Offaly Sinn Féin protest to end conflict in Gaza

offaly | anti-war / imperialism | event notice Thursday January 08, 2009 22:19 by Brendan K - Sinn Féin

The Vigil will take place at O’Connor Square, Tullamore at 5.00pm on Saturday. We are encouraging members of the public to come along and bring placards or a candle if possible.

Sinn Féin is to hold a national day of protest on Saturday 10th January against the Israeli massacres in the Gaza Strip. As part of this, Laois/Offaly Sinn Féin is holding a Vigil to show solidarity with the Palestinian people and to call on the people of the Midlands to boycott Israeli goods that are on sale in this country.

Speaking about the day of protest Sinn Féin Laois County Councillor Brian Stanley said, “Israel has imposed a cruel and brutal blockade on the people of Gaza since June of 2007. This blockade of humanitarian aid, food and fuel has crippled the day-to-day life of Gaza and is the context against which the current aggression is set.

Israel’s Air Offensive has brought major destruction to Gaza and the slaughter of hundreds of innocent Palestinians, over 700 hundred of which are now dead. Many of them women and children. Israeli massacres include the killing of 40 women and children at a United Nations refugee centre by Israeli shelling.

The EU-Israel Association Agreement, which seeks to strengthen the EU’s preferential relationship with Israel in areas including economic, trade, security and diplomatic relations, will come before the European Parliament next month. Israel is in blatant contravention of the existing preferential trade agreement, which stipulates that Israel must respect human rights

The Irish Government needs to show leadership and Micheál Martin should immediately propose that this be suspended and use his influence to call for an immediate ceasefire from both sides and the lifting of the blockade of the border crossings to allow the Palestinian people the basic right of movement and ultimately a Palestinian state.

The Vigil will take place at O’Connor Square, Tullamore at 5.00pm on Saturday. We are encouraging members of the public to come along and bring placards or a candle if possible”.

ENDS