Agenda item

Notice of Motion Regarding "Recognising Palestine as a Full State" - Given By Councillor Julie Dore And To Be Seconded By Councillor Neale Gibson

That this Council:-

 

(a)       believes that there must be recognition of the rights of Palestinians to their own state, and thanks the petitioners for bringing this important issue to Full Council in July;

 

(b)       notes that 138 nations of the UN, out of 193 (71.5%), recognise Palestine as a state and in 2012 the UN General Assembly moved to do so - though this was blocked from full UN membership by the Security Council;

 

(c)        notes that the current UK Government appears to have no intention of recognising Palestine, and notes that this is in contrast to the Labour Party’s commitment to recognise Palestine as a full state as part of the United Nations and under UK law;

 

(d)       believes that the recognition of Palestine as a state is one step towards a genuine two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict;

 

(e)       believes there has to be a peace process and there has to be a right of the Palestinian people to live in peace and security as well as the right of Israel;

 

(f)        believes that whilst Sheffield is just one city, it is important to make this symbolic gesture to formally recognise Palestine as a full state, and hope that this will increase pressure on the UK Government to do likewise; and

 

(g)       requests that this Motion is submitted to the Foreign Office, the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.

 

 

Minutes:

6.1

RESOLVED: On the motion of Councillor Julie Dore and seconded by Councillor Peter Rippon, that, in accordance with Council Procedure Rule 9.1, the order of business as published on the Council Summons be altered by taking item 6 on the agenda (Notice of Motion Regarding “Recognising Palestine As A Full State”) as the next item of business.

 

 

6.2

It was moved by Councillor Julie Dore, and seconded by Councillor Adam Hurst, that this Council:-

 

 

 

(a)       believes that there must be recognition of the rights of Palestinians to their own state, and thanks the petitioners for bringing this important issue to Full Council in July;

 

(b)       notes that 138 nations of the UN, out of 193 (71.5%), recognise Palestine as a state and in 2012 the UN General Assembly moved to do so - though this was blocked from full UN membership by the Security Council;

 

 

 

(c)        notes that the current UK Government appears to have no intention of recognising Palestine, and notes that this is in contrast to the Labour Party’s commitment to recognise Palestine as a full state as part of the United Nations and under UK law;

 

(d)       believes that the recognition of Palestine as a state is one step towards a genuine two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict;

 

 

 

(e)       believes there has to be a peace process and there has to be a right of the Palestinian people to live in peace and security as well as the right of Israel;

 

(f)        believes that whilst Sheffield is just one city, it is important to make this symbolic gesture to formally recognise Palestine as a full state, and hope that this will increase pressure on the UK Government to do likewise; and

 

 

 

(g)       requests that this Motion is submitted to the Foreign Office, the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.

 

 

6.3

Whereupon, it was moved by Councillor Joe Otten, and seconded by Councillor Penny Baker, as an amendment, that the Motion now submitted be amended by the addition of new paragraphs (h) to (m) as follows:-

 

 

 

(h)       recognises that, in 2005, the EU monitoring centre on Racism and Xenophobia (now the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights) adopted the following working definition of antisemitism:

 

 

 

“Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”

 

 

 

(i)         notes that the working definition has become the standard definition used around the world;

 

(j)         notes that this definition has been adopted by the European Parliament, the UK College of Policing, the US Dept of State, the US Senate and the 31 countries comprising the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance;

 

 

 

(k)        recognises that, in 2016, the British Government also formally adopted this working definition of antisemitism;

 

 

 

(l)         in view of recent controversy over the precise definition of antisemitism, this city with its proud history of religious tolerance and the first UK City of Sanctuary proclaims its support for the published international definition of antisemitism; and

 

 

 

(m)      directs Sheffield City Council to formally adopt the official and international recognised working definition of antisemitism for this city.

 

 

6.4

After contributions from seven other Members, and following a right of reply from Councillor Julie Dore, the amendment moved by Councillor Joe Otten was put to the vote and was carried.

 

 

6.5

The original Motion, as amended, was then put as a Substantive Motion in the following form, and paragraphs (a) to (g) were carried and paragraphs (h) to (m) were negatived:-

 

 

 

(a)       believes that there must be recognition of the rights of Palestinians to their own state, and thanks the petitioners for bringing this important issue to Full Council in July;

 

(b)       notes that 138 nations of the UN, out of 193 (71.5%), recognise Palestine as a state and in 2012 the UN General Assembly moved to do so - though this was blocked from full UN membership by the Security Council;

 

 

 

(c)        notes that the current UK Government appears to have no intention of recognising Palestine, and notes that this is in contrast to the Labour Party’s commitment to recognise Palestine as a full state as part of the United Nations and under UK law;

 

(d)       believes that the recognition of Palestine as a state is one step towards a genuine two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict;

 

 

 

(e)       believes there has to be a peace process and there has to be a right of the Palestinian people to live in peace and security as well as the right of Israel;

 

(f)        believes that whilst Sheffield is just one city, it is important to make this symbolic gesture to formally recognise Palestine as a full state, and hope that this will increase pressure on the UK Government to do likewise;

 

 

 

(g)       requests that this Motion is submitted to the Foreign Office, the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition;

 

 

 

(h)       recognises that, in 2005, the EU monitoring centre on Racism and Xenophobia (now the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights) adopted the following working definition of antisemitism:

 

 

 

“Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”

 

 

 

(i)         notes that the working definition has become the standard definition used around the world;

 

(j)         notes that this definition has been adopted by the European Parliament, the UK College of Policing, the US Dept of State, the US Senate and the 31 countries comprising the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance;

 

 

 

(k)        recognises that, in 2016, the British Government also formally adopted this working definition of antisemitism;

 

 

 

(l)         in view of recent controversy over the precise definition of antisemitism, this city with its proud history of religious tolerance and the first UK City of Sanctuary proclaims its support for the published international definition of antisemitism; and

 

 

 

(m)      directs Sheffield City Council to formally adopt the official and international recognised working definition of antisemitism for this city.

 

 

6.5.1

(NOTE: Councillors Angela Argenzio, Douglas Johnson, Ruth Mersereau, Martin Phipps, Paul Turpin, Peter Garbutt and Alison Teal voted for paragraphs (a) to (g), and abstained from voting on paragraphs (h) to (m) of the Substantive Motion, and asked for this to be recorded.)

 

 

6.6

Accordingly, the resolution passed by the Council was as follows:-

 

 

 

RESOLVED: That this Council:-

 

 

 

(a)       believes that there must be recognition of the rights of Palestinians to their own state, and thanks the petitioners for bringing this important issue to Full Council in July;

 

(b)       notes that 138 nations of the UN, out of 193 (71.5%), recognise Palestine as a state and in 2012 the UN General Assembly moved to do so - though this was blocked from full UN membership by the Security Council;

 

(c)        notes that the current UK Government appears to have no intention of recognising Palestine, and notes that this is in contrast to the Labour Party’s commitment to recognise Palestine as a full state as part of the United Nations and under UK law;

 

(d)       believes that the recognition of Palestine as a state is one step towards a genuine two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict;

 

(e)       believes there has to be a peace process and there has to be a right of the Palestinian people to live in peace and security as well as the right of Israel;

 

(f)        believes that whilst Sheffield is just one city, it is important to make this symbolic gesture to formally recognise Palestine as a full state, and hope that this will increase pressure on the UK Government to do likewise; and

 

(g)       requests that this Motion is submitted to the Foreign Office, the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.