My Lords, Defence in foreign policy has little to do with defence of the realm. There is no threat from a foreign power wishing to invade our country. Billions spent on what is called defence are used to protect or expand political and trade interests around the world. 

This concept of defence includes the arms trade—the manufacture and selling of horrific means of killing to other countries. The UK, the USA, Russia and China are all involved in selling weapons to countries with sometimes deplorable human rights records to fight their neighbours, who are equipped with similar weaponry. Future generations will look at our involvement in this sordid trade with the loathing and contempt that we today reserve for the slave trade. 

The United States, Russia, the UK and China are all members of the so-called Security Council, created to end global conflict. Instead, members of the Security Council are themselves the main perpetrators of conflict and human rights abuse. In industry, such abuse of power for personal gain would result in instant dismissal. 

We toppled Colonel Gaddafi in Libya but left the country in ruins. We used the excuse that Saddam Hussein was manufacturing weapons of mass destruction, knowing it to be false, to attack Iraq, brutally treating the civilian population and causing Sunni Muslims to flee to Syria. Russia, seeking political advantage, cynically came to the aid of the Syrian regime, adding to already horrific suffering. Then there was our failed intervention in Afghanistan. When Theresa May, on a visit to Washington, stated that we must stop trying to be the world’s policeman, the 22 countries that we have not yet got around to invading must have breathed a collective sigh of relief. 

We are all moved by the suffering of the hapless people of Gaza, who are experiencing not only a blockade of food, fuel, water and medicine but bombardments of hospitals and refugee camps by Israel with weapons supplied mainly by the United States and us. Astonishingly, we and the United States, in our refusal to call for a ceasefire, give our tacit approval to Israel in its collective punishment of the people of Gaza for the sins of Hamas. Why? United States President Biden put it succinctly: 

“Israel is an important ally”. 

This dated concept of dividing the world into friend and foe, in a 19th-century game of political chess using smaller nations as expendable pawns, is the root cause of continuing conflict in the world today. Guru Nanak, whose birthday Sikhs celebrate this week, looking at the mainly religious conflicts of his day, taught that groupings that promote hatred and violence are unacceptable and reminded us that we are all members of one human family. 

Recognition of this truth was an idealistic concept 500 years ago. Today, in our smaller, interdependent world, faced with common natural and manmade problems, it is an imperative. To move to peace in our troubled world, we must look beyond factional politics and work together to resolve underlying issues, a theme that was taken up the noble Lord, Lord Stone. We could do it by what Mary Parker Follett, an industrial engineer, described as looking to the ‘law of the situation’. This approach of recognising and addressing common concerns, a common yearning for peace and a freedom to live, work and travel is the direction in which we must go in the Middle East and elsewhere. 

 

In the words of the daily prayer that we say in this House, we must set aside all factional interests and work together for the well-being of our one, somewhat dysfunctional, human family. 

As I begin this week’s Activist Diary, the Los Angeles Times editorial board called for a “Cease-fire now. The killing of civilians in Gaza must stop.” The editorial close states this, “Remaining mindful of America’s mistakes, it is incumbent upon the Biden administration now to avoid complicity with Israel’s.”  

Trump and Netanyahu both share a common thread: using power to escape charges of fraud and criminal punishment. If you haven’t read Ruth Ben-Ghiat’s book, Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present this would be a good time to pick it up.  

Here is an excerpt of Ben-Ghiat’s early analysis from her substack on Netanyahu and the horror we are watching unfold:  

“In December 2022, Netanyahu thought he had won the autocrat’s lottery, having been reelected despite charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust, and a corruption trial ongoing He promptly initiated a ‘judicial reform’ that would limit the Israeli Supreme Court’s authority and clear the way for him to realize the strongman dream: becoming personally untouchable by the law.  

Instead, this authoritarian overreach led to the largest protests in Israeli history – protests that united grassroots activists and elites and included refusals by Army and Air Force personnel to perform military service. But Netanyahu did not back down. Propelled by a desire for self-preservation, and unencumbered by any moral code, strongmen with legal troubles that threaten their power become laser-focused on making those troubles go away for good. Netanyahu fits this model.”  

Ben Ghiat’s full analysis at: https://lucid.substack.com/p/what-will-be-the-destiny-of-netanyahu  

Trump’s promises of retribution if elected, along with Project 2025, a sweeping remake of the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, fit the same mold of making troubles go away with a giant power grab. Loyalists are already being screened and lined up so Trump won’t have gatekeepers the next time around to rein in his worst instincts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_2025  

Unless something changes soon, it looks like in the coming election of 2024 President Biden will be running against himself and third-party candidates as much as he will be running against Trump and the ideologues of the Republican Party, the GOP disrupters and the theocracy of the right with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson at its congressional head.  

Councilmember Harrison attempted to put the Tenants Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) back on the City Council regular meeting agenda for a vote on November 28, 2023. It was pulled from the draft agenda at the Agenda and Rules Committee and moved to the Council’s Land Use Policy Committee an action initiated by Councilmember Wengraf and supported by Councilmember Hahn.  

It is now over three years since TOPA appeared on the Land Use Committee agenda on March 5, 2020 and disappeared from further action after a January 27, 2022 City Council special meeting where discussion was held, 78 people spoke and no action was taken.  

In the piles of documents, I sifted through I found a memo dated March 10, 2020 from Mayor Arreguin to City Council that I can’t attach to any meeting agenda. TOPA gives tenants the first right to purchase the building when it goes up for sale. The Chamber of Commerce, the real estate industry and investors oppose TOPA.  

Whenever I have the choice of attending a City meeting online instead of in-person, I choose online. This week that meant I totally missed the demonstration at the council regular meeting on Tuesday evening calling for a cease-fire. Online all we got was pauses with Council exiting the dais, not the scene in the room.  

Nineteen of twenty speaker cards pulled on non-agenda items were from people calling for a cease-fire. Nearly all the speakers were Palestinian American. One of the few speaking on a cease-fire who was not Palestinian American was Steve Martinot who seemed to confuse the vote on the Fukushima-Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant release of radioactive contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean with the issue at hand.  

