York councillors have called for an end to the war in Gaza following extensive talks with local Muslim and Jewish leaders to secure their joint support.
Ruling Labour and opposition Liberal Democrat councillors backed the call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, allowing aid into Gaza and the release of all hostages and detainees.
Labour York Council leader Cllr Claire Douglas said great lengths had been gone to to foster dialogue between local Muslim and Jewish leaders to get their backing for the call.
Cllr Chris Steward, whose Conservative group abstained on the motion, said they were doing so because of concerns that calls to release detainees were too broad.
The call, which was backed by councillors on Thursday, September 19, comes almost a year after the war in Gaza began.
The UN estimates that at least 41,000 Palestinians and around 1,700 Israelis have died since Hamas’ attack in October and Israel’s retaliatory invasion of Gaza.
The UK called for an immediate ceasefire in July and York Council has now joined Hull City Council, Bradford City Council and other local authorities in making similar declarations.
York Council’s motion called for an immediate and permanent ceasefire based on recent peace proposals.
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It also called for water, medical and food supplies to be allowed into Gaza along with the restoration of electricity and proper shelters for all those impacted by the war.
Councillors also called for the immediate release of all Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees.
The motion stated that the council should make the call in line with York’s status as the UK’s first Human Rights City.
Labour’s Cllr Douglas said the process of getting both local Muslim and Jewish leaders to agree to the wording of the call had been long.
But she added the result was a position that both communities felt they could agree with.
Cllr Douglas said: “Our approach has been nothing about them, without them, nowhere else has managed to get Jewish and Muslim communities and religious leaders in the room together to talk in such a manner.
“The word detainees has been problematic, our collective understanding is that that speaks to all civilian people detained in Gaza unlawfully and without trial.
“The war must stop, we call on everyone to support our communities most heavily affected by the conflict.”
Labour Council Deputy Leader Cllr Pete Kilbane said greater understanding had been fostered between local Muslim and Jewish communities as a result of working with them on the motion.
Liberal Democrat Cllr Andrew Hollyer said the conflict had resulted in a humanitarian disaster.
The Haxby and Wigginton ward councillor said: “The only way to resolve this crisis is not with more bloodshed but with a political and diplomatic solution.”
Conservative Cllr Steward said that his group agreed with some of the motion’s sentiments but they felt the issue was not one for the council.
He added aside from that the Conservatives could not agree to the motion’s wording on detainees which should take international law into account.
Cllr Stewart said: “A detainee could mean a whole host of people who have been sentenced and imprisoned under the wording of this motion.”
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