The DUP will not attend the special council meeting today to discuss the ongoing situation in Palestine saying they are 'too busy with local issues to waste an afternoon' discussing 'something we have no control over'.
The meeting will take place at the Guildhall at 4pm today, and comes following a number of events held in the city in the wake of the killing of up to 60 Palestine protesters in Gaza by the Israeli army last week, which also left up to 2,500 people injured.
A rally was held at Free Derry Corner on Tuesday evening in solidarity with the people of Palestine, while the Mayor of Derry and Strabane, Councillor Maolíosa McHugh opened a book of condolence for those who lost their lives, adding that it would allow local people to ‘express their sympathy and voice their opposition to the violence’.
The council will also light their offices on Strand Road in the colours of Palestine, after a proposal was put forward by the local Sinn Fein councillor Sandra Duffy.
Alderman David Ramsey issued a statement on behalf of the DUP today.
He said: "The DUP is too busy with local issues to waste an afternoon in council talking about something we have no control over.
"The DUP will not be attending a special meeting today to discuss Palestine, this is another attempt to take sides and support Hamas terrorists who are the real problem in the region.
"If we are to have special meetings to discuss world wide atrocities will council include the slaughter of fellow Christians in Nigeria, 15 villages attacked including churches and dozens murdered, just like what Hamas planned last week if they got into Israel.
"We hear little or nothing about the suffering of many millions of Christians. The electorate are fed up with this, we have local issues to deal with and can make a difference."
Pictured above: DUP Alderman David Ramsey.
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