THE DIAMOND EXCHANGE Center area in Ramat Gan, Israel (Wikipedia).

Yet another controversial issue comes before the Huntington Beach City Council when it meets on Tuesday: whether to start a  “Twin City” relationship with Ramat Gan in Israel while the war between that nation and Hamas militants continues.

On Sept. 17, the council voted along familiar 4-3 lines – with Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark, Vice Mayor Pat Burns and Councilmembers Tony Strickland and Casey McKeon in the majority – to move forward with plans to “consolidate the friendship” between the two cities.

Ramat Gan (Garden Height) is a city of about 172,000 people in the Tel Aviv District of Israel. It was established as a communal farming settlement in 1921. Today is it best-known for the Diamond Exchange Center, featuring many skyscrapers and high-tech businesses. It’s also the  home of the embassies of Ghana, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Eritrea, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands and the European Economic Community.

The proposal is controversial because the ever-spreading war in the Middle East has resulted in mounting casualties  – most of them civilians – and has not yet resulted in the release of all the Israeli captives still held by Hamas since it began the current conflict on Oct. 7, 2023.

Picking an Israeli city for a “twin” at this moment seems to some observers as picking sides and endorsing policies they feel have victimized Palestinians. Supporters of Israel’s military actions say that nation is defending itself against a wide variety of attackers.

The council will meet in closed session at 4:30 p.m. and in regular session at 6 p.m. in its chambers at 2000 Main St.