Some thoughts on Gaza
The Israeli military attack on the Gaza Aid Flotilla last Monday morning has broken the barrier of silence which has built up over the past 4 years concerning the blockade of Gaza. During the week I am proud to have played a part in assisting Gerry McHugh Independent MLA for Fermangh/ South Tyrone (who is a ordinary member of the FF Forum in Fermangh) and Dr Kieran Deeny MLA in bringing about a re-convening of the Northern Assembly to debate the following motion:
“That this assembly, conscious of the presence of Nobel Laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire on board the MV Rachel Corrie, calls on Israel to conform with International Human rights norms and joins with the British and Irish Governments in condemning the disproportionate actions by Israel earlier this week; recognises that every nation has the right to defend itself, but that each nation also has a responsibility to respect and comply with international law; and further calls on calls on Israel to ensure that humanitarian efforts in Gaza are facilitated; that an immediate end to the blockade is effected and that the MV Rachel Corrie is given safe passage to Gaza."
The reason for seeking this emergency motion and having this debate was the fact that the MV Rachel Corrie was on route to Gaza and was due to finish its journey on Saturday Morning and many MLA’s within the Assembly wished to extend their support to the Irish citizens on board. Aboard the ship were noted Irish citizens Mairead Corrigan from Belfast as well as former UN assistant secretary-general Denis Halliday, Nobel peace prize winner Mairead Maguire, ship captain Derek Graham and his wife Jenny, from Mayo, and Dundalk film-maker Fiona Thompson. Their brave actions in bringing attention to the blockade deserve the support of all in civic and political society. Over the course of the last week we have seen the development of a civic international movement has developed committed to activity to bring about a break in the blockade. This is a direct response to the international communities inability to do more than issue UN resolutions which are never followed through with real pressure.
The recent Goldstone Report, which to his credit Irishman Desmond Travers played a significant role in authoring, specifically condemned the blockade of Gaza as a contravention of international law. This is not to ignore the activities of Hamas and the suppression and brutality which this faction has subjected Gazans to, but it is instead to underscore that a respected group of international jurists, have reached their own critical conclusions on this matter. When the blockade itself is deemed a breach of international law by such eminent legal scholars, then the enforcement of that blockade can hardly be justified.
The Irish Government has been strong in its statements. An Taoiseach , Brian Cowen stated “I want to make this point: if any harm comes to any of our citizens, it will have the most serious consequences,” he said on Tuesday. The Israeli Governments actions in intercepting and not allowing the MV Rachel Corrie to continue its journey unimpeded require a urgent response from the Government. The illegal detention and kidnapping of Irish citizens not to mention the deliberate misuse of Irish passports only a month ago requires more than just empty statements of condemnation. It must be followed by real action.
Ireland acting unilaterally on this issue, obviously will achieve very little. It is only by acting in co-operation with our European counterparts and the rest of the international community that we can truly make a impact. Although we are only a small country we should never doubt the moral authority we have to speak out on humanitarian issues having consideration to our own historical experiences.
There is a old Israeli maxim which says “Israel does whatever it must, and the world can say all they want”. This will continue to be the case until the International community says no more. It is only when the Israeli government finds itself isolated in on the world stage that they will finally understand that they must abide by International legal norms in order to ensure the rest of the worlds support.
Two weeks ago Israel was admitted into the OECD with Irelands assent. If the Government is serious about reacting to the weeks transgressions of International Law and want to give expression to the Irish peoples disappointment at what has occurred then they must seek to have Israel suspended from the European Mediterranean Trade Agreement and also to have them suspended from the OECD until a immediate end is brought to the blockade. To do anything less and we will be implicitly supporting their actions.
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