As a close observer of City Council, I could not count five (the number needed for a majority vote) who would support a cease-fire. I’m not sure there is any amount of demonstrating or number of Palestinian children’s deaths that would change hardened positions or fear of taking a position, but we try.  

I still recall the uproar in June 2018 when former councilmember Cheryl Davila selected Hatem Bazian as her emergency standby officer. Hatem Bazian is an outspoken advocate for Palestinians and lecturer on Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures and Asian American and Asian Diaspora Studies at UC Berkeley. The City Council finally confirmed Bazian as Davila’s standby officer, but it was months later. The date I found was December 3, 2019 when he was appointed with 21 others.  

Before public comment on the cease-fire and the council meeting abruptly ended with no votes taken on the evening agenda, Ryan Lau and Carissa Lee presented the AC Transit Realign draft of bus route changes and schedules to council. The same presentation to the Transportation and Infrastructure Commission on Thursday evening was so much better with a more robust discussion between the AC Transit presenters and the commissioners and attendees.  

The presentation started with AC Transit At-a-Glance of rider demographics: 65% are low income, 75% are people of color, 29% have limited English proficiency, 27% are traveling to work and there are 30,000 student trips to and from school every school day.  

The transbay bus serves riders who are mostly in the $100,000 to $150,000 income bracket. With remote work the transbay ridership is about 20% of the pre-pandemic level.  

A key limiting factor for providing bus service is bus drivers. Even before the pandemic, the average age of a bus driver was near retirement age.  

While the question was asked if there were any plans for driverless buses, there was no discussion of how much bus drivers earn. An internet search turned up that the average wage starts around $50,000 for fulltime employment with the generous benefit package that could be expected with a union job. As for self-driving/driverless buses, the AC Transit representatives said there were no such plans.  

AC Transit is up to 72% of pre-pandemic levels and looking away from serving commuters to serving those who need bus service the most for daytime trips, evenings and weekends. The proposed realignment drops the transbay route and the Grizzly Peak route. The plan to expand service on Cedar needs to first work through an existing agreement that limits bus service on Cedar.  

Though not discussed, the new BART cars have 50 seats and can hold up to 200 passengers in a “crush” load which makes BART the most efficient mode of transit for longer distance commuters. An eight-car-BART-train under the Bay in one trip can carry up to 1600 riders.  

The AC Transit Realign plan is proposed to be implemented in April. You can find routes, public meeting announcements and directions for feedback at Actransit.org/realign: https://www.actransit.org/realign 

You can also email realign@actransit.org  

The last presentation of the evening at the Transportation and Infrastructure Commission was Bryce Nesbitt’s Informational Briefing on Community-led Traffic Counts. The presentation is promised to be available on the Transportation and Infrastructure Commission webpage, but it is not posted as of this writing and I do not have a copy so I am working from notes and memory. The report was fascinating and should definitely receive much broader distribution and attention.  

The hand traffic counts used the same locations and times of day as a City study done many years earlier. During the intervening years Berkeley’s population increased by 16% and the City has embarked on a bicycle plan to increase ridership. The results of the community count show declining bicycle ridership and increases in pedestrians. Nesbitt said that when a count was repeated by a different person the results were similar, countering questions of counting errors.  

The results of declining ridership mirrored studies from other sources with similar results of declining bicycle ridership, including a national survey that commuting by bicycle was declining before the pandemic.  

This is all very interesting. One commissioner in particular did not seem to want to accept the findings and kept throwing out excuses. Commissioner Rick Raffanti, appointed by Councilmember Harrison, made the most sense, suggesting there should be a deeper look.  

It was a bit of a shock, but not surprising that commissioners committed to expanding bicycle infrastructure weren’t interested in pursuing why ridership is in decline rather than increasing.  

The bicycle plan established in 2017 following a community survey that included asking residents if they were active bike riders, not interested in bicycle riding or not bicycle riders, but interested in bicycle riding as a means of transportation and what conditions would persuade them to change their minds. Safety was a key factor.  

I believe it was Nesbitt who compared the wish of bicycle riding to asking someone if they wanted to go to the gym three times a week. Yes, sounds nice in an answer, but that doesn’t mean someone will go to the gym three times a week, once a week or at all.  

Yet, this city and many others are redesigning infrastructure to support the small percentage of the population that are avid bicycle riders with the belief that all these changes will convince the hesitant possibly interested person to take up bicycle riding to combat climate change.  

Curbs on bicycle lanes are supposed to make the hesitant feel safer. My friends who are regular bicycle riders avoid bicycle lanes with curbs. They see them as dangerous, because they are trapped in the lane with no way out if there is a hazard in front of them.  

Members of bicycling groups and organizations like Walk, Bike Berkeley seem to have an inside track with City staff with regularly scheduled meetings to promote bicycling and bicycling infrastructure. That is what I saw in my public records request on the Hopkins Corridor.  

Nesbitt also included the interesting results from the use of a Telraam device mounted in a 2nd story window on Camelia monitoring traffic speed before and after repaying. Telraan documented what we should know, traffic speeds up after repaving.  

The Telraam sensor is in some ways similar to PurpleAir. Both are available to the public for purchase and to collect data. PurpleAir monitors air quality. Telraam continuously monitors motorized vehicles, cyclists, pedestrians and more according to the company website. https://telraam.net/en/what-is-telraam  

The City Council voted unanimously at the special 4 pm meeting on Tuesday to approve the San Pablo Avenue Multimodal Corridor Program: Safety Enhancements and Parallel Bike Improvement projects using the Supplemental 3 from Councilmembers Taplin, Kesarwani and Humbert which adds to advance traffic calming improvements especially at intersections. https://berkeleyca.gov/city-council-special-meeting-eagenda-november-14-2023  

While the project leaders touted comprehensive community outreach, there were still businesses and nearby residents impacted by the removal of 174 parking spaces and other changes who were unaware of the project. What struck me the most about the entire meeting was how Councilmember Robinson carried on about how many meetings he had attended and how he still wanted to see the bike lanes on San Pablo Avenue at a future date. That left me wondering when there are major regional projects, why don’t councilmembers representing the city at these regional committees give a one-minute update to the rest of the Council and the public.  

