The Presiding Officer (Llywydd) of the Welsh Parliament (Senedd) has refused calls for the Israeli flag to be flown outside in solidarity with the victims of Hamas’s brutal terrorist attacks.
After reports of Israeli babies being beheaded by Palestinian terrorists and children being burnt alive among more than 1,000 civilians slaughtered by Hamas, Welsh Conservative leader Andrew R.T. Davies wrote to Elin Jones asking for the Israeli flag to fly in solidarity.
It came as Foreign Secretary James Cleverly became the first western minister to fly to the country to offer his support against the brutal murder of Israelis and asttempts to destroy their country.
But Ms Jones, who as Llywydd has the final say on which flags are allowed to fly, suggested that Israeli actions defending itself were as bad as Hamas’s terrorist attacks and made flying the flag inappropriate.
She said: “Despite the horror of the escalation of attacks and killing in recent days affecting Israeli and Palestinian citizens, this conflict, as we know, is longstanding and complex.
“I do not consider that the Israeli flag should be flown at the Senedd when people in both Palestine and Israel are now suffering.”
Earlier in the letter she noted: “As you and the other party Leaders remarked in a series of thoughtful contributions at the start of yesterday’s Plenary proceedings, the brutality inflicted on the people of Israel by Hamas is abhorrent and unjustifiable.
“All statements also reflected on the plight of the Palestinian population suffering as a consequence of this violence, as well as a common desire across the Siambr for peace as the only real solution.”
Before becoming Presiding Officer Ms Jones was a senior member of the leftwing Welsh Nationalist party Plaid Cymru.
The Senedd joined Westminster Parliament earlier this week in being lit up in the colours of the Israeli flag as an act of solidarity against the terrorist attacks.
However, Ms Jones has previously courted controversy by trying to ban members of the Welsh Parliament from flying flags in their offices.
