Analysis

Rhode Island city council now flying Palestine flag

Israel lobby melts down after US state’s capital Providence marks solidarity with Gaza against genocide

City Hall in Providence, the state capital of Rhode Island (flag added digitally). Original image by Kenneth C. Zirkel, Creative Commons licence.

The city hall of Rhode Island state capital Providence is flying the Palestinian flag, both atop the building and in its council chamber, triggering a meltdown among the US Israel lobby.

The council’s chamber usually displays the American flag, Rhode Island’s state flag and the flag of the city of Providence, but now has the Palestinian flag right next to the seat of the council president. Providence mayor Brett Smiley, who recently travelled to Israel on a lobby-funded trip, disavowed the decision, blaming the council for it. However, the city council told local press that Smiley had approved the flag.

The Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, which paid for Smiley’s junket, expressed its outrage at the ‘divisiveness’ of commemorating the Nakba, the 1948 ‘catastrophe’ in which around 800,000 Palestinians were violently driven from their homes and land by British and Zionist forces to create the state of Israel, with massacres and mass rapes:

The Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island was recently made aware of the plan to display the Palestinian flag in the Providence City Council Chamber. We understand that this display is intended to commemorate Nakba Day—an unofficial observance marking what is referred to as the ‘Palestinian Catastrophe’ of 1948.

We have communicated our deep concern to the City Council regarding the use of a government space for a display that fosters division within our community. The Jewish Alliance remains unwavering in our commitment to the safety, security, and wellbeing of the people of Israel and Jewish communities around the world.

A formal flag-raising ceremony is scheduled for tomorrow, Friday 16 May.

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10 comments

  1. Well Done Providence City Council.

    The Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island and the corporate MSM are both the losers here.

      1. Think I preferred the former option.

        Just a question of if they’re dead or alive when they’re being fed to the dog.

    1. Yup, our media and the UK government are sanctioning a genocide of an oppressed indigenous population. At last, people are waking up to it, Dave. Increasing public awareness and support for Palestinians means the MSM is losing its ability to control the narrative.

  2. An ancestor from Littleborough in Lancashire emigrated to work in the cotton mills of Rhode Island back in the day. I am sure the mills were as dangerous as those in Lancashire at the time, and I wonder if the workers’ struggle in those days has left its mark on the people of Rhode Island? Something for me to do a bit of research on perhaps. Whatever, all credit to them.

    As for the despicable Angela Eagle ‘celebrating’ the 77th anniversary of the Nakba with Israelis, perhaps it’s as well no comments are allowed as mine would probably be unpublishable….

    1. Maria illeagle.

      The dame of blame, and (unfortunatley) my mp (angela) in fairness, isn’t a LFI.

      The british museum can GTF, too. Hosting those scumbuckets, ffs.

  3. We have communicated our deep concern to the City Council regarding the use of a government space for a display that fosters division within our community. The Jewish Alliance remains unwavering in our commitment to the safety, security, and wellbeing of the people of Israel and Jewish communities around the world.

    Flying a Palestinian flag, eh? Ohhhh!!! the humaniteeeeee!!! 😱😱😱😱😱😯😯😯😯😯😲😲😲😲😲😱😱😱😱😱

    Mind you, those Rhode Island jews have always been a tad sensitive

    https://y.yarn.co/8d86f3dd-898d-40b4-b2f7-7f4d2f2f6c90_text.gif

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