Friday 14th May
Following a meeting today with the Palestine Ambassador, Dr. Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid, Congress general secretary, Patricia King has expressed her condolences to her and the people of Palestine on the tragic loss of life following the disproportionate assault on Gaza by Israeli military forces this week.
The attacks stem from weeks of violence, in particular in Jerusalem, where hundreds of Palestinians were injured in demonstrations against forced evictions of Palestinian families by the Israeli authorities. The planned evictions, if implemented, would constitute a gross violation of Israel's obligations under international law and undermine the prospects of a viable Palestinian state alongside Israel.
Patricia King said: "We utterly condemn the violence and the loss of life including those of innocent Israelis. However, the disproportionate attacks by Israel on Gaza have led to the deaths of over 130 Palestinians, including dozens of children. It is heart-breaking to see Palestinian families being thrown out of their homes to make way for Israeli settlers. Yet again, the unjust and illegal occupation of Palestine and the continued and illegal annexation of lands by Israel is the root cause of this ongoing human tragedy."
Yvonne O" Callaghan, Chair, Congress Global Solidarity added: "Our experience and lessons from history show that discrimination and the absence of human rights and equality contribute to the ongoing conflict. We welcome the calling in of the Israeli Ambassador by Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney, and emphasise that only continued international pressure can make Israel cease its violations of international law and human rights. We call once again on the Government to step up its actions in the United Nations Security Council and within the EU to ensure that Israel is not merely condemned but held accountable for its violations of international law."
Congress will continue to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people until justice, rights, and international law prevail.