The owner of Lavender Bakery and Cafe on the southeast corner of San Pablo at Addison, said he was not notified of the plan and will be losing eight parking spaces near his business. He spoke to the impact this will have on his business especially the loss of parking for loading and unloading.  

It is not clear how many of the 174 parking spaces are lost due to AB 413, which was signed into law on October 10, 2023. AB 413, often referred to as “Daylighting”, prohibits vehicles from parking, standing or stopping within 20 feet of a crosswalk whether marked or unmarked or 15 feet from any crosswalk where a curb extension (bulb-out) is present.  

In the informational briefing to the Transportation and Infrastructure Commission, Hamid Mostowfi, Transportation Division Manager, noted the bill does not require public notification in advance. Meeting the conditions of the law is not debatable or negotiable. The safety zone can be marked by a sign or red paint on the curb. With just a little bit of humor he suggested red paint might be a good investment which got a chuckle as there is going to be a lot of red paint being applied to curbs all over not just Berkeley, but the entire state. 

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB413  

The outcry of opposition from members of the community and especially commissioners from the Commission on Disability and the Commission on Aging to Rigel Robinson’s proposal to allow bicycles on sidewalks was swift and loud. The proposal before the Facilities, Infrastructure, Transportation, Environment and Sustainability Committee (FITES) titled “Modernizing and updating outdated & unnecessary language in the BMC related to transportation” was item 2 on the agenda and yet attendees had to sit through a meeting that started at 2 pm until 3:35 pm to hear Robinson say that he had rewritten the proposal and removed allowing riding bicycles on sidewalks.  

Sitting through the endless discussion, we learned Robinson has little regard for policies. It was an eye-opener when Robinson said he knows he is in violation when he rides his bike through Strawberry Park after council meetings when the park is closed. Councilmember Taplin responded saying that he always rides down Browning after council meetings to Channing the bicycle boulevard. He said he would never ride through the park after closing out of respect for his constituents and the park.  

Attendees had to wait until 4:10 pm to comment. Rena Fischer, Chair of the Commission on Disability, was controlled and blunt that she had just wasted half a day to hear that the contentious item,“bicycles on sidewalks”, had been removed. She stated it was illogical that when people are obviously attending to express their concerns that the attendees could not be notified at the beginning of the meeting.  

Robinson’s proposal was continued and will be listed under unscheduled items.  

I had less patience than most while listening the mother who was given as much time as she wanted at the beginning of the meeting to describe a traffic accident. She started with saying her child died from being hit by a car and then later explained her child didn’t die, but suffered a broken leg from being hit by a car as he ran into the street after his friends on Halloween. It was frightening and traumatic for the parent and child, but the child’s leg will heal according to his mother. He will be fine.  

While listening, I couldn’t stop thinking about how Gaza has turned into a graveyard for children. More than 5,000 are dead. The number of wounded children whose entire families have been killed from the endless bombing has a new acronym, WCNSF: wounded child no surviving family. Some will grow up not knowing their name, their true age, their birthday. They won’t have pictures of their parents and siblings. Where they lived is rubble. There is not enough food and water to feed them. And, this city and our national government, our President can’t call for a cease-fire and an end to this horror. We should hang our heads in shame.  

This letter is in response to that of Raymond Barglow and Pam Montanaro. I have read the Wellstone Club resolution of 10/26/23 to which they refer but was able to find only a draft of the resolution passed by the Alameda County Democratic Central Committee—and quite a number of condemnations of whatever it stated in its final form! However, in neither of the resolutions (insofar as I know) was there any statement about “Israel’s right to exist” pro or con. The Wellstone Club resolution did state that the “root causes” of the October 7^th attack by the al-Qassam Brigades (the military wing of Hamas) and other participating militias include “decades of institutionalized oppression and collective punishment of Palestinians through brutal military occupation and a 16-year Gaza blockade.” If I am understanding correctly, Barglow and Montanaro appear to find this statement unfair or unbalanced and feel that in its failure to be “even-handed” there is an implicit attack on “Israel’s right to exist.” 

What I would like to discuss is the political geography of the territory between the [Jordan] river to the east and the [Mediterranean] sea to the west bounded by Lebanon on the north and Egypt on the south. I’m taking this approach because even something that should be obvious (where is Israel and who lives there?) is fogged by so much misdirection that it actually took me years to figure out. 

The standard approach is to identify three, or possibly four, or maybe five distinct areas: Israel, the West Bank, Gaza, the Golan Heights, and Jerusalem. Technically, the West Bank and Gaza together are recognized under international law as the Occupied Palestinian Territories (and were so treated by the Oslo Accords), and technically the Golan Heights is not recognized as part of Israel except by Israel and the United States (since the Trump administration). Technically, part of Jerusalem (west) is in Israel and part (east) in the West Bank but Israel has considered Jerusalem “unified” since 1967, has expanded the metro area several times over, and also separates it from the West Bank—for Palestinians but not for Jews. 

I will just mention that the West Bank, under the Oslo Accords, is divided into Area A (18%, under Palestinian control), Area B (22%, under Palestinian civil but Israeli military control) and Area C (60%, under Israeli civil and military control). The Palestinians of East Jerusalem are in a special category as residents but not citizens of Israel. 

Maybe it’s also worth mentioning that the only part of Palestine which belongs to the Zionists under international law is the 55% of the territory between the river and the sea granted to them under U.N. Resolution 181 of 1947. What is known to the international community today as “Israel” includes the additional territory conquered in 1948, accepted as such by default (or forgetfulness) after the Suez Crisis of 1956 was resolved with Israel returning the Sinai to Egypt (the first time). What are known as the West Bank, Gaza, and the Golan Heights are the territories captured from Jordan, Egypt (along with the Sinai—again), and Syria respectively during the 1967 war (started by Israel), which, after the Zionists illegally refused to return them, were the cause of the (failed) 1973 surprise attack, the so-called Yom Kippur War. 

