CLEVELAND —  Public comment sessions in recent Cuyahoga County Council meetings have been flooded with pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli residents — sometimes lasting over three hours.

On Tuesday, the body voted to temporarily change those rules, limiting public comment to 20 speakers per meeting for the remainder of July.

Council also introduced legislation to make the new rules permanent, but that wasn’t up for a vote this week.

“So, what I would ask if that you all explain to us what is the content of this resolution,” said Sean Abott-Klafter, a pro-Palestinian commenter. “Because perhaps I’m way off base, but it’s certainly interpreted as a way to limit or restrict public comment, or limit or restrict speech from your constituents that you all don’t want to hear.”

Before this meeting, the county council did not limit how many residents could speak for public comment — allowing anyone who signed up to take their three minutes at the podium.

The decision to change the rules comes after several weeks of hours-long public comment sections, filled with residents speaking in support of and against county investments in Israel Bonds..