Members of the Juneau Assembly say they are hesitant to move forward with a formal resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza.
Assembly member Christine Woll proposed the resolution during a meeting Monday night, saying she felt it could provoke action at a higher level amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. But she said she wouldn’t move forward with a resolution if she didn’t think other members would support it.
“I personally believe that we need a ceasefire and that the Assembly has an opportunity to show that our community has influence when we use our voice to persuade our federal government to take actions that could change the course of this human rights tragedy,” she said.
But most Assembly members did not show much enthusiasm for the idea. Some said they feared it could divide parts of the community.
Assembly member Alicia Hughes-Skandijs said that while she personally supports a ceasefire, she isn’t sure that it’s the Assembly’s place to be weighing in on the issue.
“As an Assembly, the more we can stay focused on nonpartisan local stuff the better for all of us because we probably start to diverge in how we feel about federal and international matters,” she said. “And yet, It’s really hard watching what’s happening. It’s a real genocide.”
In Juneau last week, more than 150 people rallied downtown in support of a ceasefire. Participants shared fliers with a proposed Assembly resolution. Some attendees and organizers of the event, like Sonia Kumar, were at Monday’s meeting to again ask for Assembly action on the issue.
“This ceasefire resolution means a lot to those of us who live on Lingít Aaní,” she said. “I really hope you consider supporting our resolution in showing the world that the Alaska capital wants to stand on the humane side of history.”
Local resolution efforts similar to Woll’s suggestion have been passed by dozens of cities across the country. But in Alaska, very few cities have considered them.
On Tuesday the Anchorage Assembly passed a resolution to ask Alaska’s congressional delegation to support negotiations for a ceasefire, reversing its decision last week to reject a similar resolution.
At the end of the discussion on Monday, the Juneau Assembly did not move forward with any potential resolution.