And of course, although when the international community says “Israel,” it means ’48 Israel (inside the “green [ceasefire] line”), when Israelis say “Israel” they mean all the territory I have described between the river and the sea. See what I mean? It’s confusing! 

So what is the reality and why is this relevant? Let us think about it in a different and a simpler way—although slightly mind-stretching until you get used to it. Until the Zionist settlement project the territory between the river and the sea was Palestine and its inhabitants were Palestinians. The Zionists took control of this territory in three phases: the U.N. resolution of 1947, the ethnic cleansing and subsequent war of 1947/48, and the war of 1967. In May 1948 they named the land they were in the process of conquering “Israel.” 

So we start by envisioning the physical geography of the territory “between the river and the sea,” which I always like to think of as a small California: a vertical rectangle (with a diagonal slant in the south and no bend in the middle), with mountains/hills to the east whence the water comes and a seacoast on the west, wetter in the north and drier in the south, and a big desert on the other side of the eastern border. 

Now envision a Palestinian population (approximately seven million people) mapped onto that territory and then envision a Jewish population (approximately seven million people) mapped over the Palestinian population mapped onto that territory. According to a recent article in The Economist, the Palestinians now slightly outnumber the Jews. 

Let me state this again, as simply as possible: two populations, more or less equal in size, Palestinian and Jewish, both occupy the territory described above. For Jews, it is all one territory in which they may move freely (except for Gaza from which settlers were removed by PM Sharon in 2005 but who plan to return—soon). 

The Palestinians, on the other hand, are in one of three conditions: (1) in Gaza locked up in “the world’s largest open-air prison” and (pre-10/7) condemned to slow death, (post-10/7) condemned to rapid death; (2) in ’48 Israel, while technically citizens, suffering severe discrimination and mostly confined to ghettoes where unemployment levels are high and crime and gang violence, as you might expect, is rampant; (3) in the West Bank under what I imagine must be the most elaborate and elegant apartheid system ever devised where they are constantly policed, surveilled, interrogated, harassed, imprisoned, killed, etc.  

Here is a second difference between these two populations. Israel is a recognized national state with a (semi-)functional government, a vigorous economy, worldwide trade networks and alliances, world Jewry forming a ceaselessly working lobby on its behalf, 100% backing from the US, an essential niche position in the global military-industrial complex, the world’s fourth strongest army, and nuclear weapons. The Palestinians are stateless, with a collaborationist leadership, and are divided each from each. (Here I will mention the millions of refugees outside of and—illegally—prevented from returning to the territory “between the river and the sea.”) They are also deliberately de-developed, dependent on handouts for survival, and under constant and unrelenting pressure to go away—what I think of as dispossession dunam by dunam, or one home demolition at a time. 

Furthermore, the slightly less than fifty percent of the people “between the river and the sea” who are Jews have national, civil, and human rights. The slightly more than fifty percent of the people “between the river and the sea” who are Palestinian have no rights—national, civil, or human (except partially in ’48 Israel where they can vote). They are not even recognized as human and to the extent possible they are made invisible. Therefore, when supporters chant “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” we must remember that Palestine is already there between the river and the sea. It was there before the Jews were and it remains there. The only thing being demanded which would change the status quo is equal rights. 

Barglow and Montanaro approve of an amendment to the Wellstone Club resolution which failed to be included. It states “the form Israel’s existence takes should respect and protect the civil and political rights of all citizens, including Palestinians and those belonging to other non-Jewish communities.” 

Since that peculiar phrase, “Israel’s right to exist,” seems to be their central issue—I assume as a “Jewish state”—I’m not sure how Israel can “protect the civil and political rights of all citizens.” If the United States defined itself constitutionally as a “nation of white people”—which some Americans would prefer—in what sense would all the Americans who are not white (soon to be the majority) be equal? And if not equal, how could they have or protect “civil and political rights”? It is difficult enough when theoretically we are all equal. 

But “the form Israel’s existence takes” also requires a return to the map. By Israel, do Barglow and Montanaro mean ’48 Israel or do they include the West Bank and East Jerusalem where the Jews who live there are citizens of Israel but Palestinians are not? What about Gaza where at this very moment unimaginably horrific war crimes are being perpetrated by the state of Israel? What about the right of return for Palestinian refugees, many of whom live in unendurable conditions? 

I appreciate the humanity expressed by Barglow and Montanaro as well as their attempt to find a solution. But I think what they recommend is inadequate. J Street, which they mention, supports a two-state solution but that has long been impossible, even if it was once intended sincerely, which is debatable. The other groups, while, I am sure sincere, are Jewish-created and support “peace” without addressing justice, which can only be achieved when Palestinians are free “from the river to the sea.” 

True equality for Palestinians would necessarily entail an end to “the Jewish state.” Since Palestinians (including the returnees) would outnumber Jews by nearly two to one, Jews—those who chose to remain—would constitute a large minority in an Arab state returned to its rightful place in the Arab world. It would mean the formal closure of the last settler colonial project of the European West. It would mean post-Zionism—a state for all its inhabitants—which, other than (a) the Jews gettting rid of all the Palestinians, or (b) the Palestinians getting rid of all the Jews, is the only possible solution to the disaster which Zionism has produced. But at this horrifying moment when the Jews of Israel, cheered on by most Jews (and many others) in the United States, are revealing themselves to be “the evil we deplore,” I can’t imagine any pathway which would get us from here to there. 

