Derry, Ireland, March 30, 2022: For IMEMC News, Niall Ó Brolcháin: Several events have taken place in Derry, Ireland to show solidarity between Ireland and Palestine.
The Palestinian Return Centre, based in London, has brought their mini speaking tour ‘Shared Struggle: Ireland and Palestine’ to Belfast, Tyrone, and Derry.
The event in Derry took place on March 29 in The Hive, Ráthmór Centre, Creggan. Chairing the event was Catherine Hutton of Derry Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC).
A large audience heard from Janna Jihad from the village of Nabi Saleh, Palestine. The world’s youngest journalist, Janna has been reporting about the oppression and brutality of the Israeli occupation since she was seven years old.
Farrah Koutteineh of the Palestinian Return Centre talked about the work of the Centre, advocating for Palestinian refugees in accordance with the historical, political, and legal basis of the right of return.
Political activist Gary Donnelly spoke from the Irish perspective about the historical parallels between Ireland and Palestine as occupied nations and a shared history of oppression and brutality at the hands of British and Israeli state forces.
He also talked about the practical things people could do to support the BDS Movement in the implementation of sanctions and bans on trade with illegal settlements.
A rally was held the next day, March 30, at Free Derry Corner to mark Land Day in Palestine and commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday massacre in Derry. Several speakers spoke in Irish, English, and Arabic.
This was followed by the planting of an olive tree to commemorate the anniversaries in a show of solidarity with the Palestinian people’s struggle for freedom, justice, and equality. Janna Jihad also planted an olive tree at the same time in Palestine. #EndApartheid.
