Following the historic and unanimous adoption of a recent Sinn Féin motion by the Dáil condemning the Israeli annexation of Palestinian land, Sinn Féin has carried out a series of bilateral contacts and meetings with leadership representatives of three main Palestinian political forces.

Speaking today, Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald TD has said:

“During the past week, a Sinn Féin delegation led by our National Chairperson, Declan Kearney MLA, and including John Brady TD and Pat Sheehan MLA, have engaged with representatives from Fatah, Hamas, the Palestinian National Initiative, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and the Palestinian People’s Party.

“The Palestinian representatives expressed their deep appreciation for the unanimous position taken by an Dáil in opposition to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands.

“However, the repression of Palestinians within Israel itself, in East Jerusalem and across the West Bank continues to be relentless. The siege of Gaza is unabated. More needs to be done by the international community to support the unprecedented levels of popular Palestinian resistance against the Israeli apartheid occupation.

“Sinn Féin believes the Irish government should immediately invoke the previously agreed position of the Dáil in 2014, and now officially recognise the State of Palestine.

“The Palestinian leaders with whom Sinn Féin have engaged emphasised that such a political initiative would provide further important international momentum for the Palestinian cause

“They have asked that the Irish government immediately develop a programme of sanctions against Israel, and advocate for effective enforcement of international law within the European Union and at the United Nations.

“Sinn Féin will be seeking a meeting with the Minister for Foreign Affairs to make the case for a robust political strategy to be adopted by the government to give proper effect to the democratic positions adopted by the Dáil, and to call for unambiguous opposition by the State against the apartheid occupation being imposed on the people of Palestine.”