I'm writing to highlight the critical need for an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian actions in the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. Recently, Uth Ben-Artzi, the niece of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, voiced a compelling call for an urgent ceasefire and the release of all hostages held by Hamas. Ben-Artzi, a professor of political science at Providence College, joined forces with notable Rhode Island rabbis, Jewish leaders, and Israelis to demand a cessation of hostilities in Gaza. She emphasized that a ceasefire stands as the sole path toward any viable solution. Ben-Artzi astutely elucidated that military actions cannot resolve this conflict and underscored the necessity of a political resolution. She aptly stated, "Finding a political solution is the only way for the roughly 7 million Jews and 7 million Palestinians living between the river and the sea to achieve lasting peace." Hamas has taken a step by agreeing to release 10 hostages in exchange for 10 Palestinians wrongfully incarcerated. However, it is disheartening that Israel has not responded positively to this offer. Additionally, the Biden administration's continued supply of weapons to the region, prioritizing political gains over the safety of innocent civilians, is deeply troubling. The sole viable path forward is an immediate cessation of bombings, the restoration of essential amenities crucial for supporting life, the lifting of the siege on Gaza, and the end of occupation. It is imperative for global leaders to prioritize the lives and well-being of civilians over political gains or military actions. Let us work towards a ceasefire, ensure humanitarian aid reaches those in need, and earnestly pursue a sustainable resolution for peace in the region.

Israel continues its incessant bombing of Gaza and sealing its borders, leaving Gazans with no power, no food, no clean drinking water, no power.  

If Israel slaughters civilians indiscriminately and disproportionately, the Israeli government will be committing abuses on moral par with those of Hamas. Based on the following, you decide:  

On October 7, Hamas evaded Israel's security and indiscriminately killed 1,200 mostly civilians and kidnapped about 240 civilians.  

In response, according to a Geneva-based human rights organization, the amount of munitions dropped by Israel on the Gaza Strip since Oct. 7 was about the equivalent to two of the nuclear bombs dropped on Japan by the United States at the end of World War II. Israel has admitted to bombing over 12,000 targets in the Gaza Strip.  

The bombing and ground offensive has claimed more than 11,000 Palestinian lives in Gaza, including at least 4,630 children, and wounding at least 27,490, forcing about 1.7 million of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents to flee their homes. As of November 10, half of Gaza’s homes - 222,000 residential units - have been damaged with more than 40,000 completely destroyed. While most of the destruction has been centered in northern Gaza, but also in its south, which Israel had declared safe.  

The International Committee of the Red Cross said that the health system in the Gaza Strip has collapsed. “The health care in Gaza has reached a point of no return, risking the lives of thousands of wounded, sick and displaced people,” the ICRC said.  

On November 15, 2023, The U.N. Security Council approved a resolution calling for “urgent and extended humanitarian pauses and corridors throughout the Gaza Strip” after four failed attempts to respond to theIsraeli-Hamas War. The vote was 12-0 with the United States, United Kingdom and Russia abstaining.  

A person's mind may not right itself following a period of disorganization, unless you use deliberate effort. For example, in my past I had psychotic episodes, and following reinstatement of medication, I wasn't well right away--it took a while, and it took some doing. I needed to draw on memory as a model for how my mind was supposed to work. Also, I have learned self-observation.  

Recovery from an episode of severe psychosis can take years, following the point that medication is introduced or reintroduced. If you go off medication against medical advice on a repeat basis, you are very likely doing harm to your brain. This can take the shape of having less capabilities, having fewer or less adept faculties, or it can look like residual confusion and noise from the mind. Again, it can take years to fully come back from a psychotic relapse. 

In the two or three relapses I had, I'd wind up in the hospital, and wake up on my second or third day there, and I'd think "Here I am once again, and this is starting over, from scratch." Upon meds reinstituted and basic sanity restored, there was a long road that followed. 

Instead of getting ill, we must prevent a psychotic episode. And this may involve more than just medication compliance. 

Maintenance of precious mental stability is a supremely valuable endeavor and necessary. Sometimes you must learn how to guide your mind into a good zone. Sometimes the waters are choppy, and you need to keep your little boat upright, and not capsizing. I have learned to consciously navigate. 

To stay safe and sane, you must acknowledge you aren't superhuman. If you are a nicotine addict, you can't combine withdrawing from that drug alongside too many other forms of difficulty. To quit nicotine successfully, things in your life should be stable and your mind should be stable. 

As I'm writing this, I'm using nicotine replacement therapy. I have no choice. My building doesn't allow indoor smoke, and it is too dangerous to step outside at this hour. Thus, I'm very glad to have found a nicotine patch that I could wear. Many substances have profound effects on the brain and mind. And this can affect a person's mental stability. 

Basic ignorance of human vulnerability, or thinking you're tough, doesn't make you strong. Everyone has some soft areas. 

But today I'm bringing up at least three issues: Medication compliance; dealing with substance abuse; navigating to remain stabilized. The three issues are often interwoven. 

Navigating is a broad term, and you must include context for it to mean anything. I'm speaking of keeping track of what the mind is doing, redirecting thoughts and other content, and third; using specific pain-relief cognitive methods that work imperfectly to reduce mental suffering. 

Keeping track of what the mind is doing: Are you going deeply into thought? If so, what would this look like to an outside observer? And how can we change the state of deep thought? Do we want to change it? 

As a psychotic person, sometimes deep thought is the enemy and sometimes it isn't. To get out of deep thought, sometimes a physical activity can work to help the mind shift gears. You could get on your phone and text back and forth with someone you know, and that activity might be enough to bring you out of deep psychotic (or other) thought. You could watch television. You could speak to a person. You could interact with your pet cat or dog. 

I'm not the enemy of intellect. Yet thinking deeply isn't the only thing we can do with our time and energy. Getting too heavily into thoughts can become a hotbed for developing delusional systems. 

Navigating out of thought mode can be as simple as eating some potato chips. But I really favor potato salad, and you can buy a tub of it at Safeway--and it isn't really that bad for you. If you want to be a purist, you can boil some red potatoes and eat them after they cool off, with nothing on them. I've done that too. 

 

Jack Bragen lives and writes in Martinez, California. 

Worth Noting:

There are only four (November 21, 28, December 5, 12) more scheduled City Council meetings before Winter Recess - December 13, 2023 – January 15, 2024

The City Thanksgiving Holiday includes both Thanksgiving Day and Friday. There are no City meetings after City Council finishes the special rescheduled meeting on Tuesday morning.

