Arcata City Council Unanimously Demands End to U.S.-Israeli War Against Iran

Every member of the Arcata City Council voted Wednesday night to adopt Resolution No. 256-50, a municipal statement condemning U.S. and Israeli strikes launched on Feb. 28, 2026, and demanding an "immediate end to the United States-Israeli war against Iran."

The unanimous vote, taken at the council's March 18 meeting, directs the city to send copies of the resolution to California's congressional representatives as well as to Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, and Pete Hegseth. The resolution asks that the U.S. end the attacks, stop supplying weapons to Israel, that Congress invoke the War Powers Act, and that normal diplomatic negotiations resume immediately with Iran.

Councilmembers Sarah Schaefer and Meredith Matthews sought to add the item to the agenda, according to City Manager Merritt Perry. Former Arcata Mayor and longtime peace activist Dave Meserve, who was identified in council chambers as one of the people who brought a draft resolution to the council, spoke in favor of the measure. Aileen Mandelbaum, a member of Mobilize Arcata, a new local Indivisible group, also spoke in support and directly addressed accusations of antisemitism directed at the resolution's backers, calling that accusation "a false argument of convenience put forward by those who want to intimidate us from defending our bedrock constitutional rights."

Not everyone in the public record supported the measure. A written email from Tamar Krigel characterized the item as a "one-sided resolution" that would "amplify the perspective of a vocal minority that has consistently demonstrated hostility toward another group."

The resolution argues the conflict carries "a high risk of these attacks expanding into a prolonged and broader regional conflict with no clear exit strategy" and notes the war is costing the U.S. about $1 billion each day, "diverting taxpayer dollars from critical domestic needs, including housing, food, infrastructure, health care and education." The resolution's language was shaped in part, according to proponents, by sustained community advocacy aimed at crafting a statement centered on peace, healing, and unity.

The staff report accompanying the resolution acknowledged the limits of local authority directly: "The City recognizes that this resolution is outside of the City of Arcata's direct jurisdiction and is outside of the normal purview. In light of that, the elected officials are using the platform provided by their office to advocate for measures that minimize violence and promote peace."

The effort to draft the resolution drew on community input over several weeks, with the conflict having started roughly two weeks before the Lost Coast Outpost first previewed the council consideration on March 13. Councilmember Meredith Matthews did not immediately respond to a request for comment ahead of the vote.