Residents asked Long Beach officials to join other cities in calling for an end to the bombings in Gaza.
Hundreds of protesters donned keffiyehs, waved Palestinian flags and held up picket signs at the Long Beach Civic Center on Tuesday, during a rally demanding that the city council call for a ceasefire in the ongoing Israel-Palestine War.
“I think the most meaningful thing is just seeing everybody that’s not Palestinian, not even Arab, join us at these protests and it makes us feel so much less alone,” said Aisha Nuhaily, a first-generation Palestinian-Lebanese immigrant. “And it is just such a relieving feeling. Just seeing you guys all out here, it means the most.”
Earlier this month the City of Cudahy, located about a half-hour drive north from Long Beach, passed a resolution to support a congressional resolution that would call for an immediate ceasefire in Israel and occupied Palestine. Similar actions have been taken by Richmond, California; Providence, Rhode Island; and Easton, Pennsylvania.
On Nov. 8, the Long Beach’s Equity and Human Relations Commission voted to recommend that the city council take the following actions:
- Adopt a local resolution supporting a ceasefire and demand to end violence in Israel and Occupied Palestine, immediately urge the Long Beach congressional delegation to sign onto the Ceasefire Now Resolution (HR786), and allow humanitarian aid and medical supplies in Gaza.
- Identify and support local programs and services that de-escalate Islamophobia and antisemitism; foster community relations, dialogues centering Palestinian and Jewish voices, and mental health for residents affected by the conflict.
- Condemn all forms of hate, violence, apartheid, xenophobia, colonialism, genocide and mass ethnic cleansing.
The Long Beach City Council is not required to take any recommendations made by the City’s commissions. As of Nov. 15, no items related to the Israel-Palestine War have been added to the city council agenda.
Hundreds gather to listen to speakers during a rally in support of the civilians in the Gaza Strip at Long Beach Civic Plaza on Nov. 14, 2023, to urge Long Beach elected leaders to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. (Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune) 
Rally attendees hold onto their signs and flags while in line to enter the Long Beach City Council Chambers on Nov. 14, 2023, to urge Long Beach elected leaders to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. (Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune) 
Rally attendees hold onto their signs and flags while in line to enter the Long Beach City Council Chambers on Nov. 14, 2023, during the active council meeting to urge Long Beach elected leaders to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. (Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune) 
People cheer in applause to the speakers during a rally in support of the civilians in the Gaza Strip at Long Beach Civic Plaza on Nov. 14, 2023, to urge Long Beach elected leaders to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. (Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune) 
Amanda Trebach holds a large Palestinian flag over her head while attending a rally in support of the civilians in the Gaza Strip at Long Beach Civic Plaza on Nov. 14, 2023 (Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune) 
The Salem-Ward family make signs in support of the civilians in the Gaza Strip with markers and cardboard while at a rally at Long Beach Civic Plaza on Nov. 14, 2023, to urge Long Beach elected leaders to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. (Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune) 
Rally attendees hold a sign with the phrase “Free Palestine, From the River to the Sea” at the Long Beach Civic Plaza on Nov. 14, 2023, during a rally urging Long Beach elected leaders to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. (Richard H. Grant | Signal Tribune)
On Oct. 7, extremist group Hamas launched an attack on Israel, during which 1,400 Israelis were killed. Hamas currently holds around 240 Israeli hostages that were taken during the attack.
In response, Israel has been bombing occupied Gaza in an aerial campaign that has devastated the civilian population of the occupied territory, in what many are calling a genocide. The vast majority of Gazans are not permitted to leave the area, even before the most recent conflict, and are unable to effectively flee the bombing.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, the vast majority of victims killed by the Israeli bombings have been women and children. The ministry stated that since Oct. 7, over 11,000 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict, with over 4,000 of those being children.
Multiple Jewish Americans spoke in support of Palestinian lives during the rally.
Ted Griswold, a Jewish resident of Long Beach, told the crowd he has been attending Free Palestine rallies since 2014, and recently joined the organization Jewish Voices for Peace.
“I started going to Free Palestine rallies as Israel was bombing Gaza and started to be called an antisemite,” Griswold said. “And I just want to call attention to the way that term is being used cynically and in ignorance to discredit those of us here who want to stop Israeli state violence, terrorism, we’re seeing carried out on a massive scale right now.”
The United States provides military aid to Israel, including over $3 billion last year alone. According to an analysis by Al Jazeera, Israel is estimated to have spent more than $2 billion on bombing Gaza since the recent conflict began.
Congressman Robert Garcia, who represents Long Beach, has voiced his support for additional military aid to Israel. As first reported by local outlet Forthe, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and the Democratic Majority for Israel PAC are two of Garcia’s top campaign contributors.
“It’s so important that collectively as a city, we say enough is enough. It really is,” said Shirin Senegal, a Palestinian Long Beach resident. “And we cannot continue to keep investing billions of dollars in taking people’s lives and in genocide.”
The group Long Beach Community United for Peace has started a petition on Change.org which urges the mayor and city council to support a ceasefire in Gaza. As of Nov. 15, the petition has garnered 915 signatures.
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