A LIMERICK lecturer who has been trying to get into the besieged city of Gaza since 2005 has finally succeeded in her quest and now she’s planning to bring some of their young soccer players to Limerick.
Zoe Lawlor, who lectures in the University of Limerick, has just returned from the Palestinian enclave and she is hoping to build links between a small traditional fishing community and the fisheries sector in Ireland as well as making plans to bring youth soccer teams to the city.
She was one of nine members of Gaza Action Ireland (GAI) who travelled to Gaza last month to highlight and help undermine the Israeli blockade of the Palestinian controlled territory.
“We met Palestinian fishermen at Gaza Seaport who come from long, proud traditions of fishing and are subject to constant terrorism by Israel. Their boats are routinely thrashed. They are shot at, beaten, detained and they have seen their livelihoods decimated,” Zoe told the Limerick Post.
“As Ireland is an island and has such a strong fishing tradition, the group hopes to highlight the injustices perpetrated against the Palestinian fishing community and to build solidarity links with them,” she said.
The group also met with players and officials of the Al-Helal football club whose youth team presented them with jerseys.
“The importance of sport as an outlet for the traumatised youth of Gaza cannot be understated. GAI intends to try to bring youth teams out of Gaza to play in Ireland, hopefully in Limerick, to meet other children and share their stories,” said Zoe
GAI met with different representatives of civil society and were hosted by the award-winning Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR). They visited Shifa Hospital, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and its Ambulance and Emergency Department where they heard how the siege devastated the health of the population in Gaza and how medical supplies and instruments are in very short supply.
“The trip was very informative, productive and rewarding. Gaza, despite the siege and the bombings by Israel, the most recent in November where 160 people were killed in 8 days, is a vibrant place full of hope.
“The main impression from visiting Gaza is of how strong the people are in the face of the blockade and isolation from the rest of their country and from the world, and of how important solidarity and connections are for them,” said Zoe.
Above: Zoe Lawlor of Gaza Action Ireland.
