‘We live in a world now where it is the law of the jungle,’ Drogheda councillors voice solidarity with Palestine
The Drogheda IndependentDrogheda is set to join the ‘Apartheid Free Zone’ movement in support of Palestinian people, after local councillors backed a motion from Mayor Michelle Hall.
Apartheid Free Zones are a new initiative aiming to transform local communities into spaces of solidarity with the Palestinian struggle for freedom, justice and equality.
Israeli Apartheid Free Zones have been declared at cafes, retailers, community centres and cultural institutions around the world, where boycotts on Israeli goods and companies are taking place.
Speaking at the January meeting, Mayor Hall submitted a motion outlining “opposition to apartheid, colonialism and racial discrimination in all forms, including against the Palestinian people.”
She told councillors that the motion “asks the local authority, business, retail and consumers to avoid Israeli products and services when and where possible, as revenue from these helps to fund the occupation and oppression of the Palestinian people.”
"In general this a boycott of all Israeli goods and services, not merely those that originate in Israel’s illegal settlements in Palestine – the settlements are mainly symptoms of the wider problem of Israeli colonialism and apartheid, and cannot be divorced from the state that create and sustain them.”
The motion was seconded by Cllr. Kevin Callan and received broad support across the chamber.
She added: “It has been said that the apartheid system in Israel is worse than it was in South Africa, because in South Africa they needed black population as a workforce. They don’t need Palestinian people in Israel.”
She said the Palestinian population were “forcibly displaced” as Israel “chose expansionism over security.”
Mayor Hall welcomed the Irish government’s condemnation of restrictions placed on the work of UNWRA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) and medical aid organisations such as Médecins Sans Frontières.
She called for people to “make ethical choices” when they are shopping, and where possible to choose locally sourced goods.
"I feel Ireland has a place in wanting to uphold international law and peace in this time.”
Cllr. Kevin Callan said: “We live in really uncertain times, what we thought was impossible ten years ago is now happening on a daily basis.”
He added that fear of retribution and legal action had led to less opposition across the world, and called for more motions like this to be put forward.
Cllr. Pio Smith told the meeting: “Unfortunately we live in a world now where it can be characterised as the law of the jungle. Big states do what they want to do, we have seen that recently.”
He said that even though there could be “negative kickback” for Ireland in taking the stance it has on Palestine, it was important to keep highlighting the atrocities.
"When we see the treatment of Palestinians it is hard not to raise a voice and say we disagree with what is happening.”
He said it was “important to remember that there is a cohort of people in Israel who do not support Netanyahu and what the Israeli government is doing. They would like to see a two state solution where people can live side by side in peace.”
The motion was supported by Cllr. Debbie McCole and Cllr. Eric Donovan, who said: “I don’t think we can underestimate our strength, ability and power in numbers. What’s happening in Palestine is a crime against humanity.”
“I know there are a lot of Jewish people and Israeli nationals who don’t support what is going on...there needs to be a bigger wave of opposition from the global public.”
He said he has a lot of friends in Palestine “and they are just good, good people who are just looking for equality and justice. Hopefully that will prevail sooner rather than later.”
Cllr. Anne Marie Ford said it was important “not to sit on the fence” adding “We have become very desensitised to human suffering and frailty.”
Cllr. Paddy McQuillan added his own support for the motion.