A prolonged public comment period at Wednesday’s Arcadia City Council meeting focused heavily on the Israel‑Gaza war, with many speakers urging the council to send a letter to the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) asking it to divest from companies that some residents say are complicit in violence in Gaza, and with other speakers urging the city not to endorse such actions.

Supporters of divestment and a Gaza sister‑city said a letter would be a minimal, symbolic action that aligns the city with other municipalities and with the city of Eureka, which the speakers noted recently transmitted a similar letter. “We are asking Arcadia to leave behind performative proclamations and to take real action,” said a speaker identified as a local organizer; several callers on Zoom and in the chamber asked council to send CalPERS a simple letter urging divestment and said the Eureka decision had no fiscal impact. Students and organizers from local groups and regional activists urged the council to add Arcadia to a statewide campaign of municipalities asking CalPERS to divest from weapons and logistics companies with exposure to the conflict.

Other public commenters, including people who identified themselves as Jewish residents or as survivors, urged the council not to take actions they said would equate to support for terrorism or would fail to recognize Hamas as a designated terrorist group. One longtime resident who said she remembers the Holocaust warned against what she described as renewed “Jew hatred.” Mayor Alex Stillman spoke during the public comment period, saying, “If you care more about women and children in Gaza than demonizing Israel … work for a free Gaza, devoid of Hamas,” and urged that Gaza be free of Hamas rule before claims of safety for women and children could be realized.

Several speakers urged a middle ground: support continuing humanitarian aid while pushing for diplomatic solutions and citing the city’s sanctuary policy and commitment to human rights. Others asked the council to consider a sister‑city relationship with Gaza City to support humanitarian relief and cultural exchange, while critics said such a tie would be inappropriate while hostilities continue.

Councilmembers heard the range of views but did not vote or adopt a policy at the meeting. Councilmember Sarah Schaffer said she had supported previous cease‑fire language and indicated she was working on draft letters and following up with colleagues and staff about options. Staff and council cautioned about Brown Act limits on deliberation for items not agendized; members said they had received many constituent communications and would assess next steps.

Why it matters: the public comment demonstrates strong and polarized local sentiment on an international issue and constitutes a sustained call from multiple constituents for the council to take at least symbolic financial and diplomatic steps. Any formal city position could implicate municipal pension policy, city investments and political relationships and would require a future agendized action and possible legal review.

What’s next: council members indicated some interest in drafting or discussing possible letter language with staff and noted that the Eureka letter and other cities’ actions exist as precedents; no formal motion or council vote on divestment or sister‑city creation occurred at the meeting.