Belfast City Council row as Sinn Fein motion on Israel and human rights described as 'shocking' by DUP councillor

Sinn Féin this week tabled a motion at the Belfast City Council Standards and Business Committee meeting asking City Hall to adopt a new standard for who it does business with, especially internationally, in terms of human rights records.

The DUP opposed the motion then demanded an equality screening before moving onto the next committee stage

The motion, forwarded by Councillor Bronach Anglin, states: “This council deplores those corporations that profit from protracted armed conflict and systematic violations of human rights, particularly in the context of Israel’s continuing brutal assault on the people of Gaza and escalating settler terrorism in the West Bank, Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine, and other conflicts around the world.”

The City Solicitor Nora Largey told the committee: “This notice of motion is asking the council to look at its procurement policy in light of the Geneva Convention and to adopt a rights-based ethical procurement policy.”

DUP Alderman Dean McCullough told the committee: “The wording of this particular proposal is shocking, but not surprising. It references the systematic violation of human rights but it makes no reference to said systematic violation on October 7th, when the brutal and illegal incursion was launched into the legitimate state of Israel.

“Article one, the most basic rights to life were taken. It makes no reference to the hostages that remain in Hamas captivity. It makes no reference I can see of Hamas at all. It speaks of settler terrorism, whatever that means, but makes no reference to the brutal and ongoing terrorism of the actual proscribed terrorist organisation Hamas.”

“We oppose it in its entirety, we are opposing it tonight in terms of the language that is used, and we are demanding an EQIA on this.

“I would ask the City Solicitor that motions here on the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement which have proven to be incompatible with our legal opinion. So the wording here seems to be carefully crafted in a way which says just enough, but not too much.

“But regardless of the outcome tonight, we will be scrutinising every aspect of this, and we will want to see EQIA, and we will want legal opinions, because it is quite clear there are legal precedents when it comes to the BDS movement.”

The City Solicitor replied: “There was previously a BDS motion which the then City Solicitor questioned the legality of in respect of that. I will be fairly clear that if this was a proposal that effectively adopted BDS then that would be unlawful.

“But that is not the proposal and notion of motion before the committee this evening. This is a request to go away and do some work, which will involve screening, and I am happy to take the council’s opinion, and that was my intention in any event.”

Sinn Féin Councillor Ronan McLaughlin said at the committee: “I am not going to get into a ding-dong over the wording of the motion. The motion wants to make sure our procurement is compatible with the UN Charter and the Geneva Convention. It does not mention BDS once.

“Unfortunately for Alderman McCullough he can’t just call for an EQIA – that has to be thrashed out in the screening process. If external opinion says we need an EQIA then fine, but it is not the case where you can just call for one.”

The matter was deferred to the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee meeting in February.