Dozens of residents and several community groups urged the Arcata City Council on Oct. 1 to adopt a sister-city relationship with Gaza City and to pursue ethical procurement rules regarding companies tied to actions in Israel and Palestine. The council took no formal vote but directed staff to prepare background research on a sister-city policy.

Public commentators spoke repeatedly on behalf of Gaza. Andrew W. Christian called for the council to “declare officially that Gaza municipality and Arcata are sister cities” and urged placing a resolution on the next agenda. Multiple speakers cited reports from international human-rights organizations and urged Arcata to send a solidarity signal and to support humanitarian aid.

Speakers included residents and local activists. Emily Lin, a homeowner and volunteer with local organizations, referenced a recent UN Human Rights Council report and asked the council, “When will we, as a city, take concrete action towards peace?” Dan Shaheen, who identified himself as Palestinian American, said that signaling support is one of the few tools a local government can use, adding the city’s prior votes on divestment and ceasefire show Arcata’s willingness to act.

Council members and staff discussed next steps rather than taking immediate action. Mayor Alexandra Stillman and other council members said the city should develop a consistent policy that defines what a sister-city relationship would entail. Councilmember Schaeffer reported that a Cal Poly Humboldt professor had offered a student who is interested in researching sister-city policies and preparing a draft for the council; the mayor and council expressed support for having staff work with that volunteer to gather background and model policies.

No ordinance or procurement change was adopted at the meeting. Council members noted that the Brown Act limits deliberation on items not on the agenda, and several members emphasized that a policy or formal resolution should return to a future meeting for deliberation and possible action.

Why it matters: Supporters said a sister-city relationship would be an inexpensive municipal gesture intended to express solidarity and to facilitate humanitarian aid or cultural exchanges; opponents were not present in substantial numbers during public comment. The council’s decision to ask for a formal policy paper means any future resolution would come after staff review and council deliberation.

What’s next: Staff will work with the volunteer student and report back to council with research on sister-city practices and options for a city policy; any formal sister-city resolution or procurement policy would require a future agenda item and council vote.