RALEIGH, N.C. — Pro-Palestinian supporters gathered at Raleigh City Council on Tuesday to push the council to adopt a ceasefire resolution in the war between Israel and Hamas.
Over 200 people were in attendance during the public comment portion of the Raleigh City Council Meeting.
As of 9:20 p.m., the meeting is still in progress. Many of those signed up to speak Tuesday are the same people who’ve spoken many times since the Oct. 7 attack, while others are new speakers who may have to wait many hours for the chance to voice their opinions.
Supporters of Palestine gathered outside an hour before the start of the meeting.
“This war is about ethnic cleansing and collective punishment,” one pro-Palestinian supporter said.
The public hearing was contentious at times, as supporters of Palestine and Israel spoke.
“How can there be a ceasefire when there is still a call for the destruction of Israel?” Lorraine Meehan said.
Speakers received one minute to state their position. So far, the city council hasn’t taken any action, and Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin tells WRAL News that’s not likely to change this week.
In recent meetings, pro-Palestinian protesters have steadily increased pressure on Raleigh city leaders, and council meetings have grown more and more contentious. There have been long hours of public comment, with protesters chanting, jeering and accusing council members of complicity in the death and destruction in Gaza.
“Every single second you are not calling for a ceasefire and an immediate end to funding Israel is every second that I might lose my mother, my father, my siblings, and my house,” Gaza native Fatima Shaat told the council in November.
Baldwin did not attend the meeting on Tuesday because she was traveling for an out-of-state conference, but Baldwin told WRAL News on Monday that the public comment sessions have left her and other council members literally shaken.
“It was gut-wrenching,” Baldwin said. “What we heard, and what we experienced was just, it’s heartbreaking, but it’s heartbreaking on all sides. And that’s where people aren’t – they’re not listening to each other. They’re listening to their side.”
“We want to have a community where everybody supports everybody else and cares about each other,” Baldwin added. “And that’s what’s been so hurtful for me.”
Baldwin said the city council has discussed a resolution several times, but there’s still no consensus on whether to pass one or what it should say. Either way, she doesn’t believe it would have any effect on what the federal government decides to do.
“I’ve heard from members of our Jewish community who do not feel safe,” Baldwin said. “They feel left out, they feel like their voices aren’t heard. And what I’m really concerned about is that this is kind of tearing apart our community.”
Baldwin said the city council will continue to listen, even though they’re not ready to move forward with a decision.
