We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
LORD MAYOR OF Dublin Mícheál Mac Donncha has hit out at the Israeli government over plans to refuse him entry to the country, saying that it was an attempt to “silence critics”.
He also said that he had had no contact from Israeli authorities since he had arrived in the country and no attempts had been made to deport him.
Israel’s Strategic Affairs Ministry told publication Haaretz on Tuesday night it would ban the Sinn Féin councillor from the country when his plane landed over his supposed ties to the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
Mac Donncha was travelling to the city of Ramallah in the West Bank at the invitation of the Palestinian Authority for a major conference on the status of the City of Jerusalem.
Despite the plans by Israel to refuse him entry to the country, Mac Donncha confirmed Tuesday night that he had in fact been allowed into the country.
Lord Mayor of Dublin / TwitterI can confirm I am in Ramallah and preparing for tomorrow's conference. https://t.co/b8LVLF193y
— Lord Mayor of Dublin (@LordMayorDublin) April 10, 2018
He told TheJournal.ie that he had gotten into the country without issue.
It is understood that MacDonncha was able to enter the country due to a spelling mistake by Israeli authorities. Officials had mistaken his title – Ardmhéara Mícheál MacDonncha – as his full name.
Criticism
Israel has taken issue with recent motions taken by Dublin City Councillors in relation to Israel and Palestine.
Two motions passed at the monthly council meeting on Monday called for the Israeli ambassador to be expelled and pledged support to the boycott of Israel.
Harretz quoted Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan as saying that “the policy I set is clear: He who works consistently to boycott Israel will not enter here.”
Israeli Foreign Ministry Spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon called the passing of the motion to expel the Israeli ambassador “utter nonsense, worthy of dark dictatorships”.
“This is lowbrow Antisemitism, not what you’d expect of the capital of an EU member state,” he said.
Speaking to TheJournal.ie this morning, Mac Donncha criticised the Israeli government’s plans not to allow him into the country.
“This is an attempt to silence critics,” he said.
Many delegates to this international conference were stopped from entering altogether, including some 15 who had travelled from India.
Mac Donncha said that the purpose of the conference was to focus on the status of Jerusalem after US president Donald Trump last year announced the US would recognise the city as the capital of Israel.
Trump’s defiant move ended seven decades of US ambiguity on the status of the Holy City, which is claimed by both Israelis and Palestinians.
The decision caused massive protests in Palestine and has received widespread international condemnation.
“I support the acts of solidarity with Palestine by the elected members of Dublin City Council,” Mac Donncha said.
The next step needs to be for the Irish government to fully recognise the state of Palestine.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
The fire was in the apartments above the restaurant. Looks to be an electrical fire. I happened to end up talking to a girl earlier who lives in one of the apartments above. She said the fuseboard in the entrance hall to the apartments, which is beside the restaurant, had flames coming out of it as she was escaping from the building. Thankfully everyone got out it seems.
Wtf? Somebody burned sushi?!
Great restaurant I hope they are able to reopen.
What do you cooked sushi?
Epic fail. *call
Some people don’t read the articles. It’s all about posted the first comment and getting green thumbs for some people.
I green-thumbed this, but ironically.
I hope nobody was hurt
It says it CLEARLY in the article that one person has been hurt.
Beachmaster, it WASN’T in the article when I commented so relax your hormones, good man.
Something fishy about this
I think it did Paul. I’m sure Cianan can settle this.
Ok, my bad I apologise
But I still think the first third and fifth lines were only written at the time
CIANAN, HEEEELLLLLLPPPPPPP!
Lol!
lets blame isis
that parasite obama needs all the help he can get
Capel Street, some dive…
‘Street reopened after earlier fire’……..what a totally redundant thing to say. It would have sufficed to say ‘Street reopened after fire’ , why bother with the ‘earlier’. The street would hardly have been closed in advance of the incident, would it?
Fire in a restaurant that serves sushi, very odd!
The rice in sushi ain’t raw ya know
People tend to always want chips with everything here.
Is this area Dublin’s Chinatown?
No.Chinatown is further up the country on Parnell street
There was a fight on Parnell street recently.Four locals and an Irish man were involved.
What was an Irishman doing there? – must have been an immigrant.
Chinatown, thats hilarious..
Why is that hilarious? I read a few months back an area of the north inner city of Dublin was going to be Dublin’s Chinatown. On my last visit to your Capital I noticed most shops and restaurants in the area are Chinese.
It’ll be reopening as ‘ash’ tomorrow.
@ Ken O’Neill
when Musashi is ashes .. you have my permission to stir fry
(Bane the dark knight rises)
It’s all shits and giggles until someone giggles and shits
Ah the sushi !
Something Fishy about a fire at a sushi restaurant, I reckon someone got a RAW deal!
She had one job!
Growing weed
I don’t think it’s fair that the articles details change once the commenting has started. Look at the trouble it can cause on a forum like this. It should be a rule that if the story changes, there should be a new story with a fresh start to the comments. I really hope no one was hurt in this car accident.
My thoughts are with the family
have your say