COUNCILLORS UNITETO CONDEMNISRAELTACTICS
THERE was strong cross-party condemnation of Israel at this month’s meeting of Kerry County Council over the recent shooting dead of Palestinian protesters in the Gaza Strip and West Bank.
In some of the bloodiest scenes since the 2014 war, 60 people were shot dead and close to 3,000 injured by the Israel Defence Forces during the opening of the US Embassy in Jerusalem last week, less than 100 kilometres away from the Gaza ‘ border’ fence.
Sinn Féin Cllr Toireasa Ferris criticised the actions of Israel and tabled a motion with Fianna Fáil Cllr Norma Moriarty, calling on Kerry County Council members to support the ‘Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018’ currently before the Seanad and to be debated in June. The bill gives effect to the State’s obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention which protects civilians in times of war. The bill also considers it an offence to import or sell goods originating
UNLESS THERE IS RECOGNITION OF A PALESTINIAN STATE, YOU’RE NOT GOING TO HAVE PEACE.
from an occupied territory.
Cllr Ferris said the majority of people killed in the latest wave of attacks were ordinary Palestinians commemorating Al Nakba (remembering the displacement of 1948) and were mostly women and children. She also urged people here to boycott Israeli products.
“All councillors here should urge their party members to support the bill,” she said. “Many of you are farmers in this chamber and I ask, ‘can you imagine having your land occupied, illegally?’”
The motion received strong support from FF Cllr Norma Moriarty who said ‘we’re all students of history’ and she condemned the killings saying a two-state solution was the only option for Palestinians. Fine Gael Cllr Aoife Thornton said it adds to the complexity of the situation to blame just one side and she criticised the killings by adding that no treaty has ever been meaningfully provided for a peacekeeping solution.
Party colleague Cllr Jim Finucane also supported this view. “Unless there is recognition of a Palestinian state you’re not going to have peace.”
Sinn Fein Cllr Pa Daly called for a ‘ twinning strategy’ between Tralee and a Palestinian town. He also criticised the fact Palestinians, in occupied regions, have just four hours of electricity a day, while 97 percent of their water sources are undrinkable.
“The firing of live ammunition is wrong. It was wrong on Bloody Sunday and it’s wrong now,” he said. No councillor spoke in support of Israel, who say they are defending their borders.