Word of a long-sought ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is reaching Connecticut, as dozens of Pro-Palestinian protesters marched from Yale’s campus to City Hall, calling on New Haven to pass its own ceasefire resolution.
Protesters swarmed the Board of Alders Chambers before the board indefinitely tabled a local ceasefire resolution.
It is a proposal that has drawn animated public comment from hundreds of people at past meetings, particularly during public comment last week. The resolution was brought before the Board of Alders back in December.
Passions were high again Monday night, especially as a peace deal continues to evade Israel and Hamas.
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With signs and chants, Pro-Palestinian protesters marched through downtown New Haven.
“Today Israel rejected yet one more ceasefire deal, and is in fact already bombing Rafah,” Francesca Maria, a protest organizer and New Haven resident, said.
As dozens of demonstrators reach their final destination, the steps of City Hall, they raised their voices to the Board of Alders, asking them to pass a ceasefire resolution.
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“This is a particularly crucial time for the Board of Alders to say, 'we in New Haven do not stand for the slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza,” Maria said.
However, during the meeting, the Board discharged the resolution indefinitely, Alder Jeanette Morrison commenting that they had given the public the opportunity to voice concerns during a public hearing last week.
“The board heard the public on this issue, and that was the request of the sponsors of this legislation, that we hear this,” Alder Morrison said.
She said the board would take no action on the legislation other than to file it.
Frustration swelled amongst the Pro-Palestinian protesters.
“As Israel threatens to bomb, is bombing the last place of refuge in Gaza, Rafah, the New Haven Board of Alders still can’t find it in itself to even vote on something!” Eimon Ormseth, Hartford, said.
The CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven, however, supports the board’s decision, saying a local ceasefire resolution would further divide the community.
“What we've seen now is what started out, ostensibly as a protest for peace, has now increasingly become more violent and angry. Safety is a big concern,” Gayle Slossberg, Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven CEO, said.
"The Jewish community is going about, we're living our lives, we're doing our things. We are woven into the fabric of the community, just like every other group in New Haven, and we're continuing to engage in our business. But it certainly doesn't feel like an inclusive, peaceful experience," Glossberg continued.
Mayor Justin Elicker praises New Haven as a place for peaceful demonstration, but says every resident should feel safe.
“Whenever there is a very credible threat, we will respond immediately to that threat. We also need to make sure that people have the ability to voice their concerns,” Mayor Justin Elicker, (D) New Haven, said.
The mayor says a local ceasefire resolution does not have broad consensus, and is dividing the city.
He hopes international negotiators will coordinate the release of hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza soon.
“I think when you step back from a lot of the rhetoric, everybody’s praying for a pathway for peace,” Mayor Elicker said.
Mayor Elicker says since protests over Gaza began in October, none have turned violent in New Haven, and no arrests have been made.
He says rallies and encampments on Yale’s campus are handled separately by University Police. Yale University officials have not responded to a request for comment.
With no deal between Israel and Hamas, hopes of a pause in the fighting were shattered earlier Monday, after Israel said the deal that Hamas agreed to was far from their essential demands.
Israel is now sending a delegation to negotiate, while also raising the stakes. Its war cabinet unanimously approved a targeted operation against Hamas in the southern city of Rafah.
