Letter: Palestine flag row at Belfast City Hall was unsettling, but on the positive side, we saw how unionists politicians can stand together and offer a firm and measured response
A letter from W J Craig:
The recent controversy over the flying of the Palestinian flag at Belfast City Hall has left many of us feeling uneasy.
I feel particularly uneasy having just last week heard first hand the experiences of Dr Shoshan Harran at the hands of Hamas when she was kidnapped and held hostage in Gaza on October 7, 2023.
To me, it’s clear that Sinn Féin are flexing their muscles now that they have the numbers in the chamber, and I worry about where this could lead. Sinn Féin are behaving as if it’s their ball and their ball game, and the rest of us are only allowed to participate if we play by their rules. My fear is that the next push will be for the Irish tricolour to fly from City Hall, something that would cause real division and destabilise relations in our city.
One positive, however, has been seeing unionist councillors standing together on this issue.
Credit is due to Cllr Ron McDowell (TUV), Ald. Dean McCullough (DUP) and Ald. James Lawlor (DUP), for the way they spoke up in the chamber.
Their contributions were measured, firm, and very much appreciated by those of us watching from the outside.
Unionism is always at its best when it stands united, and this episode has shown that clearly.
United we stand, divided we fall.
W J Craig, Belfast BT5