Agenda item - Green Motion - The Crisis in Israel and Palestine: Call For a Ceasefire, Release Of All Hostages & More Support For Local Community Cohesion.

This Council notes:

1. Across Hackney residents have been horrified by the violent conflict in Israel and Palestine and are grief stricken at the loss of lives, including thousands of children. Many, especially in Jewish, Muslim and Arab communities, are concerned for the safety of friends, family and work colleagues in the region.

2. Previous conflicts in the region have been associated with increases in community tensions, Islamophobia, antisemitism and hate crime in the UK.

3. There has been a worrying rise in antisemitic and Islamophobic hate crime in Hackney since the attacks by Hamas on Israelis on 7th October and the latest siege, bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza.

4. A range of international humanitarian organisations have been calling for a ceasefire, including Oxfam, Save the Children, Medecins Sans Frontières, Muslim Aid, War on Want, War Child and Amnesty International.

5. Hackney is twinned with Haifa city in Israel. Haifa is 160km from the Gaza Strip.

6. The brilliant work by faith and community groups and leaders across the borough to hold our community together, provide solace for today and hope for the future.

This Council believes:

7. There must be an immediate ceasefire to end the violence. Humanitarian aid and basic services must be immediately restored. Hostages must be immediately released.

8. A just and lasting peace in the region cannot and will not be brought about through violence, but will only be the result of a political negotiation based on democratic principles, equal rights for all and an end to occupation negotiated by the people of the region. Peace, justice and reconciliation in the region is likely to have a positive impact on community cohesion in Hackney.

9. There can be no place for hate in our Borough. Hackney must be a safe place for those of all faiths and nationalities. We must support those whose families and loved ones are caught up in this conflict. And as a Borough of Sanctuary we extend a special welcome to those fleeing war and persecution and must do all we can to avoid that journey becoming a necessary last resort of many who would not otherwise wish to leave their homes.

This Council resolves:

10.To ask the Mayor to write to the UK government to:

a) Ask them to call for an immediate ceasefire and immediate release of all hostages.

b) Ask them to call for a renewed peace process to establish a political settlement that guarantees freedom, justice and safety for both Israelis and Palestinians.

c) Request central government funding to support community cohesion and peace-making at a local level.

11.To continue to work with borough partners to ensure safety for our Muslim and Jewish communities, hold interfaith events more regularly, and to be ready to welcome refugees from the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

12.Encourage interfaith and community groups to bid for funding, like Local Initiative Funding, to support community cohesion, peace-making and celebrating how Hackney fosters harmony between our diverse communities.

Proposed by: Councillor Alastair Binnie-Lubbock

Seconded by: Councillor Zoë Garbett

The Labour Amendments to the Motion were Carried

RESOLVED:

This Council notes:

1. Across Hackney residents have been horrified by the violent conflict in Israel and Palestine and are grief stricken at the loss of lives, including thousands of children, following the terror attack on Israel by Hamas on 7th October. Many, especially in Jewish, Muslim and Arab communities, as well as those from other communities of all faiths and none, are concerned for the safety of friends, family and work colleagues in the region.

2. Previous conflicts in the region have been associated with increases in

community tensions, Islamophobia, antisemitism and hate crime in the

UK.

3. There has been a worrying rise in antisemitic and Islamophobic hate crime in Hackney since the terror attacks by Hamas on Israelis on 7th October and the siege, bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza. Hackney stands against antisemitism, Islamophobia, xenophobia and all forms of racism and hate crime, passing motions to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims definition of Islamophobia.

4. That a range of international humanitarian organisations have been calling for an urgent ceasefire on all sides and lasting peace in the region and for a two-state solution.

5. That Hackney is twinned with Haifa city in Israel. Haifa is 160km from the Gaza Strip.

6. The brilliant work by Council officers, faith and community groups and

partners including the Community Security Trust, Tell Mama, as well as

others, and the police across the borough to hold our community together, provide solace for today and hope for the future.

7. The vital and ongoing work undertaken by the Council with partners to ensure the safety of our communities, which includes:

· The sending of a letter from the Mayor to the Prime Minister expressing our concerns about the impact the conflict in the Middle East is having on Hackney residents and community cohesion, calling on the Government to: focus all efforts on bringing an immediate cessation to hostilities in Israel and Palestine, including an immediate and sustainable humanitarian ceasefire on all sides, lasting peace in the region and a renewed peace process, the urgent release of all hostages and provide central government funding to support community cohesion and peace-making at a local level

· Increasing the number of council enforcement patrols and deploying the council’s mobile CCTV van into vulnerable communities

· Meeting with the borough commander and continuing to work closely with the police to support their work

· Co-hosting, with the police, community stalls around the borough as part of national hate crime awareness week

· Responding swiftly to hate incidents, crimes and anti-social behaviour

· Writing to faith leaders to express our support

· Reaching out to our Jewish and Muslim community partners in particular to reiterate the work the Council is undertaking with the police to keep the community safe

· Writing to all schools and education settings, including faith schools, and offering ongoing security liaison, support, resource and guidance

· Holding interfaith events.

