BELFAST City Council has backed a number of motions to support Palestinians on International Day of Solidarity with Palestine.

At a special council meeting on Wednesday night called by Sinn Féin, several motions were put forward to support the people of Palestine. Sinn Féin's motion called for the withdrawal of diplomatic status from the Israeli ambassador to Ireland, an immediate permanent ceasefire and to call on the UN to dismantle the apartheid apparratus of the Israeli state.

Amendments to the motion were also added by Alliance and People Before Profit, seconded by the Green Party.

A Sinn Féin amendment to its own motion also called on the UK and Irish government to support an investigation by the International Criminal Court in The Hague into war crimes committed by Israel in occupied Palestine.

Alliance proposals which were accepted called for the end to Israel's illegal occupation of Palestinian land and an end to the nearly 20 year long blockade of Gaza, for Israel to end its systematic discrimination of Palestinians in Israel and the occupied territories and for Palestinian statehood with a two-state solution.

People Before Profit put forward five amendments, three of which were accepted and passed including organising a meeting of trade unionists in workplaces across Belfast to build a network of activists to promote BDS in trade unions and workplaces, to call on the Irish government to refuse to allow the use of Shannon airport for US troops and military equipment while Israeli apartheid continues and to call on the British government to scrap its anti-BDS bill currently going through parliament and to stop supporting the Israeli regime politically and militarily.

Sinn Féin also accepted an SDLP proposal to reinstall the Christmas charity collection box in City Hall to collect donations for medical aid to Palestine.

The motion passed with votes from Sinn Féin, the SDLP, the Green Party and PBP. The DUP, TUV and UUP voted against the measures and nine Alliance councillors abstained.

Sinn Féin Councillor Ciaran Beattie said: “Tonight’s meeting was about showing support and solidarity with the people of Palestine. To show that Belfast is against Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, the illegal settlements, occupation and apartheid.

“This savagery must end. We need decisive international intervention which leads to a lasting peace, and the establishing of an independent Palestinian state.

“Belfast will continue to stand with the people of Palestine.”

People Before Profit councillor Michael Collins said: “I am glad that councillors have more firmly endorsed the call for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions against Israel, but there is still work to be done.

“Apartheid Israel is engaged in a brutal and genocidal war against the Palestinian people. It routinely breaches international law, commits war crimes, and has proven impervious to basic humanitarian calls. 

“This is a rogue state that cannot be feted and legitimised through the normal routines of international diplomacy. Instead, it must be shunned and isolated as apartheid South Africa was in the past."