• Sunday: At 7:30 am is the Berkeley Half Marathon, check for street closures
• Monday:
  • At 2 pm the Civic Arts Grants subcommittee meets online.
  • At 2:30 the Agenda Committee meets in the Hybrid format.
  • At 4:30 pm City Council meets in closed session in the hybrid format.
  • At 7 pm the Commission on Labor meets in person.
• Tuesday: At 9 AM the City Council holds a special meeting in the hybrid format taking up the agenda from the November 14, 2023. The November 14 meeting quit abruptly in response to a demonstration in the BUSD Boardroom.

The November 28 City Council meeting agenda is posted and available for comment.

Check the City website for late announcements and meetings posted on short notice at: https://berkeleyca.gov/

Directions with links to ZOOM support for activating Closed Captioning and Save Transcript are at the bottom of this calendar.



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BERKELEY PUBLIC MEETINGS AND CIVIC EVENTS 

 

Sunday, November 19, 2023  

 

BERKELEY HALF MARATHON at 7:30 am 

Check for street closures (some start at 3 pm November 18) and bus route changes 

https://berkeleyca.gov/community-recreation/news/berkeley-half-marathon-nov-19-street-closures-bus-route-info 

 

Monday, November 20, 2023 

 

AGENDA AND RULES COMMITTEE Meeting at 2:30 pm 

Hybrid Meeting 

In-Person: at 2180 Milvia, 6th Floor – Redwood Room 

Videoconference: https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1618450732 

Teleconference: 1-669-254-5252 or 1-833-568-8864 (Toll Free)  

Meeting ID: 161 845 0732  

AGENDA: Public Comment on non-agenda and items 1 – 7. 1. Minutes, 2. Review and Approve City Council 12/5/2023 -- draft agenda – use link or read full draft agenda below at the end of the list of city meetings, 3. Berkeley Considers, 4. Adjournment in Memory, 5. Council Workssessions, 6. Referrals for scheduling, 7. Land Use Calendar, Referred Items for Review Referred Items for Review: 8. Discussion and Possible Action on City Council Rules of Decorum and Remote Public Comments, 9. Harrison, co-sponsor Bartlett - Amend BMC 3.78 to expand eligibility requirements for Representatives of The Poor to Serve on The Human Welfare and Community Action Commission, 10. City Council Legislative Systems Redesign, 11. Modifications or Improvements to City Council Meeting Procedures 12. Strengthening and Supporting City Commission: Guidance on Development of Legislative Proposals, 13. Discussion and Recommendations on use of Berkeley Considers 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/council-committees/policy-committee-agenda-rules 

 

CITY COUNCIL Closed Session at 4:30 pm 

A Hybrid Meeting 

In-Person: at 1231 Addison St. in the School District Board Room 

Videoconference: https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1606038125 

Teleconference: 1-669-254-5252 or 1-833-568-8864 (toll free)  

Meeting ID: 160 603 8125 

AGENDA: 1.a. Performance Evaluation of the City Attorney 

https://berkeleyca.gov/city-council-closed-meeting-eagenda-november-20-2023 

 

CIVIC ARTS COMMISSION Grants Subcommittee at 2 pm 

Videoconference: https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1611050243 

AGENDA: No agenda posted 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/civic-arts-commission 

 

COMMISSION on LABOR at 7 pm 

In-Person: At 2939 Ellis, South Berkeley Senior Center 

AGENDA: 2. Fair Workweek Ordinance Implementation updates, 3. Community Agency RFP FY 2025-2028 application review 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/boards-commissions/commission-labor 

 

Tuesday, November 21, 2023 

 

CITY COUNCIL Special Meeting at 9 am 

A Hybrid Meeting 

In-Person: at 1231 Addison St. in the School District Board Room 

Videoconference: https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1618247322 

Teleconference: 1-669-254-5252 or 1-833-568-8864 (toll free)  

Meeting ID: 161 824 7322 

AGENDA: The November 14, 2023 City Council meeting ended abruptly at 8:48 pm with a motion to reschedule the meeting to November 21, 2023. Use the link and choose the html option or see the agenda listed at the end of the calendar. There are no consent or action agenda item changes from the agenda published for the November 14, 2023 meeting. 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/city-council-agendas 

 

Wednesday, November 22, 2023 – no city meetings or events found 

60th Anniversary of the Assassination of President John. F. Kennedy 

 

Thursday, November 23, 2023 - THANKSGIVING 

Friday, November 24, 2023 – Thanksgiving Holiday 

Saturday, November 25, 2023 – no city meetings or events found 

Sunday, November 26, 2023 – no city meetings or events found 

 

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AGENDA AND RULES COMMITTEE Meeting at 2:30 pm 

DRAFT AGENDA City Council December 5, 2023 Regular Meeting  

Hybrid Meeting 

In-Person: at 2180 Milvia, 6th Floor – Redwood Room 

Videoconference: https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1618450732 

Teleconference: 1-669-254-5252 or 1-833-568-8864 (Toll Free)  

Meeting ID: 161 845 0732  

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/council-committees/policy-committee-agenda-rules 

 

AGENDA on CONSENT: 

1. Oyekanmi, Finance – Formal Bid Solicitations $600,000
2. Oyekanmi, Finance – Amend Contract No. 32000060 with Toshiba for Multi-function Devices through 2025
3. Sprague, Fire – Piggyback on Contract No. 10089896-22-W for $272,029 through 12/18/2023 - 9/30/2028 with Intterra for Operations, Pre-Planning, Reporting and Analytics with option to extend for 5 additional years at additional cost not to exceed $300,000
4. Fong, IT – Amend Contract 32000281 add $825,811 total $1,718,633 with ConvergeOne for Avaya Telephone System Administration Maintenance and Support 7/1/2020 – 6/30/2025
5. Fong, IT – Amend Contract No, 32000008 (1102) add $115,300 total $322,946 with Granicus, Inc for live video streaming services, for on-demand archival video, podcasting, and web page subscription services 7/1/2017 – 6/30/2025
6. Ferris, Parks – Grant Contract accept $750,000 from Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the MLK Youth Services Center Seismic Upgrade Project
7. Ferris, Parks – Accept cash donation of $5,000 from Friends of the Berkeley Rose Garden to purchase roses and maintenance yard fence screening for Berkeley Rose Garden
8. Arreguin – 13th Annual Martin Luther King Jr Celebration
9. Harrison – Budget Referral $273,342 to the November 2023 AAO #1 to Pre-fund the Resiliant (Green) Buildings Program Manager on Permanent Basis
10. Harrison – Resolution: Opposition to Police Brutality and Use of Force on Nonviolent Protesters

