Dear Mayor Alison Xamon, City of Vincent Council, and Councillors,

The City of Vincent is known as a progressive, forward-thinking Council. Known to be a Council that cares, with an admirable record for supporting human rights, particularly with its support for rights of First Nations people, LGBTQIA+ and disabled residents, refugees, and asylum seekers.

The City of Vincent Council speaks of making a difference, and creating a healthy & connected community as one of its priorities. It prides itself in supporting a diverse, welcoming, and engaged community, where many cultures are celebrated. It pledges to be an innovative, honest, and engaged Council, with a proven track record of demonstrating its courage in standing up for what is right. 

I am hoping this extends to issues that affect those outside the City’s borders.

As you would be aware, there is a humanitarian crisis currently occurring in Palestine.

The 2.2 million people of Gaza have been placed under siege by Israeli forces, with limited to no access to water, food, electricity, medicine or fuel. Refugee camps, schools, hospitals, and mosques are being targeted, as are teachers, journalists, healthcare workers, doctors and aid workers. International bodies such as the UN are pointing to evidence of war crimes and genocide.

We are requesting that the City of Vincent acts in line with its values, and acknowledges the ongoing military incursion by Israel within Gaza and Palestine, and uses its voice to pass a motion for ceasefire, and to stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine. 

Supporting a ceasefire in Palestine would see the City of Vincent be the first WA local council to stand up for what is right, and join the following local councils in this much-needed cause:

• Darebin (VIC)
• Randwick (NSW)
• Wyndham (VIC)
• Bayside (NSW)
• Inner West (NSW)
• Merri-bek (VIC)
• Hume (VIC)
• Dandenong (VIC)
• Canterbury-Bankstown (NSW)

I am writing this petition to request that the City of Vincent uses its voice to help end the genocide that Israel is undertaking against the people of Palestine.

 

As such, myself and the attached signatories respectfully request that the Council:

 

1. Acknowledges the ongoing military incursion by Israel within the whole of Palestine, resulting in the tragic and horrific death of at least 38,000 Palestinian civilians, the majority of whom are women and children; injuries exceeding 88,000; displacement of over 1.9 million; and the widespread destruction of the region’s civil infrastructure, including deliberate destruction of schools, hospitals, mosques, residences, utilities, and refugee camps.

2. Acknowledges the interim ruling of the International Court of Justice of 26 January 2024, and subsequent reaffirmations on 28 March 2024 and 24 May 2024, requiring Israel to act in accordance with its obligations under the Genocide Convention and take all measures within its power to prevent the commission of acts within Article II of the Convention with respect to Palestinians in Gaza, including:

(a) killing members of the group;

(b) causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;

(c) deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; and

(d) imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group.

3. Calls for an immediate, unconditional ceasefire and a long-lasting peace.

4. Calls on Israel to immediately lift the land, air and sea blockade of Gaza to allow the transport of food, medicine and construction materials critical for the preservation of Palestinian life.

5. Calls for the Australian Government to recognise a Palestinian state.

6. Writes to the local federal member, the Hon Patrick Gorman MP, and federal Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Penny Wong, calling on the Australian Government to act on the points outlined above.

7. As a representative of our diverse, multicultural, and multi-faith community, the City of Vincent commits to actively standing against all forms of racism, including anti-Palestinian racism, Islamophobia, and antisemitism.

 

Making a stand like this, and the ripple effects it will cause, can make change—and change is what I have always thought that the City of Vincent believes in.

Empathy can prevail.