Moyle District Council Officially Twins With Gaza City

give her dixie · March 13, 2012, 12:39:10 AM

http://gazatvnews.com/2012/03/irish-council-officially-twins-with-gaza-city-municiaplity/

Tonight, in the monthly meeting of Moyle District Council in Ireland, they officially confirmed a twinning with the Gaza City Municipality. This is the 1st official twinning with a municipality in Gaza and any council in Europe.

Moyle District Council is in the North East of Ireland, and within its district are the stunning Glens of Antrim, Bushmills which is world famous for its whiskey, and the Giants Causeway, which is a UNESCO world heritage site.

Evil Genius · March 13, 2012, 02:07:56 PM

Quote from: give her dixie on March 13, 2012, 12:39:10 AM
http://gazatvnews.com/2012/03/irish-council-officially-twins-with-gaza-city-municiaplity/

Tonight, in the monthly meeting of Moyle District Council in Ireland, they officially confirmed a twinning with the Gaza City Municipality. This is the 1st official twinning with a municipality in Gaza and any council in Europe.

Moyle District Council is in the North East of Ireland, and within its district are the stunning Glens of Antrim, Bushmills which is world famous for its whiskey, and the Giants Causeway, which is a UNESCO world heritage site.

Twinned with Gaza?

Reminds me of the quip by the late, great Linda Smith, who when asked if her home town of Erith was twinned with anywhere, replied "No, but it's got a suicide pact with Dagenham"

bailestil · March 13, 2012, 02:53:35 PM

And to think some people think that Councils waste taxpayers money?

Tune in Next Week, Strabane District Council will agree to try and resolve Famines in Afria.

Tony Baloney · March 13, 2012, 03:44:05 PM

Would strongly suspect that ex-SF eejit Paudie McShane is behind this. Who exactly benfits from such a twinning?

Maguire01 · March 13, 2012, 05:41:41 PM

Quote from: Tony Baloney on March 13, 2012, 03:44:05 PM
Who exactly benfits from such a twinning?

Councillors. A good excuse for a junket.

muppet · March 13, 2012, 05:55:58 PM

Quote from: Maguire01 on March 13, 2012, 05:41:41 PM
Quote from: Tony Baloney on March 13, 2012, 03:44:05 PM
Who exactly benfits from such a twinning?
Councillors. A good excuse for a junket.

Great idea. I think we should twin this Board with one in Santa Monica. Who wants to come with me to set it up?

Minder · March 13, 2012, 05:59:02 PM

Quote from: Tony Baloney on March 13, 2012, 03:44:05 PM
Would strongly suspect that ex-SF eejit Paudie McShane is behind this. Who exactly benfits from such a twinning?

He is.

Tony Baloney · March 13, 2012, 06:22:16 PM

Quote from: Maguire01 on March 13, 2012, 05:41:41 PM
Quote from: Tony Baloney on March 13, 2012, 03:44:05 PM
Who exactly benfits from such a twinning?
Councillors. A good excuse for a junket.

Even local councillors wouldn't be lining up for a junket to Gaza! Not unless it was a stopping off point to go and look at "something" in Dubai or somewhere.

seafoid · March 13, 2012, 07:43:55 PM

Support like this is very important for the morale of the people of Gaza. The Israelis have spent 45 years beating it into them that the world doesn't care about them. It started off with batons and is now at white phosphorous.

Well done to Moyle.

5 Sams · March 13, 2012, 07:48:12 PM

Quote from: Íseal agus crua isteach a on March 13, 2012, 07:03:11 PM
Tony Baloney you and your brother minder are arguably two of the most stupid b**tards to post on this board. Complete and utter arse wholes of the highest order and thats putting it mildly.

Whoa....back up there low and hard...I have to agree with the lads here...councillors will fill their boots at every opportunity...any opportunity for a jolly they will take it...the lads in Newry love their wee trips to Clare (ok not so bad), Milwaukee (to encourage trade links....ee right) and fcukin Russia (on fact finding trips)...

