Shouting halts Derry council meeting

Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council Patricia Logue (Sinn Féin) this evening halted January's Plenary Council meeting due to shouting from the public gallery.

The shouting occurred following the defeat of a motion calling on politicians from Ireland to boycott any St Patrick's Day celebrations in the White House. 

Council discussing St Patrick’s Day White House boycott

US support for Israel’s actions in Gaza prompts boycott call

The motion had been proposed by Cllr Shaun Harkin (People Before Profit). It fell when the 18 Sinn Féin councillors on Council and three Unionists voted against it. 14 councillors - SDLP, People Before Profit and Independents - voted in favour of the motion and there were three abstentions.

The full text of Cllr Harkin's motion read: "Council agrees apartheid Israel is engaged in a genocide in Gaza. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed, including over 10,000 children. Many more have been seriously injured and traumatised, almost 2 million people are displaced and face a catastrophic humanitarian crisis with famine conditions.

"Council reiterates its disgust at the level of collective suffering inflicted on the people of Gaza and commends the mass movement that has erupted across Ireland against the violence in recent months.

"Council reaffirms its support for a ceasefire; for the BDS campaign; for expulsion of Israeli Ambassadors from Britain and Ireland; for Israel to be held accountable by international bodies for war crimes and genocide; and for Palestinian self-determination.

"Council agrees Israel's murderous campaign of collective punishment is highly dependent on the military, financial and political support of Joe Biden and the US government in particular.

"Council agrees the Biden Administration has immorally opposed calls for a humanitarian ceasefire, systematically repeated Israeli war propaganda and that Biden has personally bypassed Congress to transfer arms to Israel during the genocidal war that will cause widespread death and suffering in Gaza.

"Council will write to the Irish Taoiseach and all political parties North and South in Ireland calling on them not to attend St Patrick’s Day celebrations in the White House, nor to meet with President Joe Biden or any representative of his administration as part of the St Patrick’s Day events. 

"Council will write to Claire Cronin, US Ambassador to Ireland, British Foreign Secretary, David Cameron and Joseph Borrell, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, calling for an immediate suspension of all military, financial, and diplomatic support for apartheid Israel and its genocidal war on Palestine."

During the at times tense debate, Cllr Christopher Jackson (Sinn Féin) proposed an amendment - which would have meant removing completely he paragraph relating to Politicians from Ireland attending the St Patrick's Day celebrations in the White House and meting with President Joe Biden.

Seconded by Cllr Sandra Duffy (Sinn Féin), the amendment was deemed inadmissible.

Speaking to his motion, Cllr Harkin said he commended parties that were refusing to go to the White House.

He said: "Let's face it, you are going to the White House. Joe Biden is a war criminal. Joe Biden is a sponsor of genocide. That is who he is. That's who people are going to embrace. That's who people will be shaking hands with. You read the history books and you read about political parties going to meet with other people who were slaughtering large numbers of people, that's what Joe Biden is doing right now.

"I am not surprised that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael are tripping over themselves to walk up and see Joe Biden. It doesn't matter what Joe Biden is doing, these political parties are not on the side of Palestinians or justice for the oppressed.

"I know for a fact that Sinn Féin supporters right across this island are genuine in their solidarity for Palestine. I think this is the wrong decision. It is not about point scoring. This is about how do you have effective solidarity. You do not go and embrace and shake hands with Joe Biden when he is carrying out a genocide.

"The US, what have they done since the beginning of this conflict? They were the ones who said Israel has the right to do what it is doing. Israel says everything they are doing in Gaza is intentional. Joe Biden himself has bypassed democratic rules in Congress to get the Israeli's more weapons, to get them more ammunition and that is slaughtering people right now. What is the latest thing? In response to the ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the United States now is saying we are pulling funding from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency - humanitarian aid. That is a disgrace. That is direct complicity with the starvation of the Palestinian people," said Cllr Harkin, who appealed to Sinn Féin councillors not to oppose the motion.

Cllr Brian Tierney, the SDLP leader on Council, said the Irish Government not joining South Africa's case at the ICJ was a "massive mistake".

He added: "I think they have read the mood of the Irish people completely wrong and I think it is completely shameful they didn't join in on that process.

"What we are seeing on our television screens each night is the first ever televised genocide. It is horrific and grotesque and it needs to stop. And again, what ever we need to do, whatever influence we think we have, whatever we can bring to the table to try and force a ceasefire, we must do. The reality is Joe Biden could stop this tomorrow. There are people in Gaza being murdered, innocent people being murdered by weapons that were funded by the American administration and the British administration.

"On Monday, I am very proud to say, he [SDLP Leader, Colum Eastwood] would not be attending a party in the White House this St Patrick's Day.

"I have spoken to people over many, many years who have attended this event. It is a party, nothing more, nothing less. I am reliably informed there is very little facetime with the President, so anyone who is suggesting it is going to be an opportunity for people to raise issues, I don't believe it is," said Cllr Tierney.

Speaking against the motion, Alderman Niree McMorris (DUP) said no-one in her party condoned any of the atrocities happening in Gaza.

She added: "However, we don't hear a balanced view in this chamber. What we have been trying to do is give the other perspective. 

"I believe Hamas is also guilty of this genocide. On October 7, it killed more Jews in a single day since the Holocaust. The vast majority of them were non-combatants, killed deliberately, at close range, with no military target in sight. Between 1,200 and 1,400 were murdered that day. 

"Hamas uses rape systematically as a form of warfare and abducted several hundred Israelis, including Holocaust survivors and children on that day. Catherine Russell, the executive director of UNICEF has acknowledged accounts of sexual violence committed by Hamas were 'horrific' and added, 'Israeli survivors must be heard, supported and provided with care'.

"Yet, despite three resolutions being proposed to this Council today, we have not heard one word to include any of this. It is to the eternal shame of those proposing these resolutions, they couldn't spare a word or two for the release of hostages, still being held within Hamas, in horrific conditions and to condemn Hamas for its massacres, rapes and abductions," said Ald McMorris.

Cllr Christopher Jackson (Sinn Féin) said internationally, people had been horrified at the "grotesque daily slaughter" in Gaza.

He added: "Sinn Féin representatives will travel to the US on St Patrick's Day. The US has played a long and important positive and deeply valued role in the Peace Process here in Ireland. And this St Patrick's Day, in continuing our work with the Irish Diaspora and US representatives to promote and strengthen support for the Peace Process here and the cause of Irish re-unification, we will also be making it clear, our views on the situation in Gaza.

"There is a huge Israeli lobby within the US administration and we can't allow the voices in support of Palestine to be silenced, particularly at a time when as Irish people have platforms that other people, particularly within Palestine, don't have.

"We will state the case that Israel must be held to account for its actions and we will urge the US to join calls for the ceasefire. 

"We will express our view as a party, with a long intimate understanding of the difficult journey from conflict to peace in Ireland. We will use our experience of building peace to make the case that the US support international peace efforts is critical. Through many years of political struggle and experience of negotiations, we believe strongly in the efficiency of political engagement at all levels, particularly in those of conflict and war. We have a long and enduring history of solidarity in support of the cause of freedom and self-determination for Palestinians."