Chicago council narrowly passes ceasefire resolution, becoming largest US city to adopt measure

Jacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief

The Chicago City Council debates a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza on January 31, 2024. (Jacob Magid/Times of Israel)
The Chicago City Council debates a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza on January 31, 2024. (Jacob Magid/Times of Israel)

CHICAGO, Illinois — The Chicago City Council has narrowly adopted a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, becoming the largest municipal body in the US to pass such a measure.

The council was split with 23 votes in favor and 23 against, leading Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson to cast a tie-breaking vote in support of the resolution.

The measure is completely symbolic, but its advocates say it sends a message to the Biden administration — which has pushed back against such calls in favor of extended humanitarian pauses during which the hostages can be released — from one of the most prominent Democratic-majority cities in the US and the host of the Democratic National Convention this summer.

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