Call to raise Palestinian flag on County Hall for Christmas

A LOCAL election candidate is calling on Cork County Council to raise the Palestinian flag over County Hall for Christmas.

Isobel Towse, who has been chosen by the Social Democrats to contest the local elections in the Skibbereen area, says that Cork City Council and Dublin City Council recently raised the flag over their respective headquarters.

‘Christian leaders in Bethlehem have noted that if baby Jesus was born this Christmas, it is likely he would be laying under a pile of rubble – no crib for a bed, not even a manger. In solidarity with the thousands of children who are trapped or have died under the rubble and been killed in the war over the past two months, we need to raise the Palestinian flag above County Hall on Christmas Day and beyond, and continue to send the message to the world that Cork stands strongly for peace, always,’ she told The Southern Star.

Isobel says she has been directly involved in a number of responses to the war on Gaza around Clonakilty recently, including hosting the 75 strong vigil on Saturday last on Astna square.

She added that the groups involved in both acts of solidarity say they will continue every week until there is a ceasefire. DeBarras Folk Club, also in Clonakilty, held two well attended gigs recently to raise money for Medical Aid for Palestinians, and for Médecins Sans Frontières. Across West Cork, similar events are taking place, explained Isoblel. ‘Skibbereen holds a march every Saturday, starting at Aldi car park at 12:30pm, and the award-winning Irish film Gaza has been screened as fundraisers by film clubs in Leap, Clonakilty and Schull, showing the scale of support and outrage felt in towns and villages across West Cork.’

Meanwhile, the Bandon Vigil for Gaza has been taking place every Sunday evening at 5pm outside the old TSB building on South Main Street. Musicians and local artists including Aine Gorman, Victoria Keating and Martin Leahy have been attending the vigils along with locals from across the Bandon area who are also calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.