Today, Saturday 22nd March, to protest the failure of the Irish government to hold Israel accountable, the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign, supported by more than 150 Irish civil society groups, is holding a National Demonstration for Palestine – to send a message to the government that the Irish public want sanctions on the racist, apartheid, genocidal Israeli regime NOW! The march will call for an end to Israel’s continued genocidal attacks on Palestinian in Gaza and the the West Bank, for states to stop arming Israel, an end to the use of Irish airspace for transporting weapons, for an end the to the Central Bank of Ireland's role in funding genocide, and for the Irish government to take action to hold Israel accountable.
It will be the fourteenth such national mobilisation since October 2023 - all of which have seen tens of thousands flood Dublin's streets in opposition to Israel's slaughter in Gaza that has seen at least 47,000 people killed, as well as more than 800 in the West Bank.
Protestors will assemble at 1pm at the Garden of Remembrance on Parnell Square, and will march from there to Leinster House for a rally outside the Dáil.
Speakers at the rally will include BDS Movement Co-Founder Omar Barghouti, renowned Palestinian writer and intellectual Ghada Karmi, Gaza genocide survivor Shahd Almodallal, Mahmoud an engineer from Gaza, and IPSC Chairperson Zoë Lawlor.
The rally will be MCed by Palestinian doctor Abdallah Al-Bayyari, and there will be musical performances by Abdallah alongside duo Leen & Latif, and violinist Aoife Kelly.
Speaking ahead of the protest, IPSC Chairperson Zoë Lawlor said, "A few days ago, Apartheid Israel horrifically broke the Gaza ceasefire and has now murdered almost 600 more people, 70% of the victims women and children. It has re-invaded Gaza, and its war criminal leaders, backed by the Trump regime, are intent on ethnic cleansing both the Strip and the West Bank.
"UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine, Francesca Albanese, this week stated that 'Israel’s conduct aiming to ethnically cleanse the land between the river to the sea, amounts to a genocidal campaign to erase Palestinians as a people,' and that the 'international community must uphold its obligation to protect Palestinians from annihilation.'
"Instead, earlier this month Micheál Martin laughed along with the repulsive Trump as the Taoiseach praised his "unrelenting focus on peace". The same Trump that has spoken of his desire to see Gaza ethnically cleansed of Indigenous Palestinians and who, mere days later, greenlit Apartheid Israel's renewed genocidal assault on the people of Gaza. This was a truly cowardly performance, the vassal kneeling before the lord - and the Irish government would have us all bow meekly before Trump.
"But we will not be bowed! This Saturday we'll be back on the streets in even greater numbers to tell this craven government that instead of betrayals, backsliding and cowardice in the face of the US empire's threats, we want the Occupied Territories Bill, the Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill, and the Arms Embargo Bill passed, we want the Central Bank to Stop funding genocide, an end to the use of Irish airports and airspace to transfer weapons, we want Israel kicked out of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, and we want to ditch the anti-Palestinian IHRA-WDA.
"In short, WE WANT SANCTIONS NOW!"
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