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Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate has rejected local residents’ call for the city to end ties with the Israeli coastal resort city of Netanya.

Concerned residents launched their petition in January and collected more than 1000 signatures in support of withdrawing the sister city agreement.

They say the agreement cannot stand while Israel continues to flout international law by continuing its genocidal war on the people of Gaza.

Residents protested outside the May 28 Gold Coast City Council meeting in support of their petition and plan to return when council meets again on June 18.

Supporters in the public gallery unfurled a Palestinian flag and were ejected.

They regrouped outside with banners and flags, chanting: “Tom Tate, you can’t hide, you’re supporting genocide”.

A spokesperson for local advocacy group Free Palestine Australia said Netanya is “not a city we want to share a sister relationship with”.

The agreement was originally struck in 1987 and includes a park in Surfers Paradise named after the city.

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This collage features a May 30 article from the Gold Coast Bulletin and 2021 articles from Jewish news outlets regarding the naming of Netanya Place in Surfers Paradise

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Outside the council meeting

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Police overkill