Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald TD, on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, has called on the Irish government to show solidarity with the Palestinian people by formally recognising the state of Palestine.
Teachta McDonald said:
“International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People gives the international community, including Ireland, an opportunity to honour the hopes and aspirations for peace and dignity of the Palestinian people.
“The Palestinian people continue to live under daily oppression and the Israeli authorities are ramping up their ongoing attempts at annexation of vast swaths of the West Bank.
“Palestinian families are being made homeless daily. Just this week we have witnessed Palestinian families in the al-Burj and al-Maita areas of the Jordan Valley being forced out of their homes in order to make way for Israeli military training operations in the area.
“As communities throughout the world attempt to cope with a global pandemic, the Israeli government continues to compound the challenges faced by Palestinians through daily acts of aggression.
“Already this year, Israel authorities have destroyed more Palestinian homes than at any time since 2016.
“Earlier this month, on a single day, 41 children had their homes destroyed by the Israeli security forces.
“Demolition is not confined to residential homes. Humanitarian infrastructure, including farming equipment, has also been destroyed. Much of this equipment was funded by EU states, including Ireland.
“For all intents and purposes, the Israeli government is committed to making it impossible for the Palestinian people to maintain a viable homeland.
“I am, once again, calling on the Irish government to use this occasion to honour the wishes of the elected members of the Oireachtas who have voted to recognise the State of Palestine and formally doing so on behalf of the Irish people.
“They should also end their opposition to the Occupied Territories Bill and ensure it is brought back before the Oireachtas as soon as possible.”
