Sir, – recently, almost every day, I have seen evidence of the Irish people’s solidarity with Palestine and their wish to stop Israel’s dismantling of international humanitarian principles.
From Palestinian flags at Rockathon to tennis balls on the pitch at the Aviva Stadium, to Al Haq, the Palestinian human rights organisation presenting to our Oireachtas.
Just over two weeks ago, 40 per cent of the motions passed at the Irish College of GPs’ agm related to supporting healthcare in Gaza and boycotting institutions that support Israel’s apartheid regime. Why then is our Government so reluctant to act according to the obvious will of the people?
Why has the Occupied Territories Bill been reduced to a fraction of its original intent? Is it because, as our former president Michael D Higgins said, we have entered a phase of catastrophic capitalism, where economic interests are the only consideration, with no room for ethics, justice or philosophy?
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If our Government does not have the foresight and moral courage to act in accordance with international law and basic humanitarian principles, is it just Palestine that will suffer or are we all heading for disaster? – Yours, etc,
DR ANGY SKUCE,
GP and founding member of Irish HealthCare Workers for Palestine,
Dublin 6.
Sir, – On June 4, 2005, my son and I walked to Lansdowne Road for a World Cup qualifying match against Israel. Irish fans found an information leaflet prepared by the Irish Palestinian Solidarity Campaign on seats throughout the stadium, asking us to hold up the image of the Palestinian flag on its reverse during the anthems. We did so in our many thousands, quietly.
The team’s then manager, Brian Kerr, who opposed a boycott at that time, has recently stated, along with other prominent Irish footballers and supporters, the importance of boycotting the upcoming October match in the face of indisputable genocide.
Twenty-one years on, whatever decisions we reach, we urgently need comprehensive effective protest at all levels, from ordinary fans, League of Ireland, FAI, and our Government. – Yours, etc,
DR JO MURPHY-LAWLESS
Drumcondra,
Dublin 9
Sir, – In all the whataboutery around the upcoming Nations League fixtures against Israel, usually deployed to deflect from its crimes, what is missed is that there is a long-standing call from Palestinian civil society for a sporting boycott of that state.
It is unthinkable that our national men’s team will be used in the sportswashing of Israel’s crimes. The Government and the FAI have a unique opportunity to lead, as we did in the face of South African apartheid, to reflect the will of the majority of the football community and the broader public and to be on the right side of history by boycotting the games. They should take it. – Yours, etc,
