Posted on 07/22/2004 9:31:17 AM PDT by Wally_Kalbacken
Madison and Rafah won't be sister cities, but a local group has pledged to continue humanitarian efforts with the Palestinian city.
In the spotlight of international news coverage, the Madison City Council early Wednesday morning narrowly defeated a proposal that would have been the first official U.S.-Palestinian sister city.
Despite a last-minute attempt at a watered-down compromise, the City Council voted 9-8 in favor of the plan, which needed 11 votes for approval.
Members of the Madison-Rafah Sister City Project, who have been pushing for a formal relationship with the Gaza Strip city for more than a year, said they will continue to work with residents living in the city, including providing medical aid and building a playground.
It was not the humanitarian efforts that council members disagreed with. It was the underlying politics and taking sides in the passionate Israeli-Palestinian conflict that Mayor Dave Cieslewicz said made him an opponent.
"My concern with Rafah is that it does make a political statement," Cieslewicz said at the end of the nearly eight-hour meeting, which adjourned at 2:20 a.m.
City Council members said they hope the defeat of a sister-city project doesn't dissuade other citizen groups from making proposals. Madison has 11 other sister relationships with foreign cities.
"I think there were some real lessons learned here," said City Council President Brenda Konkel. She said other groups with sister-city proposals should work harder with potential opposition before a vote.
On Tuesday night, more than 280 people registered - in a fairly even split - for or against the relationship.
Alon Kahana called the proposal "ridiculous" and said the City Council should concentrate on local issues.
"I don't think the city of Madison has a role to play in this war," Kahana said.
Joe Elder, UW-Madison sociology professor, said the sister-city relationship would provide a great learning opportunity.
"This will enable Madison to learn at the grass-roots level and contribute at the grass-roots level," Elder said.
After the public testimony, Ald. Ken Golden, 10th District, proposed an amendment that would have indefinitely deferred making Rafah a sister city but still expressed support for humanitarian efforts there and in the rest of the Gaza Strip. The council shot down the plan, some members calling it "cowardly."
The discussion among council members was somber. Ald. Robbie Webber, 5th District, choked back tears as she spoke about her "yes" vote. "I see a great rift in the Jewish community over this and that saddens me," Webber said.
Ald. Judy Compton, 16th District, voted against the plan and said the debate was "one of the saddest things I've ever seen."
Contact Lesley Rogers Barrett at lrogers@madison.com or 252-6139.
and everyone say california is the land of fruit & nuts EH?
as far as the Midwest goes,the Madison and Minneapolis
city councils are about as cucko for cocoa puffs as it gets.
Both pass meaningless resolutions all the time.
Minneapolis is sister universe to Uranus.
I know what you mean I lived in minnesota for 16 long winters. They have nothing better to do then pass stupid council resolutions.
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