By Cara Waters
The City of Melbourne council voted against a motion calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war on Tuesday night at a fiery meeting where hundreds of people rallied outside.
Independent councillor Jamal Hakim put forward the motion asking the federal government to advocate for a list of seven demands.
City of Melbourne councillor Jamal Hakim outside state parliament last year.Credit: Justin McManus
They included a permanent ceasefire, the release of all Israeli hostages and imprisoned Palestinians, and advocacy for “an end to illegal Israeli settlements and the illegal occupation of Palestinian territories”.
The council was split on the motion, however, with five councillors voting for it and five against.
Deputy Lord Mayor Nicholas Reece had the deciding vote in the absence of Lord Mayor Sally Capp, who was on leave, and he voted against the motion to cries of “shame” within the council chamber and booing from the rally outside that could be heard inside the chamber.
Reece voted against the proposed motion as he said there were “too many red flags” and the motion did not comprehensively and unequivocally condemn Hamas.
“I think it will inflame not heal the tensions in the city. It will make a really challenging situation worse not better,” he told the meeting. “This is one of the most volatile debates this city has ever seen.”
A minor scuffle broke out in front of Melbourne’s Town Hall on Tuesday evening.Credit: Chris Hopkins
The council meeting was suspended temporarily after Reece moved to put forward an alternative motion.
The alternative motion noted the joint statement released last week by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the prime ministers of Canada and New Zealand airing their concerns about reports of Israel’s military operation in Rafah, warning it would be catastrophic with 1.5 million Palestinians taking refuge in the city.
The alternative motion was passed unanimously, although Hakim said it did not go far enough as it did not endorse any action to end the killing.
Hakim told the meeting that he had been subjected to racist vitriol and some people had asked him to withdraw his initial motion because it potentially created disunity.
“Our residents, our friends, our families, our neighbours – they are directly impacted by the events unfolding thousands of kilometres away,” he said. “Ignoring their voices, their pain, would be a disservice to the very principles of our multicultural and inclusive city.”
Councillor Roshena Campbell said she voted against the motion as the council’s responsibility was to de-escalate tensions in the city.
“There is very little that we in Melbourne can say that seriously politically will change what is occurring on the ground there but there is so much we can do that will change what is occurring here,” she said.
“We can work to create a Melbourne that is safe, that people are not scared to visit, they’re not scared to run a business.”
The council received close to 1000 written submissions and heard almost two hours of public submissions on the motion followed by another two hours of council debate on Tuesday night.
Gaza health officials said more than 29,000 Palestinians had been killed since Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7. More than 1400 Israelis have been killed, including about 1200 on October 7, according to Israeli tallies.
Outside the meeting a scuffle broke out at one point, and police intervened to remove one man from the scene.
Rally organiser Amin Abbas said the federal government had failed to strongly demand an end to the atrocities in Gaza.
“We are saying to the City of Melbourne that we need action,” he said.
“The words by themselves is just not enough. So we need to really call on the federal government to take a stand to call for a permanent ceasefire and lifting of the siege in Gaza.”
Abbas said the City of Melbourne was the most politically and economically significant council in Victoria, so the motion was important.
“The City of Melbourne council has a history of getting involved with foreign affairs where they cut ties with a sister Russian city because of the invasion of Russia into Ukraine,” he said.
Some speakers said they were concerned for their safety when attending the meeting because of the rally outside. Reece said the council would make arrangements to help them leave the meeting.
The proposed motion followed similar motions passed by city councils in Sydney and Hobart.
Seven Victorian councils – Merri-bek, Maribyrnong, Dandenong, Yarra, Hume, Darebin and Wyndham – have passed motions since October 7 calling for a ceasefire.
Shepparton and Monash councils debated ceasefire motions last year that were ultimately voted down, while the Geelong council executive knocked back discussion of a motion.
Melbourne council areas with large Jewish populations – including the Glen Eira, Stonnington and Port Phillip councils – have also passed motions and made public statements in solidarity with their communities, but did not include calls for a ceasefire.
The City of Melbourne lit up Town Hall in blue and white – the colours of the Israeli flag – in the aftermath of the Hamas terrorist attack.