Irish lawmakers on Wednesday called out the West’s “double standards” for imposing sanctions on Russia after invading Ukraine but not doing the same to Israel over its violations in Palestine. #Palestine #Ireland #Israel #Ukraine #Russia
In the vivid tapestry of today’s world, it’s baffling for anyone to deny the presence of apartheid in Israel and Palestine. I’ve witnessed it firsthand, from the towering Apartheid Wall in Jerusalem to the poignant streets of Ramallah, and even the strife-ridden alleys of Hebron. The picture is stark: a community decimated to protect hundreds of illegal settlers.
It’s an unsettling truth that, in the 1980s, we stood at the forefront, courageously confronting the South African apartheid regime. Yet, in our current age, we falter even to pass legislation that bans goods originating from these illegal settlements, which, let’s not forget, are unequivocally against international law.
Our inability to recognize the Palestinian state or to take a stand against the ongoing atrocities will be harshly judged by history. A brutal, oppressive, and apartheid state, Israel must be called out for its actions. The recent Amnesty International report leaves no room for ambiguity. It explicitly states that Israel perpetrates apartheid and that its civilian administration, military authorities, and various institutions enforce this discriminatory system against Palestinians. The international community must reevaluate its stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in light of these heinous crimes.
The report presents a disturbing narrative of how Palestinians are treated as an inferior racial group, subjected to oppression and segregation. Israel aims to dominate and oppress Palestinians through territorial fragmentation, segregation, dispossession of land, economic and social rights denial, forcible transfers, administrative detention, torture, unlawful killings, and the denial of basic human rights and freedoms. Persecution is rife.
Ireland boasts a noble tradition of supporting the Palestinian people. While Israel’s crimes of apartheid are well-documented, the European Union’s significant involvement in the arms trade with Israel deserves greater scrutiny. Between 2012 and 2018, EU member states sold arms to Israel amounting to almost 700 million per year. Germany and Italy alone contributed 35% of Israel’s arms imports during 2014-2018. These actions are a stark contradiction to EU values, as they continue to profit from arms sales to a nation that systematically abuses international law and suppresses peaceful protesters.
It’s a tragic paradox that our responses to different conflicts vary significantly. While we rush to condemn certain regimes, such as Putin’s Russia, we approach others, like Saudi Arabia, with utmost caution despite their disturbing actions. The need for consistent and principled responses to international conflicts remains ever-pressing.
The question we must ponder is: Are we content to merely raise concerns and offer words of sympathy or are we willing to take meaningful action to address these injustices?
In a world teeming with complexities and contradictions, one thing remains clear: it’s time for us to uphold our values, condemn oppression, and work towards a just, equitable, and peaceful future for all.
