Hastings council passes ceasefire motion, backing town’s friendship links with Al Mawasi in Gaza

Hastings Borough Council passed an historic motion on Wednesday (16 July), voting to back an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, an end to all arms sales to Israel and to support the town’s deep friendship links with the people of Al Mawasi. Katy Colley from Hastings & District Palestine Solidarity Campaign reports.

The successful motion comes after three previous attempts over the past 21 months to bring a ceasefire motion were thwarted, with one full council meeting last year completely abandoned by the then Labour mayor.

Hastings is the 22nd council in the country to pass a motion calling for a ceasefire.

During an emotional debate lasting over an hour, many councillors spoke to the importance of the motion, which was carried by a majority of 14 Green and Hastings Independent Group MPs, with three voting against and 11 abstentions, mostly from the Labour party.

‘Solidarity, dignity and human connection’

Proposing the motion Cllr Yunis Smith of the Greens spoke of how compassionate Hastings residents had built deep friendships with the grassroots resilience committee in the coastal community of Al Mawasi in Gaza over many years through regular Zoom calls and WhatsApp chats, pointing out that locals had raised funds for solar panels, the building of a well, a bakery, food parcels and educational resources.

‘From one coastal town to another we’ve shown that solidarity, dignity and human connection shine brighter than cruelty,’ he said.

‘Al Mawasi, like Hastings, is defined not just by its land but by the resilience of its people. They survive, endure and beckon us to witness their struggle and their strength.’

He asked councillors to join him in opposing the ‘horrors of genocide’.

‘Hastings Borough Council is a borough of sanctuary,’ he went on. ‘That means something, it means we strive for a better community, it means we stand with the oppressed, whoever they are, wherever they are.

‘And in this case let us be absolutely clear, the occupation is the oppressor, the occupied are the oppressed. Be bold, be brave, stand with Palestine, stand for justice, stand on the right side of history. Free Palestine.’

The speech drew loud applause from the packed public gallery where over 40 locals came to listen to the debate, including members of Hastings Jews for Justice wearing t-shirts that read, ‘Not in Our Name’, Hastings Friends of Al Mawasi and members of Hastings & District PSC.

More emails than on any other subject

Several Labour members spoke in the debate and while many decried the ‘atrocities’ taking place in Gaza, they said they could not support the motion because it endorsed the friendship link with Al Mawasi, and they did not know enough about the group.

The Green leader of the council, Cllr Glenn Haffenden said he had received more emails on this subject from his residents than on any other subject since becoming a councillor.

He pointed out that Hastings Friends of Al Mawasi had been at St Leonards Festival the previous weekend and any councillor had the opportunity to discuss any queries with them during the six hours they were present at the event.

He added that the group had also sent round a ‘really helpful factual sheet’ ahead of the meeting giving comprehensive background to the friendship link.

Recognising genocide

The motion was seconded by Cllr Simon Willis of the Hastings Independent Group, speaking powerfully about his Jewish mother’s family who fled their home in Hamburg during the Second World War. Many of his family who remained perished in Auschwitz.

‘My beloved Ooma and Oopa and my mother Sabina tried to teach me the lessons they learned about tyranny, about injustice, about inequality, about war,’ he said.

‘It made me learn to be very afraid of people who value one group above another and one group of people’s lives above that of another. Following directly from that they taught me to recognise genocide when I saw it, and to value those people who stood against it regardless of personal consequence.

‘Those of our fellow citizens who in timidity, fear or anger conspire with the continuation of genocide either through silence or indifference or legalistic quibbles will be judged by history just as surely as the old men who are perpetrating this violence in Israel and bringing shame to their ancestors and danger to all Jewish people across the globe, including my beloved wife and children.’

He concluded: ‘I second this motion to stand with my ancestors and I ask you to find within you your humanity and join Yunis and me in supporting this very important motion.’

Deeply moved

After the motion was passed, the council chambers erupted into cheers and applause as members of the public and councillors alike hugged and cried tears of relief and sorrow.

Hastings resident Catherine Eva, who was present in the chamber, said afterwards:

‘I was deeply moved and proud to have been at tonight’s meeting. Witnessing the motion pass was more than just a political moment, it was a moral one. It was a statement of solidarity, of humanity, and of hope.

‘What struck me most were the powerful and deeply personal speeches made by councillors who have been directly affected by past genocides, or whose conscience gave them the courage to vote for the motion.

‘Their determination not to remain silent in the face of injustice reminded us all that history is watching. Their words carried the weight of experience, and their commitment to ensuring we did not stand on the wrong side of history was profoundly moving.

‘This victory did not come out of nowhere. It is the result of tireless local campaigning. It proves, yet again, that local activism matters. That change starts in town halls, in conversations between neighbours, and in the brave decisions of those who hold public office with conscience. I am incredibly proud to be part of this community — a community with councillors who are willing to listen, to lead, and to stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine. In twinning with Al-Mawasi, Hastings has taken a stand for justice, for peace, and for shared humanity.’

Laurie Holden of the Hastings Friends of Al Mawasi said: ‘This will mean so much to the people of Al Mawasi, who are right now being bombed and starved. To know they are not forgotten. That people thousands of miles away are rooting for them, care about them and doing everything in their power to stop this horrific genocide.’

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