Minneapolis City Council overrides Frey's Israel-Hamas veto

The Minneapolis City Council Thursday morning overrode the veto of Mayor Jacob Frey on a contentious statement on the Israel-Hamas war.

Last week, Frey vetoed a City Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in the conflict, as well as an end to U.S. military support for Israel. Frey said he could support a basic statement supporting a ceasefire and the creation of an independent Palestinian state, but he called the wording approved by the council "one-sided," saying it "uplifts the history of Palestinians, and all but erases that of Israeli Jews."

Nine of the 13 council members voted in favor of the resolution — just enough to override a veto, so someone would have to change their vote to allow the veto to stand.

There was no chance for discussion on the vote, although Council Member Andrea Jenkins admonished some in the audience who cheered.

"Please do not cheer or jeer," said Jenkins, who voted in favor of the override. "It disrespects the lives of Palestinians and Israelis. This is not a football game or a sport."

Leading up to the vote, eyes were on Jenkins, who expressed reservations at how the resolution refers to allegations of genocide against Israel made by South Africa in international court. Jenkins supported alternate wording that would have made the resolution more neutral, akin to a symbolic resolution approved by Hastings last month. That effort failed.

Council Member Emily Koski abstained on every previous vote on the matter, explaining that she didn't feel it was possible to vote for or against without "disappointing, angering, triggering, dividing or isolating part of my community or the other."

Thursday's action in Minneapolis comes a day after activists pressured the St. Paul City Council to take a stance. Council members there indicated they were unlikely to take a formal position as a council.

The Minneapolis resolution was supported by a number of Palestinian-rights and Islamic groups, including the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, several progressive groups pushing for boycotts and disinvestment from Israel, and at least one Jewish group highly critical of Israel's policy toward Palestine. It was opposed by several prominent Jewish groups, including the Minnesota Rabbinical Association. The four council members who voted against the resolution or abstained, as well as Frey, said they feared that the City Council's focus on a contentious resolution would inflame local tensions.

Those tensions are reflected in the backgrounds of the city's elected officials. Frey is Jewish; the City Council's four Muslims — Council Vice President Aisha Chughtai and Council Members Jeremiah Ellison, Jamal Osman and Aurin Chowdhury — all supported the resolution.

While mayoral veto overrides are uncommon, they're not without precedent in Minneapolis. Three years ago, for example, the city council overrode Frey's veto in order to put the idea of replacing the police department on the ballot.

How they voted

Thursday's 9-3 vote, with one abstention, was identical to previous votes.

Voting in favor were Council President Elliott Payne, Vice President Aisha Chughtai and Council Members Robin Wonsley, Ellison, Jamal Osman, Cashman, Andrea Jenkins, Jason Chavez and Aurin Chowdhury.

Voting against were Council Members Michael Rainville, LaTrisha Vetaw and Linea Palmisano.

Koski abstained.