This Council believes:

8. The truce at the end of November 2023 was a vital step towards releasing hostages and the provision of humanitarian aid. There must be an immediate cessation to hostilities in Israel and Palestine, including an immediate and sustainable humanitarian ceasefire on all sides. Humanitarian aid and basic services must be immediately restored. All hostages must be immediately released.

9. Peace, justice and reconciliation in the region is likely to have a positive

impact on community cohesion in Hackney.

10.There can be no place for hate in our Borough. Hackney must be a safe place for those of all faiths and nationalities. We will continue to support those whose families and loved ones are caught up in this conflict. We must also stand up for those who may be perceived by others, sometimes because of assumptions regarding faith or race, to have links to the region and as a result are suffering from prejudice and discrimination; and as a Borough of Sanctuary we extend a special welcome to those fleeing war and persecution.

This Council resolves:

11.To continue to work with borough partners to ensure safety for our Muslim and Jewish communities, hold interfaith events regularly, and to be ready to welcome refugees.

12.To continue to encourage interfaith and community groups to apply for funding, like Local Initiative Funding, to support community cohesion,

peace-making and celebrating how Hackney fosters harmony between our diverse communities.

Proposed by: Deputy Mayor Guy Nicholson

Seconded by: Cllr Ian Rathbone

Amendments to the motion had been received from the Labour Group and contained in the tabled papers circulated. Some of the proposed amendments had been accepted by the Green Group. subsequently the proposer and seconder had amended their motion to reflect this. There remained a number of amendments that had not been accepted.

Cllr Binnie-Lubbock introduced the motion, highlighting the ongoing conflict had escalated to some of the poorest regions and countries. He believed saying nothing was to be silently complicit. He thanked all those who had tirelessly protested to oppose a military machine aided by arms companies based in the UK and funded by public institutions and pension funds like that of the Council.

Cllr Binnie- Lubbock believed that freedom should not be contingent on Israel's approval and generosity but on the commitment and solidarity of others. He welcomed the early motion in parliament welcoming South Africa’s genocide case against Israel, which had been sponsored by Green MP Caroline Lucas and signed by Hackney North MP, Diane Abbot. This was yet to be signed by Hackney South MP, Meg Hillier

The importance of being partners for peace was highlighted, especially at such a time which had seen hate crime as a direct result of the conflict. He thanked the Labour Councillors who had taken a stand at November’s Council meeting voting with the Green group for the motion to be heard

Cllr Binnie-Lubbock believed that supporting international institutions like the International Criminal Court and applying pressure on political parties to cease violence, free those being held unjustly including all people of Gaza were necessary steps in brokering peace.

Cllr Garbett, as seconder, reserved her right to speak until later in the debate.

Deputy Mayor Nicholson, proposed amendments to the motion which were seconded by Cllr Rathbone. The Deputy Mayor expressed sorrow relating to the ongoing conflict, the loss of life and the impact on local residents. The amendments to the motion were centred on the belief that elected Councillors were mandated to support the people by whom they were elected, He advised that the administration had undertaken a number of steps to bring communities together; ensure residents were safe; and intervene swiftly to violence and hate crime. The amendments captured the essence of what Councillors were elected to do and was within their remit to deliver. On international matters, the responsibility was for Councillors to call on national politicians to bring about peace which was a secondary responsibility. The essence of the amended motion focussed on the primary responsibility of elected members to ensure Hackney remained a safe and diverse place.

Following a vote, the Speaker declared the amendments to the motion CARRIED

The Speaker proceeded to the substantive motion which was not debated.Cllr Garbett, had reserved her right to speak. She recognized the mandate on local Councillors to represent their constituents; however, many residents within the borough had been directly impacted by the conflict and had called on Councillors to take action. She expressed disappointment that the amended motion had lost the element of lasting peace.

Due to time constraints, Cllr Rathbone, seconder of the amended motion did not make a speech.

Following a vote, the Speaker declared the motion as amended CARRIED

RESOLVED: That the Labour amendments to the motion be carried