering. Therefore, we implore our elected leaders to contribute to a swift and sustainable resolution to the crisis.
We are mindful of the increasing polarization around this debate in communities across America and do not intend to take a position that makes any member of our community feel unsafe. Rather, we seek to amplify the voices of our
constituents from across the city who have united to hold vigils and repeatedly address us at City Council meetings, raising concerns about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and calling for an immediate end to the violence.
We were not elected to simply represent our constituents, but also to set an example of ethical leadership. For those reasons, we believe we have no choice but to strongly
encourage the U.S. government to reconsider its current policy and support an immediate ceasefire.
Respectfully,
Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft
Mayor, City of Alameda