Council to request removal of Israeli flags

FERMANAGH and Omagh District Council is set to write to the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) and the PSNI, requesting the removal of Israeli flags that have been displayed on Hospital Road in Omagh.

The decision follows multiple complaints from local residents, who have expressed concerns that the flags are causing division and distress in the community.

At the council’s monthly meeting on Tuesday evening, Cllr Stephen Donnelly stated that he has received correspondence from numerous residents who live on the road.

He highlighted how one email emphasised the negative impact on local families, noting that the flags deepen tensions and create a sense of disharmony.

“If this issue is not looked at, it will only cause further tension,” Cllr Donnelly added.

Calling for action, Cllr Donnelly urged the council to engage with DfI and the PSNI to address the issue before tensions escalate.

Cllr Josephine Deehan echoed these concerns, saying that flags, when used inappropriately, can contribute to division and unrest within communities.

“It’s our responsibility to make sure harmony is preserved in the community,” she stated. “Flags that cause distress need to be removed, as does offensive graffiti.”

Cllr Barry McElduff also voiced his support, acknowledging the sensitivity of the situation due to the ongoing violence in the Middle East.

“Israeli flags on the Hospital Road are annoying people because of what they are seeing on their televisions day in, day out – particularly children being killed,” he said.

Cllr McElduff stressed the importance of open dialogue to address the broader issue of how flags are used to mark territory and provoke division.