DUP walk out after branding Trump motion '˜ridiculous'

DUP Councillors have staged a walk out of a Council meeting after claiming a motion condemning Donald Trump's claim that Jerusalem was the capital of Israel was a 'ridiculous publicity stunt'.
Independent Derry Strabane Councillor Gary Donnelly tabled the motion criticising the move by US President Donald Trump.Independent Derry Strabane Councillor Gary Donnelly tabled the motion criticising the move by US President Donald Trump.
Independent Derry Strabane Councillor Gary Donnelly tabled the motion criticising the move by US President Donald Trump.

DUP Councillor Hilary McClintock blasted the motion tabled by Independent Councillor Gary Donnelly during the Council’s December meeting on Thursday evening.

Colr. Donnelly had urged the Council to go on record that it “views with concern and dismay the recent decision by Donald Trump to designate Jerusalem as the capital of Israel”.

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He added: “Given that the corporate position of this Council is to support the Palestinian cause and in the interest of peace in the Middle East this Council calls on the US President to reverse his decision.”

Councillor Donnelly said Trump’s comments and his plans to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem “recklessly ignores” the warnings of the international community.

He added that the UN had overwhelmingly rejected Jerusalem being the capital of Israel, while EU foreign ministers have also objected to Trump’s pronouncement.

He said the decision by Trump “flouts international consensus and is a dangerous precedent”.

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Colr. McClintock however said she found it hard to believe anyone would think that Derry & Strabane Council calling on the most powerful man in the world to reverse his decision would have any impact.

“Who does Councillor Donnelly think he is?” she said. “We are achieving nothing by bringing motions like this before our Council.

“We are becoming a joke by our lenient interpretation of standing orders which continues to allow some members to seek publicity,” she said.

“The DUP have had enough of it. This is a ridiculous publicity stunt and we are leaving the chamber now and it just remains for us to wish you all a Merry Christmas.”

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With that, the DUP Councillors exited the chamber, drawing criticism from Sinn Fein and the SDLP, while the UUP and Independent Unionist Councillor Maurice Devenney also expressed similar concerns to those of the DUP.

Sinn Fein Councillor Caoimhe McKnight backed the motion and said her party had a record of standing up for the rights of Palestinians and would continue to do so.

She added that the peace process in the Middle East was being “undermined by continued expansion of illegal settlements”.

SDLP Councillor John Boyle also expressed support, and called for a Two State process to be advanced to achieve a Two State solution for Israel and Palestine.

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Speaking about the DUP walk out he said: “It is quite interesting the DUP accused Colr. Donnelly of stunt politics and then walked out of the room which was stunt politics par excellence.”

Independent Councillor Warren Robinson suggested an amendment - which was backed by the majority of Councillors including Sinn Fein and the SDLP- which stated that the Council should write to President Trump directly expressing their concerns and asking him to reverse his decision.

The amended motion was carried by 28 votes for to three against.