Sinn Féin Ardfheis: situation in Gaza a ‘living hell’, says Palestinian ambassador

The Palestinian ambassador to Ireland was given a prolonged standing ovation after she made an emotional address at the Sinn Féin Ardfheis in which she described the situation in Gaza as a “living hell”.

Dr Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid addressed delegates just before lunchtime on Saturday and described the bombardment by the Israeli military of Gaza as relentless and resulting in a catastrophic loss of lives.

“Israel doesn’t spare any living person or object in Gaza. This is beyond rage and revenge,” she said.

After her speech, Dr Abdalmajid was embraced by Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald and deputy leader Michelle O’Neill. As she departed the hall at the Technological University of the Shannon in Athlone, she was also embraced by the former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams, who was wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh scarf.

Hamas says it is considering latest Egyptian proposal for Gaza ceasefire and hostage-release deal ‘in a positive spirit’

---

Joe Biden denounces violent campus protests after police storm pro-Palestinian camp at UCLA

---

Pro-Palestine concert at RTÉ calls for boycott of Eurovision

---

US close to completing floating pier for Gaza aid

---

[ Sinn Féin Ardfheis: Call to expel Israeli ambassador ‘solely motivated’ by need for ceasefire in Gaza ]

In a short address, the ambassador said there was no safe place in Gaza. There is hardly shelter, food, water or fuel. Neither peace nor security can prevail while the rights of the Palestinians are denied.

“A political solution can be found, but only one which allows us to live in peace and security in our land,” she said.

Dr Abdalmajid contended that what is happening now in Gaza did not “happen out of thin air”.

“There has been a colossal political and moral failure which has led to where we are now.

“The barbarism and the ongoing massacre that continues unabated in Gaza is intolerable. And the scars will run deep in our people for generations to come. Almost 11,500 people, including children, including members of my own family, have been killed in the past five weeks.

“Every loss of civilian life is painful. And this ongoing Nakba [the Palestinian term, meaning catastrophe, for the mass displacement and loss of land to the newly formed Israeli State in 1948] has piled more suffering upon all the suffering we have endured since 1948.”

She said 1.5 million people had been forced to flee their homes in the north of Gaza to face a continued genocide in the south.

More than 700,000 are sheltered in UN schools but are still in danger of being killed every day by Israeli bombs. The targeting of our children has been recognised as war crimes and has led to many people coming on to the streets across the world to protest.

“The targeting of hospitals, schools, bakeries and UN buildings must surely force governments to act on their responsibility to apply international law.”

The speech by the ambassador and the introduction by Sinn Féin’s foreign affairs spokesman Matt Carthy generated bouts of prolonged applause and standing ovations.

Mr Carthy said the Dáil had become one of the first parliaments in the world to call for a ceasefire and called on the Government to support its motion to bring a case against Israel in the International Criminal Court.

“It was an important international signal from Ireland that has since been followed by an overwhelming vote at the UN General Council demanding such a ceasefire.

“Israel defies these calls, and as the Taoiseach has said there must be consequences for that defiance. Next week, Sinn Féin will bring a Dáil motion that will call on Ireland to exercise our right to refer Israel to the International Criminal Court,” he said.

In the 75 years since the foundation of Israel, he said, it had never been held accountable for “the countless breaches of international law or its relentless, brutal acts of oppression, annexation, apartheid or ethnic cleansing.

“This time it must be different. This time the world must make a stand.”

Mr Carthy ended his speech by chanting “in our thousands and in our millions, we are all Palestinians”.

In her leader’s speech, Ms McDonald declared that housing was her party’s “number one priority” but also devoted a substantial section to the conflict in Gaza.

“The stark choice at the next election is between a worsening housing crisis under this Government or a new government, led by Sinn Féin, that will fix housing, once and for all,” she told 1,500 delegates in her televised address.

Ms McDonald condemned the Israeli assault on Gaza as “barbaric, hateful, cowardly war crimes”, while insisting “the Irish Government should take the lead and refer Israel to the International Criminal Court”.

“When the European Commission gives carte blanche to Israel to massacre Palestinians, we say, no, never,” Ms McDonald said. “They do not speak for us.”

But she also called for hostages held by Hamas to be released, and described the attacks on Israel on October 7th as “horrific”.

“Israel must stop its slaughter in Gaza. Hamas must release all hostages. Ceasefires must be called,” she said.

Ms McDonald also reiterated her demand for a Citizens’ Assembly on Irish unity. “The day is coming when everyone on this island will have their say in referendums,” she said. “Each vote counting equally, no vetoes, no shifting of the goalposts. Momentum is building, the conversation is live, history is happening now.”

A new Ireland under Sinn Féin, she promised, would see “the Orange and Green reconciled” and would have “no place for racism, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia or sectarianism”.