Greens councillor to introduce motion calling for ceasefire in Gaza
It comes after a motion to condemn the pro-Palestinian motorcade to Coogee failed, with all four Greens councillors voting against it.
Greens councillor Rafaela Pandolfini plans to introduce a motion at next week’s Randwick Council meeting calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
If the motion is successful, Pandolfini will call on the Australian government to urge for “an immediate and permanent ceasefire and peace negotiations in Gaza”, adding that “hostage and administrative detainees were successfully released during a ceasefire”.
In her background to the motion, Pandolfini states that since October 7 there has been “unrelenting bombing and attacks on Gaza”, and that the death toll in Gaza “has exceeded 15,500 with more than 40,000 people
wounded. The health ministry said 70 percent of the dead were women and children.”
She makes no mention of the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israeli civilians.
It follows last week’s Randwick Council meeting where a motion to condemn the pro-Palestinian motorcade to Coogee on November 11 failed.
All four Greens councillors, including Pandolfini, voted against the motion, as did four out of five Labor councillors.
All five Liberals voted in favour, joined by one Labor and one Independent.
On November 11 a convoy of pro-Palestinian vehicles drove to Sydney’s Coogee Beach. The protesters were recorded yelling abuse and making threatening statements.
There was an ISIS flag present at this motorcade.
The motion, which was raised by Liberal Councillor Christie Hamilton, asked that the Council condemn the road convoy that came to Coogee Beach on Saturday and strongly support “the safety of all Randwick City residents and their right to live without fear”.
Liberal Councillor for Randwick Daniel Rosenfeld said: “I am disappointed that the majority of councillors did not support this motion to ensure all Randwick City Council residents are safe and to condemn the pro-Palestinian motorcade that came to Coogee on November 11th. I share the anxiety that many of the Jewish community in the LGA are feeling, and I do see a rise of antisemitism.”
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