Protesters urge city council to back Gaza ceasefire

Motion to stop fighting passes with just one objection

Protesters calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza gave Exeter councillors a noisy welcome as they arrived for their meeting this week.

The group lobbied members as they went in, and kept up their chanting through the full council session, which discussed a motion backing the ceasefire call.

The council eventually voted to call on the government to press for an ‘urgent, permanent ceasefire.’ The vote was almost unanimous, with just one Conservative councillor voting against and three abstaining.

Cllr Carol Bennett (Green, Heavitree) said: “If we add our voices to a growing number of organisations, we may just help to tip the balance in the right direction.”

Among the protesters was former city councillor Amal Ghusain, who is Palestinian and chairs the Exeter Palestine Solidarity Committee.

She said before the meeting: “It’s about asking our elected representatives to call for a ceasefire now. It should have been done before.

“We want them to urge all MPs and parties to agree to stop, because what is happening in Gaza is literally genocide.”

The motion to the council said events in Israel, Gaza and Palestine must not be allowed to divide communities in Exeter. It also condemned the increase in anti-Semitic and Islamophobic violence and abuse in the UK.

It went on: “Jews, Muslims and people of all faiths and none should feel safe in our city.”

The motion called on the council to condemn the murder of Israeli civilians, the taking of hostages by Hamas, and the subsequent death and destruction in Gaza.

It added: “This council believes that the urgent priority must be to stop the deaths and suffering of any more civilians in Gaza, Israel and the rest of Palestine.”

Council leader Phil Bialyk (Lab, Exwick) opened the meeting by saying the whole city had been deeply affected by events in Gaza.

Deputy lord mayor Tess Read (Green, St Davids) proposed the ceasefire motion and said: “Emotions are running high at this horrendous time. The way to bring an end to these terrible scenes is for there to be an immediate and permanent ceasefire.

“What can we do? We can send a message.”

And deputy council leader Laura Wright (Lab, St Thomas) added: “To begin with, I thought this wasn’t the business of a local council, but then I started to reflect on the fact that we are elected leaders in our community and our communities are suffering.

“We are all suffering, but we can take the lead and say we want this to stop.”