Residents urge Cincinnati council to speak on Gaza; multiple public commenters say city silence equals complicity

Multiple members of the public used the Citizens Forum to press Cincinnati City Council to take a public stand on civilian harm in Gaza and to end local investments and policies they said support the violence.

Jonathan Nortman invoked graphic images and called taxpayer-funded U.S. support complicit in what he described as mass civilian killings. “It is our funding that fuels these flames. It is your inaction that allows Israel to continue incinerating the innocent,” Nortman said during the public-comment period. Lina Zerubb and Tala Al Masri made similar appeals, saying the council’s silence was unacceptable and urging local officials to act to stop weapons shipments and other support. “Your silence is violence,” Lina Zerubb told council members.

Speakers tied their appeals to civic engagement, saying they represent thousands of voters in the city and that they will remember elected officials’ positions. The speakers urged council to consider divestment, to oppose weapons shipments, and to publicly condemn civilian harm; the council did not take action on these requests during the meeting and no formal votes or referrals were recorded in response to the public comments.

The comments were made during the Citizens Forum, the public-comment section of the council meeting, and reflect expressions of concern and political advocacy by residents. Council members acknowledged receipt of comments in the forum but did not debate or vote on the issues during the session.