South and East Belfast Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

South and East Belfast Sinn Fein to participate in Belfast day of action for Gaza

Published: 16 January, 2009

South Belfast Sinn Féin MLA Alex Maskey, along with East Belfast representative Niall Ó Donnghaile, have pledged the support of South and East Belfast Sinn Féin to a Sinn Féin organised Sinn Fein day of action, tomorrow, Saturday the 17th January. The day of action will take place across Belfast in aid of the people of Gaza who are suffering a humanitarian crisis following over twenty days of an intense Israeli offensive.


Alex Maskey MLA said,

"Sinn Fein MLA's, Councillors and party supporters will be out in numbers over the weekend in Belfast to highlight the ongoing situation in Gaza. Activists from South and East Belfast will be playing a full role in this.


"Twenty one days of an Israeli offensive has seen civilians, the UN, aid workers, ambulance services and schools targeted by Israeli forces resulting in over 1,150 killed and over 5000 injured. This is an assault that the group, 'Rabbi's for Human Rights', who state they are the rabbinic voice of conscience in Israel, have called "morally indefensible".


"It has also seen what precious resources there are being exhausted. The blockade of aid and food into Gaza, even before this most recent assault began, has depleted energy, medical, food and water supplies but now these resources are virtually non-existent in Gaza.


"This is nothing short of a humanitarian crisis with 1.5 million people hemmed into the Gaza Strip facing these severe shortages".


Mr Ó Donnghaile added,

"As a result of this we will be holding collections in aid of the charity, Irish Medical Aid for Palestine, across the city on Saturday, along with holding a white line picket on the Falls Road at 3pm.


"Irish Medical Aid for Palestine provides first hand assistance to Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. IMAP believe that good health is a basic right and access to adequate health care is an integral element of that right - a right being denied to the Palestinians.


"They are operating a front line service to the Palestinians under the immense pressure of the Israeli onslaught."

CRÍOCH