WHILE the British government remains as silent as the grave over the continuing slaughter of Palestinians by the racist Israeli government, and while the Labour Party opposition looks the other way, Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin has reacted to the Israeli killing of 15 Palestinians in Gaza on Tuesday, including four children and four women, saying that he deeply regrets the loss of life in Gaza.
He also said he was disturbed by Israel’s demolition on May 7 of the EU-funded Jibb al-Deeb elementary school, near the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem.
‘I deeply regret the loss of life in Gaza,’ he said in a statement. ‘The killing of civilians, including children, is never acceptable. These acts risk escalating the situation and leading to further violence.’
On the demolition of the school, where 60 fourth grade Palestinian students were studying, the Irish Foreign Minister said he was disturbed by the demolition and called on Israel not to proceed with demolitions. In fact dozens more schools are also targeted with demolition!
He added: ‘I am also disturbed by the demolition on 7 May by Israeli authorities of an EU-funded school in the occupied West Bank. Such acts negatively impact essential education for Palestinian children,’ urging Israel ‘not to proceed with demolitions and to cease all settlement activities.’
‘Ireland’, he added, ‘is part of a group of EU Member States that are pursuing compensation for demolished humanitarian structures.’
Palestinians have no other choice but to resist, as Israelis do not understand the language of peace, amid intensified tensions across the occupied territories, as the Israeli regime doubles down on desecrating Islamic sanctities.
In fact, the Palestinian masses are very bravely fighting back and are determined that their Intifada will succeed against a racist Israeli government that has fascists in its leadership, and drives forward to the ‘final solution’ to the ‘Palestinian problem’.
Tensions ran high once again since Tuesday night when dozens of heavily armed Israeli forces stormed the al-Aqsa Mosque compound before firing tear gas and stun grenades into the Qibli prayer hall, where hundreds of men, women, elderly people, and children were staying overnight to pray. Some eyewitnesses said rubber-coated steel bullets were also fired.
Israeli officers then beat worshippers with batons and riot guns, wounding many, before arresting them.
Within less than 24 hours, the regime’s forces staged a second attack against the Palestinian worshippers at the al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
However the Palestinian resistance is fighting back strongly to regain their land.
Last Thursday, at least 30 rockets were reportedly launched from southern Lebanon into the Israeli-occupied territories in retaliation against the Israeli aggression against al-Aqsa.
Palestinian resistance fighters, based in Gaza, also fired several rockets towards Israel. Palestinian sources said the regime’s Iron Dome failed to intercept most of the retaliatory rockets.
Following the rocket attack, Israeli warplanes hit targets inside Gaza and positions of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas in Lebanon.
The brutal Israeli repressions also gave rise to other retaliatory operations led by resistance fighters. Last Friday, at least two Israeli settlers were killed and another was seriously wounded after they came under a shooting attack in the northern part of the West Bank.
Hamas praised as ‘heroic’ the Friday shooting operation, saying it showed resistance forces are ready to quickly react to any act of aggression by the Israeli regime.
On the same day, at least one person was killed and many more were injured in separate shooting and car-ramming operations in Tel Aviv in the occupied territories.
Palestinians are not surprised that Israel and Israeli soldiers, settlers and the paramilitary are again attacking peaceful worshippers. This is a systematic Israeli policy.
Palestinians are convinced that the illegitimate Israeli regime, which was established some 75 years ago, is a ‘project doomed to fail’ because the Zionist state is a puppet of the imperialist powers, and in fact its soldiers are committing suicide in record numbers.
On Saturday May 13th there is going to be a massive demonstration, to Free Palestine, starting from the BBC Portland place W1A at 11am. Make sure that you are there and bring a contingent with you!
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