Over a year after the Hamas attack on Israel, many cities in Southern California, including Santa Monica, have adopted resolutions calling for a ceasefire citing the unjust deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians as a result of Israel’s response. One of the cities that has not is Culver City, despite calls from residents and a recommendation from one of its committees to do so.

However, progress was made as the Culver City Council approved city staff to agendize an amendment to the work plan of the Equity and Human Relations Committee (EHRAC) to include a community conversation on the conflict. This amendment would have to be approved at a future council meeting before any event could be formally organized. 

Before the meeting, a rally was held outside of City Hall similar to an effort carried out in August. While the ultimate goal of the efforts led by organizers Culver City Residents for Peace was a similar resolution calling for the immediate end of violence between Israel and several surrounding Arab territories, activists also demanded that the council call on the United States to divest funding from Israel.

“Now that the war is expanding into Lebanon and other places, we need to shout ‘Stop sending the money,’” organizer Ron Davis said at the rally. Davis is a Professor Emeritus of History at the California State University, Northridge (CSUN).

Some had given up on convincing Culver City council members to adopt a ceasefire resolution, with their focus instead shifting to organizing a community conversation on the matter. The EHRAC recommended a resolution to the council, but there had been little acknowledgment of the conflict before Monday’s meeting.

Emotions were palpable and heavy as speakers lamented the silence from council members. Some criticized those who were silent, others shared the emotional and psychological pain they are suffering because of the loss of innocent Palestinian lives.

“I see them talk about Palestinians like they are animals; like they are nothing,” Housing and Homelessness Committee member Emily Dibiny said, “And it’s beyond hurtful.”

This urgency for action at the local level comes in the wake of a loss of trust in both national and international bodies on the matter. Nicholas Conner — who is the General Manager at Culver City’s Jackson Market — said that the highest levels of government with the power to impact Israel cannot be relied on.

“The President is not listening, the vice president is not listening, and the next nominee doesn’t seem like it’s going to be any better either,” Conner said.

On top of that, Mariah Fontjin explained to the crowd that even the United Nations is being interfered with by Israel. Israel’s Parliament — known as the Knesset — voted to ban the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) from the country within 90 days on Monday, triggering a response from the United States. 

The UNRWA is a branch of the United Nations that provides aid specifically to Palestinian refugees and has had a contract with Israel to do so in Israeli-controlled territory since 1967. However, allegations surfaced that UNRWA workers assisted in the October 7, 2023 attacks that triggered this escalation, leading to the already tenuous relationship between Israel and the UNRWA collapsing entirely. 

Passion about Israel’s recent actions roused at the rally translated to public comments at Monday night’s meeting, with Vice Mayor Dan O’Brien having to pause to acknowledge the volume of some of the emotional commenters was triggering his tinnitus. Many expressed frustrations with receiving little feedback from the council members despite having pleaded with them multiple times to assist the community in healing by hosting a community conversation or adopting a ceasefire resolution. 

“The only thing more pathetic than me begging you for this,” Elly Levy said, “is for you to summarily ignore my plea.”

At the end of the meeting close to 1:00 a.m., these comments were acknowledged by council members. Councilmember Albert Vera moved to agendize this community discussion at EHRAC, saying he had spoken to people and promised to try and officially acknowledge these requests.

“Whether I am for it or not is irrelevant at this point,” Vera said. “I think we need a space where we can have respectful conversations.”

With nodding heads from Vice Mayor Dan O’Brien and Councilmember Freddie Puza, staff was approved to put a motion to amend the EHRAC’s work plan to include a community conversation, which would have to be passed by the council at a future meeting.

When Vera made an effort to bypass this requirement, City Attorney Heather Baker told him that changes to the committee work plan must be approved by the council.

The ceasefire discussion will be agendized at a future meeting to be determined.

Photo by the author.