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Dublin City Council to fly Palestinian flag above City Hall for a month as "gesture of solidarity"

Dublin City Council and Sligo County Council vote to fly the Palestinian flag for the month of May.

DUBLIN IS SET to see the flag of Palestine fly over City Hall for a month in solidarity with the people of Palestine “living under occupation”.

The motion, proposed by People Before Profit Alliance Councillor John Lyons, saw cross-party support and passed by majority at yesterday’s Dublin City Council meeting. Forty-two councillors voted in favour of the motion, while 11 voted against and seven abstained from voting.

The flag will fly over City Hall for a month, beginning on 15 May. This date marks “Nakba Day”, Israel’s Independence Day. Sligo County Council also recently passed a motion to fly the flag of Palestine from their council building for a month.

Councillor Lyons said that the move will be a “small gesture of solidarity from the elected representatives of Dublin City with a people struggling for self-determination, freedom and dignity in the face of the most horrendous Israeli occupation and apartheid system.”

“Tonight’s gesture of solidarity is to show that we care, that we support Palestinians in their fight for self-determination, freedom and justice,” he said after the meeting.

The motion read:

“Noting recent reports of diplomatic developments by the Irish state towards full recognition of the state of Palestine, aware also that Ireland accorded the Palestinian delegation in Dublin diplomatic status in 2014, the same year that witnessed both Houses of Oireachtas pass motions in support of Palestinian statehood, this city council will fly the flag of Palestine over City Hall for the month of May 2017 in support of the above diplomatic moves and as a gesture of our solidarity with the people of Palestine living under occupation in the West Bank and Gaza, with the Palestinian citizens of Israel denied basic democratic rights and with the over 7 million displaced Palestinians denied the right of return to their homeland.”

Irish4Israel condemned the decision of the city council and stated that “such a move will have an extremely negative impact on Dublin’s international image and tourism.”

“It is quite staggering and almost admirable that these public figures spoke with such arrogant conviction, while having such little historical knowledge of the conflict and its complexities. Most rattled off a few rehashed old buzzwords while remaining comfortable in their simplistic black and white world view,” the organisation said.

In contrast, the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) welcomed yesterday’s announcement.

IPSC chairperson Fatin Al-Tamini, a Palestinian-Irish citizen thanked the Dublin City and Sligo County Councils for passing their motions.

“It is fitting that the flag will begin flying on May 15th, ‘Nakba Day’, or ‘the Day of the Catastrophe’, when we commemorate the forcible expulsion of over 750,000 indigenous Palestinians from their homeland between 1947 and 1949 to facilitate the creation of the apartheid state of Israel on 78% of historic Palestine.

“It is also fitting that the flag will remain in place until the first week of June, which will mark the 50th year of Israel’s ongoing military occupation and illegal colonisation of the West Bank and Gaza,” she said.

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281 Comments
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    Mute Del Haven
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    Aug 23rd 2016, 8:40 PM

    Mrs Hickey had 10 cops at her room at 6am and because of that panicked. Due to this panic she told the police her husband had left the country. Something not quite right there,as if she knew he was guilty of something. Ah no, I’ve posted this in the wrong comment section.

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    Mute Paddy Ryan
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    Aug 23rd 2016, 9:02 PM

    In fairness most Irish women would probably say the same if 10 strapping Brazilian cops showed up to their door at six in the morning …. Just saying….

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    Mute Del Haven
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    Aug 23rd 2016, 9:56 PM

    Those emails are not good news for our jailbird

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    Mute Grumpeee Oldman
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    Aug 23rd 2016, 10:19 PM

    Shed loads well dodgy here… Are we supposed to believe any of this. good luck where they are.. Different country over there. …… No one would jump from a balcony!

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    Mute Cheeky Bums
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    Aug 23rd 2016, 8:23 PM

    Natural selection at it’s best.

    111
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    Mute sparky
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    Aug 23rd 2016, 8:38 PM

    Rio police press conference going on where can we see it.

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    Mute PJH
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    Aug 23rd 2016, 8:39 PM

    In other news, the sky is blue

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    Mute Jamie McCormack
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    Aug 23rd 2016, 10:42 PM

    Brilliant avatar. Love the Robin.

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    Mute Diana M.
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    Aug 23rd 2016, 8:21 PM

    Well there’s a shocker.

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    Mute Mr. O'Shaughnessy
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    Aug 23rd 2016, 8:24 PM

    The world certainly won’t be at a loss with less of these morons.

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    Mute Paul Fahey
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    Aug 23rd 2016, 8:36 PM

    Their family and friends would disagree.

    77
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    Mute Clark Griswold
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    Aug 23rd 2016, 8:44 PM

    Friends wouldn’t let them do it!

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    Mute Harry Whitehead
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    Aug 23rd 2016, 10:22 PM

    I see they allow you access to the internet Mr Hickey…

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    Mute Team Tariq
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    Aug 23rd 2016, 8:38 PM

    Skinhead tattooed EDL / Britain First and Identity Ireland types,always ruining the holiday for everyone else.

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    Mute Paddy Ryan
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    Aug 23rd 2016, 8:53 PM

    At least these guys only take themselves out though… Unlike some eh Tariq.. *ahem* Nice , Sousse…..

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    Mute Team Tariq
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    Aug 23rd 2016, 8:57 PM

    Muslims don’t eat pork or drink alcohol gerard,you’re thinking of the artery-clogged,balding and fat-bellied native European who we are out-breeding due to our superior health.

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    Mute Dave Smith
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    Aug 23rd 2016, 8:57 PM

    in fairness Muslims are ruining France’s tourism. Beirut used to be known as the Paris of the middle east, now Paris is the Beriut of Europe.

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    Mute Paddy Ryan
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    Aug 23rd 2016, 8:59 PM
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    Mute George Brown
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    Aug 23rd 2016, 9:09 PM

    @Tariq: Look up the healthiest countries in the world. The west kicks ass, regardless of all the fatties that hold us back. And the “superior health” of Muslims? Healthy lifestyles aren’t common in typical Islamic countries.

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    Mute Diana M.
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    Aug 23rd 2016, 8:46 PM

    I’m so glad someone funded a study for this.

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    Mute George Brown
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    Aug 23rd 2016, 9:00 PM

    The studies on the demographics of violent crime in Spain are more interesting and useful. At least these Limeys don’t intend any harm.

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    Mute Dotrice Altrium Hollohatch
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    Aug 23rd 2016, 9:17 PM

    But no Irish person threw themselves off a balcony. ?Saw a few in Ibiza and Benidorm….

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    Mute Naberius
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    Aug 23rd 2016, 10:03 PM

    Most people would happily jump off a balcony if they saw you approaching, Ger.

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    Mute Screaming Toddy
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    Aug 24th 2016, 2:42 AM

    Simpletons injure themselves and sometimes die. It doesn’t need a study.

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    Mute David Hefner
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    Aug 24th 2016, 2:45 AM

    Natural f$$$ing selection at work again

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    Mute Bottleneck
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    Aug 24th 2016, 6:22 AM

    “Balconing” aka “Brexit”

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    Mute Darren Murphy
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    Aug 24th 2016, 5:07 PM

    Shock lol

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