AGENDA on ACTION: 

11. Arredondo, CM Office - Reimagining Public Safety Status Report
12. Taplin – Renaming Berkeley Municipal Pier as Nancy Skinner Municipal Pier

 

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AGENDA for November 21, 2023 CITY COUNCIL Special Meeting at 9 am 

The November 14, 2023 City Council meeting ended abruptly with a motion to reschedule the meeting to November 21, 2023 

A Hybrid Meeting 

In-Person: at 1231 Addison St. in the School District Board Room 

Videoconference: https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1618247322 

Teleconference: 1-669-254-5252 or 1-833-568-8864 (toll free)  

Meeting ID: 161 824 7322 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/city-council-agendas 

 

AGENDA on CONSENT: 

1. Amend Contract No. 090741-1 add $370,000 total $750,000 thru 12/31/2025 with Foster and Foster Actuaries and Consultants (formerly Bartel Associates, LLC) for Actuarial Consulting Services
2. Hollander, Economic Development – Expansion of the Elmwood BID (Business Improvement District) for calendar year 2025
3. Oyekanmi, Finance – Formal bid solicitations $2,453,813 includes $200,000 for Children’s Story Time Renovation, $816,813 for Parker-Addison Mobility and safety Improvements Project, $400,000 for Berkeley Emergency Communication Center Dispatch Modernization, $325,000 for Food for Summer Lunch Program, $80,000 for Hardscape Repair and Preplacement (Marina), $632,000 for Land Use Planning Consultant
4. Warhuus, HHCS – Amend Contract No. 31900284 add $290,000 total $6,549,173 with Dorothy Day House to fund inclement Weather Shelter Program
5. Garland, Public Works - Contract $125,000 with Mercury Associates, Inc for Fleet Replacement/Maintenance Study and Consulting Services 12/1/2023 – 12/30/2026
6. Garland, Public Works – Purchase Order $335,000 Western Truck Parts and Equipment for One Roll Off Truck
7. Garland, Public Works – Amend multi-year Purchase Order add $400,000 total $11,894,000 with Diesel Direct West, Inc for Fuel for City Vehicles and Equipment for City vehicles and emergency equipment (including generators) increasing the combined amount thru 2/28/2024

Council Consent Items: 

8. Taplin, co-sponsors Hahn, Harrison – Budget referral $7,000 Berkeley Junior Jackets Facilities Expenses
9. Wengraf, co-sponsor Arreguin – Resolution authorizing City of Berkeley to enter into MOU with Alameda and Contra Costa Counties to form a Wildfire Prevention Coordinating Group (WPCG) to improve regionwide collaboration to reduce wildfire risk

AGENDA on ACTION: 

10. Hollander, Economic Development – Renewal Elmwood BID for calendar year 2024
11. Hollander, Economic Development – Renewal Solano BID for calendar year 2024
12. Fair Campaign Practices Commission – Amend BMC Chapter 2.12 Berkeley Election Reform Act (BERA) to ensure cost of living adjustments and committee reporting thresholds
13. Klein, Planning and Development – Amendments to BMC Title 23, the Zoning Map, General Plan Land Use Diagram, and the General Plan relating to the Southside Zoning Implementation Program of the 2023-2031 Housing element Update to increase residential development in the Southside Plan area

INFORMATION REPORTS: 

14. Warhuus, HHCS - Measure O Bond Impacts on Affordable Housing Development in Berkeley
15. Klein - LPO NOD: 60 Panoramic Way #LMIN2023-001
16. Klein - LPO NOD: 803 Delaware, LMSAP2023-0002
17. Klein - LPO NOD: 1960 San Antonio/645 Arlington LMSAP2022-0005
18. Klein - LPO NOD: 2113-2115 Kittredge LMSAP2022-0011
19. Planning Commission Fiscal Year 2023-24 Work Plan

 

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AGENDA for November 28, 2023 CITY COUNCIL Regular Meeting at 6 pm 

A Hybrid Meeting 

In-Person: at 1231 Addison St. in the School District Board Room 

Videoconference: https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1619253897 

Teleconference: 1-669-254-5252 or 1-833-568-8864 (toll free)  

Meeting ID: 161 925 3897 

https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/city-council-agendas 

 

AGENDA on CONSENT: 

1. 2023 Conflict of Interest Code Update
2. 2023 Annual Commission Attendance and Meeting Report
3. Environment and Climate Commission – Appointment of New Youth Members
4. Radu, City Manager – Amend Contract R9704 with City of Albany, Albany will pay Berkeley $291,019 total $945,512 for Animal Services FY 2024 – FY2026
5. Radu – Contract $60,750 with Echo Cartagena DVM to provide on-site veterinary services January 2024 – June 2024
6. Oyekanmi, Finance – Formal Bid Solicitations $6,880,000, $880,000 for Sacramento Street Pedestrian Safety Project Oregon to Fairview, $6,000,000 Berkeley Marin a Dredging Project using State Coastal Conservancy Grant Fund
7. Warhuus, HHCS – Revenue Grant Agreement $673,179 to provide public health nursing services 7/1/2023 – 6/30/2026
8. Warhuus, HHCS – Lease of 830 University to Berkeley Free Clinic
9. Louis, Police – Amend Contract 32300062 add $50,000 total $200,000 with Moreland Investigations for background checks, 11/3/2022 – 11/2/2027
10. Louis, Police - Amend Contract 32200152 add $150,000 total $200,000 with Cindy K. Hull & Associates Forensic Consulting Services, LLC

