People Before Profit Cllr Shaun Harkin said,
“Following a request to Council I worked on with the charity Medical Aid for Palestine and Derry IPSC, the Guildhall will be lit-up in the colours of the Palestinian flag on November 29 – the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian people.
“Derry and Strabane Council supports the Palestinian struggle for liberation and backs Boycott, Divestment and Sanction of the Israeli Apartheid regime.
“We encourage people to mark and join actions across Ireland on Monday November 29 to send a message of solidarity to the people of Palestine – and a message to the Irish, British, EU and US government’s demanding an end of their complicity with Israeli Apartheid’s carnival of reaction.
“We call on all political parties across the island, including those professing support for Palestine, to end engagement with organisations seeking to ‘normalise’ Israeli apartheid.
“Human rights and Israeli apartheid, just as it was in South Africa, is a contradiction in terms.
“A state with equal rights for Arabs, Jews, Christians and all who live in historic Palestine is possible – but only through the removal of US imperialism and its backing of Israeli militarism.
“November 29 is a day to celebrate all that is Palestinian, including the struggle over many decades for justice and freedom.”
