A Yorkshire council will fly the flag of Palestine to mark the UN’s International Day of Solidarity.
The decision by Rotherham Council was confirmed in an officer report signed by Chief Executive John Edwards on November 12.
No conflicts of interest or dispensations were declared by either the decision maker or cabinet members consulted.
The flag is scheduled to be raised above the council building on Saturday, November 29.
According to the published record of decision, the decision was taken to approve the ceremonial flag-raising at both Riverside House and Rotherham Town Hall.
The report states that the action is being taken “in recognition of the UN International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian people”, reports the Rotherham Advertiser.
The decision by the council forms part of the authority’s wider constitution.
It sets out when and how flags may be displayed on civic buildings.
The flag will be flown above Rotherham Town Hall
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PA
Flying of flags above council buildings has proven a hot topic after a Reform-run county council announced it will not fly a Pride flag and will remove the Ukrainian flag from the chamber.
Leader of Kent County Council, Linden Kemkaran told the chamber her new administration had little time for “special interest groups” or the flags that represent them.
“The Union Jack, the flag of St George and the flag of Kent, they are the identity that we all share and it is that identity that we need to focus on,” she said.
Her words were met with raucous applause and table thumping from the Reform benches, likened to a “political rally” by the council’s opposition leader, Liberal Democrat Antony Hook.
Birmingham City Council has come under fire for removing British flags from lampposts whilst leaving Palestinian flags untouched due to fears about public safety during their removal |
GB NEWS
Meanwhile, Birmingham City Council claimed it needed extra “support” to take down Palestine flags, yet ordered the immediate removal of England flags, reports MailOnline.
The council issued guidance surrounding England flags being flown, saying: “People who attach unauthorised items to lampposts could be putting their lives and those of motorists and pedestrians at risk.”
However, Palestinian flags remain hung up, which led to Shadow Justice Robert Jenrick describing the move as “blatant two-tier bias against the British people”.
A council spokesman said: “Lampposts and other street furniture need to be protected which is why highways staff across the city removed around 200 advertising banners and flags that had been attached to lampposts since the start of this year.
“They take down attachments from lampposts routinely, including advertising signs, bunting trails and flags.”
Palestinians stand near rubble from destroyed buildings, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, in Gaza City,
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REUTERS
The United Nations is set to vote later today over a US-drafted resolution endorsing President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza and approving an international force for stabilising the heavily-bombarded Palestinian enclave.
Israel and Hamas agreed last month to the first phase of Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza, a ceasefire in their two-year war and a hostage-release deal.
However, a UN resolution is seen as vital to legitimise a transitional governance body and to reassure countries considering sending troops to Gaza.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, under pressure from hard right-wing members of his Government, said that Israel remained opposed to a Palestinian state and pledged to demilitarise Gaza “the easy way or the hard way ” as Hamas has so far refused to disarm.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed concern the latest spate of violence by Israeli settlers in the Israeli-occupied West Bank could spill over and undermine US-backed peace efforts in Gaza.
When asked whether the West Bank events could endanger the Gaza ceasefire, Mr Rubio said: “I hope not.
“We don’t expect it to. We’ll do everything we can to make sure it doesn’t happen.”
