Unionists railed against a council vote labelling Israel an apartheid state – citing “ethnic cleansing of Protestants” in south Armagh.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council approved a proposal by majority vote in the wake of findings by Amnesty International on the war in Gaza.
The motion stated that the council endorse Amnesty findings concluding that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians and upholding a system of apartheid.
Sinn Féin’s Cathal King said more than 45,000 Palestinians have lost their lives at the hands of Israel in the past 15 months.
“It is imperative that we join a growing movement of local authorities taking a stand against apartheid and systemic oppression,” he said.
Members also accepted amendments that said the council also condemned in the strongest possible terms “the abhorrent war crimes committed by Hamas” on October 7.
However, unionists in the chamber voted against the motion alluding to “ethnic cleansing” of Protestants in the council area.
Mournes DUP member Glyn Hanna said: ”We in the DUP will not be supporting this. I am going to make it very, very simple we concluded 40 years of murder and destruction here.
“We talk about apartheid, what was going on in south Armagh, along the border regions was ethnic cleansing going on of the people from the community I come from.
“To be quite honest with you they did not get justice or equality of human rights.
“So, there is absolutely no way, we in the DUP could be supporting this.”
Slieve Gullion UUP representative David Taylor added: “I share concerns of councillor Hanna.
“As someone who represents south Armagh I am acutely aware of what was inflicted upon the Protestant community in that area during the period of the Troubles.
“That doesn’t take away from the loss of any innocent life that’s happened in Gaza either.
“But I just feel that up to now there hasn’t been any real wholehearted condemnation and whilst the amendment to the motion does recognise the war crimes committed by Hamas, I don’t think we have given full consideration to what Israel has experienced.”