NORTHAMPTON — A resolution endorsing an embargo on U.S. arms to Israel in an act of protest against the war in Gaza was approved by the Northampton City Council during its Nov. 7 meeting.
The resolution was sponsored by Ward 4 Councilor Jeremy Dubs and was introduced at the council’s prior meeting on Oct. 17. Dubs called on the council to endorse proposed legislation by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vermont) that would block the sale of more than $20 billion in offensive U.S. weaponry to Israel. It also called on Congress to introduce legislation that would impose an embargo on sales and shipment of American weapons to Israel.
The resolution was passed following a discussion over the inclusion of a word following its second reading. The amended version of the resolution clarified that the second part on the resolution would support embargo on “unrestricted” sales and shipment of U.S. weapons, a word not used in the original draft submitted by Dubs.
Ward 1 Councilor Stanley Moulton said the inclusion of the word made the resolution consistent with a similar resolution passed by the council earlier this year that called for a cease-fire in Gaza and the suspension of unrestricted military aid from the U.S. to Israel. Moulton added he saw this new resolution as building off of the previous resolution approved.
“I know that from our experience in February that these are very difficult resolutions to work on,” Moulton said. “I do believe that big changes can come from small changes and can come from grassroots.”
At one point during discussion, someone from the audience began a chant of “full embargo now” while At-Large City Councilor Marissa Elkins began explaining why she supported the addition of the word “unrestricted.” A five-minute recess was called in response before the council resumed normal business.
Elkins said the inclusion of the word “unrestricted” echoed what she supported, as a call for an implicit and total embargo was to say a country could not defend itself.
Many Northampton residents attended the meeting to voice their opinions regarding the resolution. The council’s full 90-minute public comment time limit period was reached with the majority of comments related to the arms embargo resolution.
Most residents shared similar sentiments calling for the council to pass the resolution to show their support for the ongoing conflict to come to a ceasefire. Some argued the city passing a resolution such as this only adds to the support toward the decisions makers in Washington to go through with an embargo and stop spending taxpayer dollars on the conflict.
“Northampton and the rest of Massachusetts need to take a stand that humanity is more important than money,” said one resident.
While most commenters were in favor of the council passing the resolution, one resident argued it was a misguided effort from a municipality level.
“With all due respect to the city councilors, we elected you to act on affairs in Northampton — the schools, the DPW, the Northampton Police Department — not for complicated foreign policy matters. There’s a venue for that, it’s Congress,” said resident Jim Winston.
Another resident was against the resolution claiming it did not provide all the necessary facts and information regarding the ongoing war and the council should reconsider the resolution all together.
“If this resolution was a paper in school, the teacher would send it back and fail it due to false information, poor citations and intellectual dishonesty,” said resident Roni Gold.
The council would go on and pass the resolution unanimously, including the inclusion of the word “unrestricted” in it.
“I think there’s no reason we can’t make a statement on this issue. It affects so many people in this town, and I feel like this is our opportunity. We have this position, we have been elected to this office to represent people, and the people are telling us that they want this to happen,” Dubs said on the resolution.
