Palestine campaigner to address Council

Palestinian human rights campaigner, Omar Barghouti has been invited to address the Governance and Strategic Planning committee of Derry City and Strabane District Council.

Mr Barghouti is the Founder of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which promotes boycotts, divestments and economic sanctions against Israel. 

The objective of the BDS campaign is to pressure Israel to withdraw from the occupied territories, remove the separation barrier in the West Bank, and full equality for Arab-Palestine citizens of Israel. It also calls for the “respecting, protecting and promoting of the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties”.

Mr Barghouti’s presentation to Council, which will be followed by a question and answer session, will take place online at 4.00pm on Tuesday, January 2024. Supporters can view it in the public gallery of the Guildhall. It follows a motion to Council brought by Councillor Shaun Harkin (People Before Profit).

He is also delivering the annual Bloody Sunday Lecture in Cultúrlann Uí Chanaín on Friday, January 26, at 8.00pm. 

Speaking to Derry News, Cllr Harkin said he had proposed Council's invitation to Omar Barghouti back in July 2023

He added: “My motion was passed well before October 7. It was in response to the  British Government's attempt to ban and criminalise Palestine solidarity. 

“It is now clear to the world, Israel's slaughter in Gaza, backed and financed by the US Government, is premised on ethnic cleansing and removal of Palestinians from all of Gaza and the West Bank.”

Cllr Harkin was referring to Tory Government legislation going through Westminster, aimed at preventing local authorities from implementing boycotts of Israel. 

Addressing the issue in July he said: "The controversial legislation known as the Economic Activity of Public Bodies Overseas Bill would make it illegal for councils, universities and public bodies to implement their own policy in regards to solidarity boycotts."

“Derry City and Strabane District Council has been sent notification of the British government's intent to move this legislation forward. 

“The Council has had a policy of supporting boycotting Israel since September 2016, with the position reaffirmed on a number of occasions since then. 

"The new Tory Bill would criminalise the position overwhelmingly supported in Council. This is an outrageous piece of legislation. I am proud to serve on a Council with a clear Anti-Apartheid position. 

"Derry leads the way in the fight for Civil Rights. The Tory Government will not take away our right to show solidarity with oppressed people. They won't criminalise Palestine solidarity. They won't criminalise our Council." 

Critics of the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement have claimed that it is anti-semitic.

Cllr Harkin refuted these claims, saying: "Thirty-nine Jewish groups from across the world have signed up to the BDS campaign. This includes Israeli Human Rights organisations. 

"BDS is a peaceful movement, one which is inspired by the boycott of Apartheid South Africa. 

"BDS is an anti-racist, worldwide movement to give voice to the oppressed and bring about peaceful change in Israel and Palestine. The Tories want to ban BDS because it is growing. 

"The truth about Israel's daily war crimes against the Palestinian people and the complicity of the British, US and EU governments can't and won't be contained."

Cllr Harkin’s motion stated: “Council opposes the attempt by the British government to impose its distorted foreign policy objectives on local government. 

“Council notes the hypocritical boycott exemption for Russia and Belarus. 

“Council will invite Omar Barghouti, human rights activist and founding member of the Palestinian Civil Society Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against apartheid Israel for a presentation.”