Council Consent Items: 

11. Arreguin – Appoint Tracy Matthews to the Berkeley Housing Authority for 2-year term
12. Arreguin, co-sponsor Harrison – Civic Arts Referral for Memorial Wall to Councilmember Dona Spring and budget referral $162,000
13. Arreguin – Accept grant funding $75,000 from San Francisco Foundation and amend Contract 32200161 with Creative Development Partners to extend consulting work associated with Equitable Black Berkeley Initiative total contract $200,000
14. Taplin – Designating Open Space Adjacent to the Ninth Street Greenway between Heinz and Berkeley-Emeryville border as a Linear City Park pursuant to BMC 6.42
15. Bartlett – Expenditure of Funds - Healthy Black Families 10th Anniversary
16. Harrison – Refer to City Manager to Enhance the City’s Deconstruction and Construction Materials Management Enforcement and Regulations and Refer to AAO#1 Budget Process $250,000 for Social Cost of Carbon Nexus Fee Study for Berkeley Origin Construction and Demolition Debris

AGENDA: on ACTION: 

17. LaTanya Bellow, Public Works – Street Rehabilitation Five Year Plan for 2024 – 2028

INFORMATION REPORTS: 

18. Warhuus, HHCS – Healthy Checkout Ordinance Update

 

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LAND USE CALENDAR PUBLIC HEARINGS: 

• 2924 Russell 2/27/2024
• 1960 San Antonio 645 Arlington Avenue 2/13/2024
• 3000 Shattuck Avenue (Construct 10-story mixed-use building) – TBD

WORK SESSIONS & SPECIAL MEETINGS: 

• December 5, 2023 – Re-Imagining Public Safety Update and Ceasefire– (to be the only action item of the evening, Wengraf and Arreguin will be absent on December 5)
• January 23, 2024 Draft Waterfront Specific Plan (tentative – rescheduled from November 2, 2023)
• February 6, 2024 – Office of Economic Development (OED) Dashboards Presentation

UNSCHEDULED WORK SESSIONS & SPECIAL MEETINGS 

• Fire Department Standards of Coverage & Community Risk Assessment
• Dispatch Needs Assessment Presentation
• Presentation on Homelessness/Re-Housing/Thousand-Person Plan

PAST MEETINGS with reports worth reading: 

• May 16 - Fire Facilities Study Report, Wildfire Prevention Plan https://berkeleyca.gov/city-council-special-meeting-eagenda-may-16-2023-6-pm
• June 20 (WS) - Climate Action Plan & Resilience Update, Berkeley Economic Dashboards Update reports available https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/city-council-agendas/city-council-2023-06-20

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Kelly Hammargren’s summary on what happened the preceding week is posted on the What Happened page at: https://www.sustainableberkeleycoalition.com/what-happened.html and in the Berkeley Daily Planet https://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/ 

 

The Activist’s Calendar of meetings is posted on the What’s Ahead page at: https://www.sustainableberkeleycoalition.com/whats-ahead.html 

 

If you would like to receive the Activist’s Calendar as soon as it is completed send an email to: kellyhammargren@gmail.com.If you want to receive the Activist’s Diary send an email to kellyhammargren@gmail.com. If you wish to stop receiving the weekly calendar of city meetings please forward the email you received to- kellyhammargren@gmail.com -with the request to be removed from the email list. 

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For Online Public Meetings 

CLOSED CAPTIONING, SAVE TRANSCRIPT OVERVIEW, DIRECTIONS and ZOOM SUPPORT LINKS:
.
ZOOM has as part of the program -(for no extra cost)- Closed Captioning (CC). It turns computer voice recognition into a text transcript. Closed Captioning and show full transcript and the save option are only available when the person setting up the ZOOM meeting has activated these options. If you don’t see CC ask for it. If it can’t be activated for the current meeting ask for it for future meetings. 

 

The accuracy of the Closed Captioning is affected by background noise and other factors, The CC and transcript will not be perfect, but most of the time reading through it the few odd words, can be deciphered--for example "Shattuck" was transcribed as Shadow in one recent transcript. 

 

For the online attendee, the full transcript is only available from the time the attendee activates Show Full Transcript. But if you sit through a meeting and then remember 10 minutes before it is over to click on Show Full Transcript you will only get the last 10 minutes, not the full transcript – So click often on both Save Transcript and on Save to Folder during the meeting for best results. 

 

When you click on Show Full Transcript it will allow you to scroll up and down, so if want to go back and see what was said earlier you can do that during the meeting while the transcript is running. 

 

At the bottom of the transcript when we as attendees are allowed to save there will be a button for, "Save Transcript," you can click on the button repeatedly throughout the meeting and it will just overwrite and update the full transcript. Clicking on the Save Transcript repeatedly as the meeting is coming to an end is important because once the host ends the meeting, the transcript is gone if you didn't save it. 

 

Near the end of the meeting, after you click on "Save Transcript," click on "Save to Folder." The meeting transcript will show up (as a download to your desktop) in a separate box as a text file. (These text files are not large.) After you have done your last Save Transcript and Save to Folder (after the meeting is over) you can rename the new transcript folder on your computer, and save it (re-read or send or share it). 

 

Remember, allowing us attendees to save the meeting transcript does not require the public meeting host to save the transcript (for public record.) 

 

Here is the link to ZOOM Support for how to set up Closed Captioning for a meeting or webinar:
https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/8158738379917#h_01GHWATNVPW5FR304S2SVGXN2X 

 

Here is the link to ZOOM Support for attendees in how to save Closed Captions: 

https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/360060958752-Using-save-captions#h_01F5XW3BGWJAKJFWCHPPZGBD70 

 

How to convert a YouTube video into a transcript 

 

Copy the YouTube url into the box with “enter a youtube url” and click on go https://youtubetranscript.com/ 

The transcript (not perfect, but very close) will appear instantaneously