Irish athletes express their solidarity with Palestine in Dublin

DUBLIN

Irish athletes in Dublin showed their solidarity with the Palestinians on Saturday and protested against Israel’s attack on the Gaza Strip.

Dozens took part in the rally of the Irish group “Sport for Palestine” in front of Parliament.

38-year-old former Irish boxing international and European champion Eric Donovan said the rally was “very important to stand up against the injustice and genocide in Palestine.”

“And what is happening in Palestine right now is not very fair and unequal. These are horrific crimes, heinous, evil crimes committed by Israel and supported by its allies in America and Europe. That is why we must come together and denounce this genocide, this inhumane act,” Donovan told Anadolu.

“If we continue to speak out and continue to fight back, hopefully those in power will actually take action and sanction Israel, ban it and remove it from world sport. It does not deserve to be on the world stage in sporting events,” he said. “The genocide must stop and Palestine must be free.”

A group of pro-Palestinian protesters, including athletes, displayed “red cards” to signal that Israel should not participate in international sports tournaments. A red car in soccer signals that a player has been excluded from the game for breaking the rules.

Despite Palestinian and international calls to exclude Israel from international events, Israeli sports clubs and national teams have been participating in tournaments since early October, when the current conflict began. Israeli athletes have also been allowed to participate in the 2024 Olympic Games, which begin in Paris on July 26.

The protesters, holding Palestinian flags, also placed toys on the sidewalk in front of the parliament to commemorate the children killed by Israel.

Israel’s war against Gaza

Israel is ignoring a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire and is facing international criticism for its ongoing brutal offensive on Gaza since the attack by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas on October 7.

According to local health authorities, more than 38,000 Palestinians have been killed since then, mostly women and children, and over 88,000 injured.

More than nine months after the start of Israel’s war, large parts of the Gaza Strip lie in ruins and are plagued by a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel is accused of genocide by the International Court of Justice. In its latest ruling, Israel was ordered to immediately cease its military operation in the southern city of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before the May 6 invasion.

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