Council chamber split over Gaza refugee rights

DESPITE a split among members of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, a proposal to support a neighbouring council’s motion on refugee rights for those fleeing Gaza has passed comfortably.

Correspondence from Derry and Strabane District Council in relation to a motion calling for the British and Irish Government to take immediate action around the situation in Gaza, ensuring Palestinians have the same refugee rights as in all conflicts, and facilitating settlement in Ireland, saw Sinn Féin councillor Dermott Browne “very in favour of the sentiment”.

Pointing to a number of conflicts in the world, at present, he said, “A lot of populations are being displaced and it’s not lost on people that there is a difference in treatment, not least between the conflict in Gaza and the conflict in Ukraine.

“Palestinians that have managed to escape Gaza do not have the same protective status as other refugees, such as Ukrainians.

“There should be an equality of treatment for people fleeing war, and the European Union should immediately pass every protection directed for Palestinian refugees.”

He further claimed, “However, given the British Government are actively supporting Israel’s genocide in Gaza, I would not expect them to treat Palestinian refugees with any dignity whatsoever.

“It’s abundantly clear the British Government do not view Palestinians as human beings at all.”

‘FULL SUPPORT’

Cllr Browne proposed writing back to Derry City and Strabane District Council outlining “our full support of their motion”.

However, UUP councillor Robert Irvine said, “I can’t align myself with some of Cllr Browne’s comments, particularly his description about the UK government’s treatment or assessment of people in Gaza.

“There are two sides to every conflict, and what happened to the Israeli citizens – men, women and children – who were slaughtered by Hamas, has been over overshadowed by their reaction to the inhabitants in Gaza as they proceed with a military campaign to sort out the Hamas terrorist murderers.

“That’s what they are, and we have to realise that with a dispassionate, objective view, going forward.”

This was supported by the DUP’s Errol Thompson, who added, “We can discuss this back and forward, but there are issues which really started this in recent times, and it was Hamas.”

Sinn Féin’s Stephen McCann said, “It’s not conflict when people are displaced from their homes with nowhere to go, being relentlessly bombed and shot at.

“Murdered while retrieving food. That’s not conflict – that’s ethnic cleansing and genocide, pure and simple,” he claimed.

‘UNACCEPTABLE’

Independent councillor, Josephine Deehan, welcomed the sentiment of the motion, telling members, “Yes, there are two sides to every story of who is the aggressor, but certainly the situation in Gaza at the moment is totally unacceptable, including the number of people who have been killed, injured and displaced.”

Cllr Patrick Withers, of Sinn Féin, said, “There are indeed two sides to this conflict, the oppressed and the oppressor, and, in this case, the oppressor is Israel.”

The proposal went to a vote, which passed 23 to 12.