Waterford may soon be twinned with a Palestinian city in the West Bank.
Metropolitan councillors have voted in favour of formally linking the city with Ramallah. The motion was supported by all parties and independents at Monday's council meeting and will now be sent forward to the wider council for a seal of approval.
David Rees, secretary of the South East branch of Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said he was pleasantly surprised at the support: "You would expect certain parties and certain councilors to support this sort of initiative but given the Irish government support for the Palestinian people recently, I guess it isn't that surprising but I as flabbergasted that support was so generously given and so immediate."
He added that the campaign group supports boycotts of Israel as a way to force change similar to the anti-apartheid movement around South Africa in the 1980s.
The motion passed by the council "signals its desire" to twin with Ramallah while "recognising the strong bonds of friendship and solidarity that exist between Ireland and Palestine" and commended the Dáil its own support given to Palestine last month.
It added that it notes the "existing links between civil society groups in Waterford and Ramallah, including amongst schools, religious congregations, sports clubs, youth groups and the
trade union movement".
Sinn Féin councillor John Hearne was among those who spoke in favour during the council meeting, saying that Palestine and Israel's conflict "mirrors so much of our own history".
"There is a love affair between the Irish people and the Palestinians, and people who struggle," he said, "I think it would be a fantastic idea."
