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Over 100 people attended a rally at Newry Town Hall last night, 11 October, in support of the Palestinian people, following a declaration of war between Israel and Hamas after last weekends Hamas attack on Israel and ongoing air strikes by Israel on the Gaza strip which have seen over 1000 casulties. The event was organised by the Ireland, Palestine Solidarity campaign.
Speaking at the event Marc Mac Seáin said that for many years, the international community has essentially turned a blind eye to events that started with the Nakba ( See www.un.org for Nakba background)
"People speak of the Nakba as if it was a single incident many many years ago. Forced displacement of many people, but it is ongoing since then with forced removals and demolitions of homes. You see this trickle of injured people forced to move, people killed throughout the years. Obviously with the tumultuous events recently we're hearing from many world leaders rhetoric about how we need to respect Israel's rights to essentially defend itself, coming as they openly declared their intent to commit war crimes, crimes against humanity against the people living in Gaza. 2.4 million people packed into I think it's 141 square miles."
Dermot Kelly, Armagh Ireland Palestine Solidarity branch who has been involved for over 50 years in the Palestinian campaign spoke out against US President Joe Biden's recorded support for Israel and said that the President was justifying "any and all Israeli military steps from the bombing, to the starving, to the invasion of Gaza, on the spurious grounds that last weekend's Hamas attack on Israel merited such deadly reaction."
Kelly continued "A glimpse at a recent 28th of September report from Gaza reports that nearly 50% are unemployed, and 75% of all their third level graduates are out of work. In the same week the Israeli army killed 14 Palestinian civilians. This has all been part of the realities of their daily life. And this is long before last week's attack, daily and weekly and any of you who follow the scene will know there has been dozens of killings all year of Palestinian civilians, both in the West Bank and in Gaza."
Slieve Gullion Councillor Cathal King who visited Palestine in 2022 spoke of conditions there. "We condemn and are disheartened by the lack of acknowledgement of the genocide the Palestinians in Gaza are facing at the hands of the Israeli government. It is well known and reported that over 2 million Palestinians in Gaza live in an open air prison since the complete enclosure and isolation of the region in 2007. For the past two decades Gaza has been deprived of medicine, water, food, fuel and electricity.
"There is no justification for the killing of civilians on any side and all acts of violence must end immediately and international law must finally be respected and enforced. But I want to make one thing clear, very clear, the reason for this new cycle of violence has a root cause and the root cause is a 75 year colonial ethnic cleansing and displacement, occupation, brutal domination and apartheid rule over Palestinian land.
"It is well documented that attacks against innocent humans are a daily occurance for Palestinians in Israel, Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Where was the international outcry and media attention in 2022 that we hear and see now. 2022 was seen as the deadliest year for killings at the hands of Israeli forces and government and not to mention this year, 230 plus Palestinians killed this year prior to the events of October 7 taking place. Where was the international outcry last month or the month before that? It's often said the first casualty of war is truth."
Cllr King added "I traveled to Palestine last year 2022 to the city of Hebron. What I felt I had gained more from my trip was the many conversations I had with the Palestinians. Hearing of what their daily lives consists of and how they cope with the brutality of the apartheid system that they are subjected to. The dehumanisation is real and felt to the very core. Generations have been shackled and a nation strangled for just existing, A lasting and just peace between Palestinians and Israelis requires an end to the occupation and apartheid systems being imposed upon the Palestinian people. So what should happen now? Events have created a new urgency to the need for decisive international intervention. Such an intervention is required to bring about a ceasefire by all sides and to formulate an effective roadmap based on unconditional adherence to international law and the UN Charter. A durable and just solution to the Palestinian question is the way forward. Rigorous, impartial international leadership is required."
Deirdre Murphy from Unison concluded "It's shocking and a sad evening that we have to come here in support of the most persecuted people on Earth, the Palestinians. I have been to Palestine twice and I will take to my grave what I witnessed. I have never ever seen such brutality, such injustice, unbelievably, backed up by our own government, by Britain, by Europe, by America - and all our taxes is keeping this."
