CLEVELAND — Mayor Justin Bibb chose not to sign a Cleveland City Council resolution calling for a cease-fire in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, 3News has confirmed.
Legislators unanimously approved the measure last week after months of contentious debate and in-meeting protests from pro-Palestinian activists. The text of the resolution condemns Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel, acknowledges Clevelanders "are alarmed by the loss of tens of thousands of innocent Palestinian and American lives" in Gaza, and echoes a recent United Nations call for both a halt in hostilities as well as the release of all Israeli hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7.
While by law the resolution will still officially take effect since it was not vetoed, the lack of Bibb's signature marks a symbolic break from Council. In a statement, the mayor wrote that "neither the UN nor the City Council resolutions adequately reflect my own views."
"No durable peace is possible until Hamas releases the hostages. And Hamas has had multiple opportunities to secure a ceasefire under this framework — which Israel has accepted, and which Hamas has rejected," Bibb continued. "Any discussion of the current conflict must be centered in the condemnation of Hamas and a plain understanding that it is the fundamental obstacle to peace today."
Following Hamas' attacks on Oct. 7, Bibb declared that "Cleveland stands in solidarity with Israel in the face of terror and condemns these acts of evil." His public support for the country has drawn the ire of area residents voicing their support for Palestine and its civilians, with the mayor's statements often coming up during public comments during City Council meetings. Chanting from protestors frequently disrupted official business, leading Council to approve new rules limiting public comment and updated protocols for meeting interruptions.
"Choosing not to sign a ceasefire resolution essentially means he does not want the violence to end on innocent civilians who are being murdered by the thousands in what has been deemed by the International Court of Justice as probable genocide by the Israeli government on the Palestinian people," Faten Odeh, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations' Ohio chapter, said following Bibb's refusal to sign the resolution. "Mayor Bibb, shame on you."
The Gaza Health Ministry claims more than 32,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed during the fighting, with women and children purportedly making up two-thirds of that number. For his part, Bibb did express a desire for peace and acknowledged "that civilians have borne tremendous suffering and loss as a result" of the fighting.
"I join the calls for a break in hostilities, for Hamas to unconditionally release the hostages, and for Gazans to receive vital food and supplies," he added.
Meanwhile, the Jewish Federation of Cleveland — which previously referred to Council's resolution as "hurtful" — applauded the mayor for choosing not to sign the measure.
"Today Mayor Justin M. Bibb made clear he can't be bullied into ignoring the fact that Hamas has refused all ceasefire agreements that would stop Israel's rescue mission to bring the hostages home," the organization stated. "Thank you Mayor Bibb!"
Other than acknowledging he didn't sign it, Council did not offer a formal public response to the mayor's decision. Bibb's full statement can be seen below:
"Our city was united in horror at Hamas's October 7 terrorist attack on Israel, and Israel has a right to defend itself. But at the six-month anniversary of those attacks, there is no question that civilians have borne tremendous suffering and loss as a result.
"Cleveland is a diverse community with loved ones in Gaza and Israel both. As the tragedy there has grown, so has Clevelanders’ grief. This is a grief I share, and the need for humanitarian assistance in Gaza is dire. I join the calls for a break in hostilities, for Hamas to unconditionally release the hostages, and for Gazans to receive vital food and supplies.
"I chose not to sign Cleveland City Council's resolution in support of the recent United Nations Security Council resolution. While there is much to commend about the push for peace, neither the UN nor the City Council resolutions adequately reflect my own views.
"I fully support the Biden-Harris Administration's diplomatic efforts to secure an end to the conflict. These are rooted not only in peace but in clarity. No durable peace is possible until Hamas releases the hostages. And Hamas has had multiple opportunities to secure a ceasefire under this framework — which Israel has accepted, and which Hamas has rejected. Any discussion of the current conflict must be centered in the condemnation of Hamas and a plain understanding that it is the fundamental obstacle to peace today.
"Let me underscore that my priority as Mayor is to safeguard our residents against bigotry and hate. We must oppose anti-Semitism and Islamophobia at every turn. Cleveland will always be a city for all peoples, and as a Clevelander, I pray for peace here and abroad."