Several other Sydney councils are grappling with competing calls for gestures of goodwill regarding the Israeli-Hamas conflict,including Randwick,where a councillor is trying to undo a previous commitment to fly the Palestinian flag next month.
Moore,Sydney’s long-serving independent lord mayor,criticised the state government’s decision to light up the Sydney Opera House in the colours of the Israeli flag in the immediate aftermath of the Hamas terrorist group’s attacks on Israel on October 7. “I didn’t agree with that,taking one side or the other,” she said.
Accordingly,Moore will not entertain Jarrett’s proposal to fly the Israeli flag and light up Town Hall,instead opting to bring her own mayoral motion that calls on the council to write to representatives of the Jewish and Muslim communities.
“I had hoped my previous statements would be sufficient to convey the City’s condemnation of terrorism,violence and war,and express our solidarity with all affected communities,” Moore said.
“I think needlessly one-sided motions or statements are divisive and harmful,and run counter to Sydney’s values of inclusiveness and harmony. Having discussed the matter at the start of the meeting,there will be no need to vote on[Councillor] Jarrett’s motion.”
While Moore is opposed to taking sides in the Israel-Palestine conflict,Sydney Town Hall will fly the United Nations flag on Tuesday for United Nations Day.