Monaghan County Council has voted down a motion calling for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador to Ireland in a show of "solidarity and support to the Palestinian people".
The motion was raised by Sinn Féin's Brian McKenna at a recent County Council meeting, but faced opposition from other councillors.
A motion from Fermanagh and Omagh District Council on June 2nd called on the Taoiseach to expel the Israeli ambassador, Ophir Kariv, due to what the Council labelled "the on-going de facto annexation of Palestine".
Sinn Féin's Brian McKenna called on Monaghan County Council to adopt this motion.
Councillor David Maxwell was the first to signal opposition.
While he condemned recent Israeli actions in the region, he added the only way to help would be to get people talking around the table and that expelling the ambassador is "not the way to go".
Meanwhile, Seamus Treanor asked why the Chamber "hadn't heard a peep from Sinn Féin on Russia or China", and said the Council shouldn't be talking about Israeli-Palestinian relations in any case because "we are a local body and who will pay attention anyway".
Councillor Sean Gilliand backed up this sentiment, saying it was a "waste of time to discuss what is happening in Palestine".
He added that councillors should be "neutral" and noted that he didn't fly Palestinian flags from his offices.
While Sinn Féin's Pat Treanor acknowledged that the motion may have little impact, he said it was still important "take action and do something".
The motion was defeated, with Sinn Féin voting in favour but the rest of the Chamber voted against it.
