County Hall to fly Palestinian flag?
Michael Olney
“We hear you, we see you, and it’s just by the grace of God that I’m not on my hands and knees digging my children out of rubble.”
The heartfelt words of Cork County Cllr Sinead Sheppard (FG) as she called upon the council to stand in solidarity with the people of Gaza who face “ongoing brutal and genocidal attacks” by Israeli forces.
Speaking at Monday’s meeting of Cork County Council, Cllr Sheppard asked that the council would declare its support for a Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel.
She also asked that Cork county be declared an Apartheid-Free Zone and a space of proactive solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Her motion follows similar motions passed in Dublin and Cork City Councils, and more recently by Wexford County Council.
Cllr Sheppard said: “I often, over the last few months, have questioned why I have the privilege of being a young mum of three small boys and why I am privileged to have been born and grown up in Ireland in a war free zone, and why there is another woman the same age as me with small children across the world just unlucky enough to be born on the Gaza Strip.”
Social Democrat Cllr Liam Quaide supported the motion and proposed that the Council fly the Palestinian flag in solidarity with the civilian population of Gaza, despite the council executive previously indicating to members that such an act would be against council policy.
“There is very compelling evidence that these crimes now amount to genocide and ethnic cleansing,” said Cllr Quaide.
He added: “I have seen several international experts, including Israeli experts, affirm recently that justice for the Palestinians will not come from inside Israel without significant external pressure.”
Cllr Sheppard’s motion was passed unanimously by the Council. However, the motion to fly the Palestinian flag has been referred to the Corporate Policy Group at Cork County Council.
Council stance welcomed
Following Monday’s meeting, the Cork Palestine Solidarity Campaign (CPSC) welcomed Cork County Council's decision to declare county Cork an Apartheid-Free Zone.
The co-chair of the CPSC, Martin Shiel, expressed the group's deep appreciation of the decision by Cork county councillors.
“Numerous human-rights organisations have described Israel as an apartheid state because of its brutal and unequal treatment of Palestinians,” said Mr Sheil.
“Cork City Council declared the city an Apartheid-Free Zone in October 2022 and now Cork County Council has followed suit. We think this sends an important message to the Government about the need to do much more to stop Israel's genocide in Gaza,” he added.
The CPSC has called a demonstration for this Saturday at 1pm, which will be the 16th in the city since Israel commenced its bombardment of Gaza.