Las Cruces Council removes resolution on ceasefire in Israel-Hamas war from agenda

Editor's note: This article was updated May 7 to reflect a correction in the number of votes cast in considering the suspension of rules and the motion to remove the resolution from Tuesday's agenda.

The Las Cruces City Council removed an agenda item that, if passed, would have approved a resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

With a packed council chambers anticipating a potential vote, Mayor Eric Enriquez opened the meeting with a motion to suspend rules to accept the agenda prior to public participation and another motion that removed the resolution from the agenda.

Mayor Pro Temp Johana Bencomo and District 5 Councilor Becky Corran were outvoted 5-2 against both the suspension of rules and the motion to remove the resolution from Tuesday’s agenda.

"It (the resolution) was clearly one-sided and didn't recognize a lot of things and had some things that could be removed," Enriquez said. "The Council agreed on removing it in its entirety. It could have been an option to table and bring back later. There were so many amendments. It wasn't something that we could hear it out and then try to make all of the amendments during the meeting."

Enriquez said he didn't expect a revised or amended resolution to return to Council in the future.

"I don't anticipate it, but if it does, lessons learned along the way," Enriquez said.

"We can look at how we can coordinate that with groups to have input prior to bringing it up to a resolution. Back in the past, we had policy review committees. This would be something we could do a special policy review committee and get the public also."

During council comments at the end of Monday's meeting, Corran revealed she brought the resolution to city staff.

"Bringing that resolution forward came from a place of empathy and care for, in particular, the hundreds of people who signed a petition requesting we consider bringing that forward," Corran said. "But also consideration for an ongoing humanitarian crisis in a part of the world where things matter to us."

In addition to a sense that City Council should focus on city business rather than consider the latest war between Israel and Hamas, many speakers during the lengthy public comment period that ensued pointed out the failure in the resolution language to condemn Hamas outright or acknowledge the Oct. 7, 2023 attack that killed approximately 1,200 Israelis.

The proposed resolution cited over 34,000 Palestinians killed between Oct. 6, 2023 and April 17, 2024, including 13,000 children.

“This resolution doesn't belong in our local city council and our local city council should be working for the good of the people of Las Cruces and not trying to divide our amazing community," said Rabbi Bery Schmukler, executive director of Alevy Chabad Jewish Center de Las Cruces. "We have over 1,000 Jewish families. We have always loved Las Cruces. There hasn't been any antisemitism and we are not looking for them to start causing any.

"If you are going to pass a resolution, who starts with a resolution that doesn't acknowledge the existence of the State of Israel."

While Schmukler and others spoke to council, a group of protesters in attendance quickly responded to the removal of the resolution with chants accusing Council members of genocide. Protesters filed out of chambers, but remained just outside with chants of "Viva Palestina" that halted the meeting.

Las Cruces Police Chief Jeremy Story ultimately convinced protesters to leave the building, where they continued to protest for a short time.

"Someone identified themselves as the leader and I told her that we recognized their First Amendment right to free speech and to protest, but it can't be done in a way that is going to impede or hamper city operations or city business," Story said. "Their behavior at that time was impeding city business. She was very reasonable and cooperative and she got everybody outside."

While speaking to reporters outside of City Hall, Jovanny Hernandez said he was not surprised that city leaders supported Israel.

"I think the whole world is open to possibility and it's up to these politicians who say they have to move slow, who say they have to move in certain ways but when they want something, they will do it and we witnessed that today," said Hernandez, who clarified that he was not a spokesman for any group.

If approved, Las Cruces would have joined over 100 municipalities across the country to adopt a ceasefire resolution.

"I just wanted to have everyone be mindful that what is presented is not always what is approved," said City Manager Ikani Taumoepeau. "The intention was to have it be presented and perhaps amended but it was pulled."

Jason Groves can be reached at 575-541-5459 or jgroves@lcsun-news.com. Follow him on X @jpgroves.

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Las Cruces Council rejects resolution on ceasefire