The City Council won’t take up a Gaza cease-fire resolution at its first meeting of the year, as had been expected, and instead will push the vote to February.
District 8 Councilman Manny Peláez requested the delay.
Mayor Ron Nirenberg notified council members of the change on Wednesday.
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“I will work with the City Manager to schedule the special meeting for a date to be determined in February,” Nirenberg wrote in a memo to council.
Council was expected to discuss and vote on a succinct, one-sentence resolution on Jan. 11.
The resolution was to read, at least in part: “The City of San Antonio is calling for an immediate and permanent cease-fire in Israel and Palestine and the return of all hostages immediately,” according to a copy that Peláez shared with the Express-News.
He crafted the resolution with District 2 Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez and District 5 Councilwoman Teri Castillo.
Peláez, a likely mayoral contender in 2025, said he sought the delay to allow for time for San Antonio’s Jewish, Palestinian and Muslim communities, and others to air their concerns. He said he has been contacted by the Jewish Federation of San Antonio, the Holocaust Memorial Museum of San Antonio and area imams.
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“Some people have expressed frustration and anger and all spectrums of emotion because one, they believe that City Council shouldn’t be dipping its toe into geopolitical issues,” Peláez said. “Two, they feel like the conversation is too difficult, too painful and too raw for us to take up.”
Some are concerned that the draft resolution doesn’t condemn Hamas, Peláez said. Others want it to condemn Israel.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
