Gaza Peace Plan – let’s hope it works
Martyn Turner’s cartoon sums up Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan for me. The cartoon depicts President Trump, the Don of Peace, with a laurel twig in his mouth flying past some birds. One bird says of the plan, ‘It’s crazy.’ The other bird says, ‘But let’s hope it works.’ After two years of death, destruction and displacement in Gaza of course we all want the peace plan to work. We want hostages and prisoners to be freed, the killing to end and a full resumption of aid for the people of Gaza. But we also want an end to the occupation of Palestinian territory by Israel and the right to self-determination for the Palestinian people. Without justice and freedom for Palestine a permanent peace is unlikely to be forthcoming from this plan.
A group of UN experts have welcomed aspects of the American peace plan such as ‘a permanent ceasefire, rapid release of unlawfully detained persons, an influx of humanitarian aid under United Nations supervision, no forced displacement from Gaza, the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the non-annexation of territory.’ However, they point out that, ‘Any peace plan must respect international law,’ and that, ‘The future of Palestine must be in the hands of the Palestinian people – not imposed by outsiders under extreme conditions of duress.’ Palestinians were not consulted about the plan. There are no firm provisions for Palestinian self-determination. The future of East Jerusalem and the West Bank, where Israeli annexation continues apace, are not discussed. Brian Brivati, the Executive Director of the Britain Palestine Project makes the same point that the Trump plan is an imperial imposition that does not offer Palestinian self-determination and simply ignores the war crimes of both Hamas and Israel.
A statement from the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem welcomes the ceasefire in Gaza and calls for a rapid surge of humanitarian supplies into the Gaza strip. They also point to the increase of violence directed at Palestinian communities in the West Bank and ask that this also receives attention. They argue that only the establishment of a Palestinian State alongside the State of Israel will offer a resolution of conflict. They commend the witness and steadfastness of the St Porphyrios orthodox Church and the Holy Family Catholic Church and the Al-Ahli Anglican Hospital over the past two years. They have sheltered people and lived under siege throughout the assault by Israel.
Pass the Occupied Territories Bill
On Monday 15th September the Pass the Occupied Territories Bill coalition renewed the campaign for an immediate passing of the bill to ban trade between Ireland and the illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine. Before the above photograph was taken outside the Dail a report ‘Trading with illegal Settlements’ was launched by Jim Clarken of Oxfam Ireland, Senator Frances Black who first tabled the OTB seven years ago and by Conor O’Neill of Christian Aid Ireland. The report, which is available on-line, is endorsed by 80 humanitarian and faith-based organisations in Europe. It outlines the theft of land and resources by the Israeli settlers and the disastrous impact on the lives and wellbeing of Palestinian communities.
Sadaka (The Ireland Palestine Alliance) points out that it is three months since the Irish government tabled the bill to ban trade with the illegal Israeli settlements on stolen Palestinian land. The joint Oireachtas joint committee has unanimously stated that this ban should include trade in goods and services. The government is still waiting for advice from the Attorney General and Sadaka suggests that this may be a delaying tactic. There is clear public support for this bill. Sadaka urges that we lobby for the implementation of this modest measure to show the Israeli government that there are consequences for its illegal actions. TDs can be contacted using the following addresses. Pressure still needs to be put on the government of Israel to end the occupation of Palestinian territory. The Irish government must pass the Occupied Territories Bill.
Visit to Ireland by Pastor Ashraf Tannous from Bethlehem
The Rev Ashraf Tannous is the pastor of the Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem. This month he is visiting England and Northern Ireland. In England he is meeting with churches and attending the annual conference of Sabeel-Kairos/UK. In Ireland he will be meeting church leaders, NGO representatives, politicians and will address two public meeting. This an opportunity to hear a Palestinian Christian perspective at a critical time in the Holy Land.
Monday 20th October 7.00 pm
From Lament to Liberation – A conversation with Ashraf Tannous
St Mary’s University College
Tuesday 21st 7.30 pm
From Lament to Liberation – A conversation with Ashraf Tannous
Knock Methodist Church
The meeting at the Knock Methodist Church meeting should be available live on YouTube on their channel https://www.youtube.com/@KnockMethodistChurch/streams
John Parkin
Chairperson – Kairos Ireland
Discover more from Kairos Ireland
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
