BRITISH government moves to ban councils throughout Britain and the North from showing solidarity with Palestine and the BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) movement, has been condemned.
The so-called Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill was a 2019 Tory Party manifesto commitment. The second reading of the Bill in the House of Commons this week saw it pass by 268 to 70, due to the Labour Party abstaining.
The Bill does not apply to Israel alone. Those behind the Bill single out the actions of BDS which is a Palestinian-led movement which seeks to boycott any and all goods from territory occupied by Israel.
Belfast City Council has in the past passed numerous motions supporting the rights of Palestinians against Israel's illegal occupation.
Sinn Féin councillor for Collin Caoimhín McCann said this effort to deny support to the Palestinian people by the British government must be opposed.
“The British government must not succeed in the banning of solidarity measures with the Palestinian people," he said.
“The elected members of local authorities have the right to choose who they do business with, and especially to ensure that public monies for which they have oversight of are not spent supporting what is internationally recognised as an illegal occupation."
Cllr McCann highlighted the raid this week on Jenin refugee camp by Israeli forces.
The reporting of events in Jenin by the media are so disingenuous it’s an Israeli onslaught. Describing events as clashes is horrendous. Bad enough that Palestine is occupied but the brutality inflicted by zionists needs to be called out for what it is by Western media. Shameful
— 🏳️⚧️CarálNíChuilín (Sí/í)Is Deontóir Mé ✊ (@CaralNiChuilin) July 3, 2023
Councillor McCann continued: “International pressure is required to end Israeli aggression. The proposed legislation introduced by leading Brexiter, Michael Gove, is callous and counterproductive. It will send a message to Israel that it can continue to disregard international law. Rather than preferential trade treatment for Israel, governments and local authorities must be holding the regime to account.
“Sinn Féin recently introduced the Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill 2023 which would mandate the Irish government to divest from companies which derive profits from the Occupied Territories.
“Sinn Féin for our part will continue to show solidarity and support to the Palestinian people, regardless of any Tory attempts to ban such practices.”