Tony and Minder are 100% right....

Maguire01 · March 13, 2012, 07:57:59 PM

Quote from: seafoid on March 13, 2012, 07:43:55 PM
Support like this is very important for the morale of the people of Gaza.

In what way? How many ordinary people in Gaza will ever know about this twinning? What difference is it likely to make to them?

give her dixie · March 13, 2012, 08:28:49 PM

Well, the usual responses have appeared, and don't come as any shock or surprise.

To start with, Paudie McShane travelled to Gaza 18 months ago along with myself on one of the Viva Palestina convoys. He had a Ford Transit van filled with over £20,000 worth of mostly donated medical aid, and educational supplies. He organised many fundraising events, and not one penny came from Moyle council. This wasn't a usual council junket that we have come to expect and see on a regular occassion.

In Gaza, his aid was delivered to a medical centre and and a school. His van donated to a charity that specialise in helping to build facilities for disabled children. To this day, it is an invaluable asset to the charity, and to the disabled people who benefit daily. Remember, Gaza has the highest number of amputee's and wheelchair users per head of capitia due to the constant assaults from Israel.

While we were in Gaza, we had meetings with different municipalities, and a plan was undertaken to explore the possibilities of an official twinning. Upon his return, he went to work on twinning, and as expected, faced several hurdles. Overcoming these hurdles, which included a full legal review, a vote was taken, and last night, the vote carried, and the twinning was rubber stamped. Deal done.

So, what benefits are there to Gaza? Well, they have submitted a plan whereby they want to build "The Moyle Peace Park", which will be a facility for children to play, and learn about the area they are twinned with. Other ventures in the pipeline will include conflict resolution and a sharing of expert knowledge in various related fields.

Why shouldn't Moyle, Omagh, Limavady, Enniskillen or wherever twin with a town or city in Gaza? They twin with towns all over the world, and no one really knows what true benefits they bring. Do any of you know what town your council has twinned with, and if it has been of any use?

The twinning is going ahead, and no doubt more voices will oppose it. However, it is a done deal. If it genuinely helps the people of Gaza city, and in some small way improves the lives of the men women and children living there, then it will be a success. This past weekend, 25 Palestinians were murdered by Israeli airstrikes and all the western leaders didn't speak out. Maybe, just maybe this small gesture will show them that real people care for them, and will not forget them.

I for one am very proud of Paudie and his fellow councilors who voted last night to make this happen, and no doubt, the people of Gaza city are too.

5 Sams · March 13, 2012, 08:38:19 PM

All magnificent work...pity all "Twinning" exercises don't deliver the same benefits $:-\$

Tony Baloney · March 13, 2012, 08:54:15 PM

Dixie, any idea how the unionist vote went?

Again, don't think anyone can have any issue with the work being done at the coal face by you, Paudie etc. Just not sure what twinning brings.

Maguire01 · March 13, 2012, 08:54:29 PM

Quote from: give her dixie on March 13, 2012, 08:28:49 PM
Why shouldn't Moyle, Omagh, Limavady, Enniskillen or wherever twin with a town or city in Gaza? They twin with towns all over the world, and no one really knows what true benefits they bring. Do any of you know what town your council has twinned with, and if it has been of any use?

I see no reason why this should be different to any other twinning. I'm questioning in general as to what benefits such a move brings. I haven't seen any benefits in my experience. People closely involved in local politics might see something that Joe Public wouldn't.

Quote from: give her dixie on March 13, 2012, 08:28:49 PM
If it genuinely helps the people of Gaza city, and in some small way improves the lives of the men women and children living there, then it will be a success.

Well that's a given. The question is whether it will make any difference.

And the aid trip is commendable. But will twinning now lead to junkets and/or expense to the Council? What can the twinning potentially deliver that couldn't be achieved otherwise? (In case it's not clear, these are genuine questions and not 'digs'.)