A Chicago City Council vote last week has caused contention and division among alderpeople.

The emotional debate was over a resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. Chicago became the largest city to pass such a resolution after Mayor Brandon Johnson cast a tie-breaking vote. 

Gov. J.B. Pritzker later said he was “disappointed” with the resolution’s passage, and some Jewish groups say it fans the flames of antisemitism. 

But supporters say it sends a message to President Joe Biden’s administration to call on Israel to end its bombing campaign on Gaza, in which tens of thousands have been killed.

“We need to scrutinize the federal government,” said Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th Ward). “It’s unconscionable that with all the needs in our communities — … in housing, in education, we see the concerns at the border — and with all the growing need, we cannot find conscionable that we are bypassing Congress, that we are sending billions of dollars in wars that all they do is displace more people.”

On the other side of the issue, Ald. Nicholas Sposato (38th Ward) said there should have been a different approach where the City Council would not have been divided.

“No communication with the other side whatsoever,” Sposato said. “This should’ve never gotten to this point that it did. It should’ve been a sit down between Debra (Silverstein) and Rosanna (Rodriguez-Sanchez) and work something out.”