Over a period of five hours, a total of 56 individuals addressed city council during its March 5 meeting.

The omission on the evening’s agenda of the Feb 20 promised motion calling for a cease-fire in Gaza angered many. Students, community leaders and residents came prepared, determined to be heard by their elected officials.

The first speaker set tone of the next few hours, saying, “Call it a war, ethnic cleansing, genocide or whatever, it has been 150 days. War continues in Gaza. About 30,000 Palestinians have died.”

He went on to reinforce his point by repeating, “A child dies every 10 minutes.”

Building on that message, one of the last speakers felt pictures were stronger than words.

After calling them “cowards” for not taking a stand, she handed out to Mayor William Reynolds and all council members graphic pictures of young children whom she claimed had become war victims since council last met Feb 20.

Lehigh County Commissioner Jon Irons felt compelled to come and speak out on this issue with his fellow elected officials saying, “This is not a time for moderation. Moderation risks normalization.”

Many Muslims spoke of the horrors their people have suffered in the region over the decades, using the term “genocide” repeatedly.

Jews also addressed council, with many making it clear they wanted to support their “Arab cousins.”

In what he described as a personal address, Rabbi Allen Israel Juda expressed his desire for peace and a Palestine state, just like Israel.

“I wish we already had, and will have, a free and independent Palestinian state, with the Palestinians rule over themselves and lead their people to prosperity,” he said.

He was followed by a college student, proud of her Jewish heritage, but not of current government decisions affecting the lives of thousands of Palestinians.

“While Jews absolutely deserve safety,” she said, “that can never mean that anyone else’s right to safety should come at the expense of that.”

Another Jewish student voiced an opposing view. He reminded everyone of the Holocaust and the countless lives lost, and that Israel has a right to defend itself.

For a recent Moravian University graduate, the mayor’s silence and refusal to even say the word “cease fire” during the Feb 20 meeting was unacceptable. He called him out, asking for him to take a stand.

With emotions running high on all sides of the situation unfolding in Gaza, both Bethlehem City Police Chief Michelle Kott and Council President Michael Colon reminded everyone to remain calm and respect the right of fellow residents to speak.