SINN Féin Senator Paul Gavan sent a strong message of solidarity to Palestinian people at a weekend protest in Limerick.
The rally took place at Bedford Row in the city centre at lunchtime on Saturday (September 14). It was organised by the Limerick branch of the Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, and had 150 people present, despite short notice of the event taking place.
Speaking of the horrific events that are unfolding in Gaza, Senator Gavan said: “I have never seen in my lifetime such actions as are being undertaken now. Thousands of Palestinian lives, including hundreds of women and children extinguished in days, with the threat of full-scale invasion still to come.
“Western powers are engaged in gross hypocrisy of the worst kind -supporting all possible measures to counter the illegal occupation of Ukraine whilst turning a blind eye to the decades-long occupation of Palestine by the Apartheid State of Israel.
“The awful events of the last week must be seen against the backdrop of years of inaction by the international community when it comes to the issue of justice for Palestine.
“EU Commissioner Ursula Von Der Leyen declared that cutting off water, electricity, and heating amounted to an act of terror, but that was in regard to Russia last year. When it happened last week in Gaza, she didn’t have one word to say about it.”
Senator Gavan also reminded those present that there were many members of the Jewish community who are equally horrified by Israel’s actions, including members of the B’Tselem Human Rights campaign.
He went on to call on the Irish Government to speak out clearly in condemnation of Israel’s campaign of ethnic cleansing, demand an end to all violence, and to take concrete actions in defence of Palestine’s right to self-determination.
“We need to see our government immediately recognise the State of Palestine, enact Frances Black’s Occupied Territories Bill, and actively support a campaign for boycott, divestment, and sanctions against the Apartheid State of Israel. We need to lead the call for international action that can lay a path for peaceful change for all communities involved. A wordwide campaign of boycott helped to topple Apartheid South Africa, it can do the same with Apartheid Israel.”
