Portland DSA Calls On City Council Hopefuls to Back Ceasefire & Arms Embargo
Portland’s silence tarnishes its progressive reputation
As the Israeli violence in Gaza escalates to horrifying levels, the human death toll continues to mount. More than 50% of those killed in Gaza are children. Israel has dropped thousands of tons of American-supplied explosives, with nearly 18,000 bombs and missiles raining down on the densely populated region. International organizations condemn the excessive use of force, war crimes, the targeting of civilian infrastructure, and the violation of human rights.
Portland City Hall remains silent. Portland DSA, and our boycott divestment and sanctions working group, call on City Council candidates — and current incumbents — to back a ceasefire resolution & arms embargo within their first 100 days in office. This is not just a moral imperative but also a reflection of the values we claim to uphold: peace, justice, and the dignity of all human beings.
In March 2024, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories Francesca Albanese, said that there are “reasonable grounds” to believe that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. In its July 2024 ruling, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued its advisory opinion that, “all States are under an obligation not to recognize as legal the situation arising from the unlawful presence of the State of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by the continued presence of the State of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory” (No. 2024/57, 19 July 2024).
Calls to end this genocide are ringing out across civil society, including from universities, labor unions, and cities such as Chicago, Detroit, Seattle, Madison and San Francisco. Many of these statements recognize the interconnectedness of global justice movements. The labor movement, for example, has pointed out the parallels between the exploitation of workers in places like the Congo — where resources are extracted through violence — and the oppression faced by Palestinians. These struggles against imperialism, capitalism, and oppression are deeply intertwined.
Ceasefire resolutions were passed by Multnomah County, the city of Eugene, the Oregon Food Bank, and the Klamath Tribe. Salem, embedded in a more conservative context than Portland, passed a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire, calling for accountability for all parties, and condemning attacks on civilians. Cities calling for a ceasefire are a part of a meaningful, longstanding tradition of grassroots activism that sends strong signals to the Federal Government. As we head into the next election cycle, it is imperative that we demand concrete action from those seeking our votes. Candidates running for office — whether at the local, state, or federal level — must take a stand.
But how is it that there hasn’t been a resolution passed calling for a ceasefire in our city? Portland, known for its progressive stances on many fronts including trans- and LGBTQ+ rights, has yet to make a robust demand for a ceasefire and arms embargo.
As Israel’s aggression escalates, we’re seeing alarming developments in Lebanon as well, where Israeli forces have begun their bombardment of civilian areas. This broader regional escalation threatens to engulf the entire Middle East in further violence, with civilians bearing the brunt of the destruction. These attacks are not isolated but part of a broader strategy of expansion and domination, which the international community must urgently address.
Our organization, DSA, stands firmly in solidarity with the people of Gaza and Lebanon, against Zionism, and with all oppressed peoples across the world. The time for silence has long passed. Now is the moment to demand an end to the killing, an end to the bombing, and a real, lasting peace that addresses the root causes of the conflict. It’s time to call for an uncompromising ceasefire and Israeli arms embargo — our complicity must end.
