Full Breakdown
Montreal City Council Passes Amended Motion Expressing Solidarity with Palestinians
8/25/2026, 11:11:42 AM
Amended Motion Adopted
Montreal city council voted 54-6 to adopt an amended motion that affirms “solidarity with the Palestinian people” and civilian victims of hostilities across the Middle East. The final text removed earlier language that called the conflict “apartheid and genocide” and eliminated a demand to suspend institutional ties with Israel. The amendment was driven by a 38-22 vote in favour of changes proposed by Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada’s administration. The motion also urges the federal and provincial governments to show “greater leadership” toward a peaceful resolution, including diplomacy and sanctions against those responsible for serious violations of international human-rights law.
Municipal Precedent and Context
Councillors referenced past municipal actions on global issues, citing former mayor Jean Doré’s invitation to Nelson Mandela in 1990 as an example of Montreal taking a moral stance abroad. The debate highlighted a tension between the city’s desire to address human-rights concerns and the view that international diplomacy falls outside municipal jurisdiction.
Official Positions
Projet Montréal councillors emphasized moral consistency: Nathalie Goulet argued that suffering abroad is felt at home, while Alex Norris linked condemnation of crimes in Gaza to earlier calls to condemn Russia’s actions in Ukraine. Opposition leader Ericka Alneus described the changes as a dilution of the original intent.
Criticism from Jewish Organizations
B’nai Brith Canada and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs warned that even the amended resolution could deepen local divisions and fuel antisemitism. They argued that municipal endorsement of a partisan stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict exceeds the council’s mandate and risks alienating portions of the community.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We have a duty to humanity,” — Nathalie Goulet, Montréal city councillor
- “If we condemn crimes against humanity when Russia commits them, we must condemn them when Israel commits them too,” — Alex Norris, Montréal city councillor
- “I will not hide my disappointment at the major modifications imposed by the administration, which significantly diluted our intention,” — Ericka Alneus, Opposition Leader
