An Open Letter from Irish civil society organisations for peace in Gaza
An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, An Tanaiste, Micheál Martin, Minister for Environment, Eamon Ryan
All human life is precious and no matter where we come from, we all deserve to live free from violence and to put our children to bed, knowing that they will wake up safely.
The killing of so many innocent people by Hamas sent shockwaves throughout the world and we grieve for all the lives lost. There is no justification for the indiscriminate killing or the holding of civilian hostages.
Now we watch in horror as the ultra right-wing leader of the Israeli government, Benjamin Netanyahu launches a genocidal war, pledging to “open the gates of hell”, on innocent people trapped in Gaza with no hope of escape. Having already lived in an apartheid state for decades, the people of Gaza are now without food, water or electricity.
As civil society organisations working for freedom, equality and justice for all people in our communities and across the world, we call on you to do all you can to stop the atrocities and war crimes taking place. The collective punishment and intentional targeting of innocent civilians in retaliation for the attack by Hamas can never be justified.
We recognise the leadership you have shown in attempting to influence fellow government leaders across the EU to demand that international law is upheld and human rights are protected.
We need you to do all you can to stop governments around the world aiding the Israeli government in committing war crimes and breaking international law by sending military assistance and halting aid payments to Gaza when the people there need it most.
We need you to add your voice to the call for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor to allow urgent supplies to be brought to the people of Gaza and help secure the return of Israeli hostages unharmed.
We need you to force social media corporations headquartered in Ireland, to stop the alarming spread of online disinformation that is fuelling polarisation and is ramping up calls for the retributive massacre of the Palestinian people in Gaza.
A future of peace and safety for all, grounded in justice, freedom and equality for all, is the only option.
Signed
Uplift, Hope and Courage Collective, Community Work Ireland, Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland, Irish Congress of Trade Unions, FORSA, Amal Women Association, Immigrant Council of Ireland, Irish Anti War Movement, SIPTU, Galway Anti Racism Network, Donegal Intercultural Platform, Access For All Ireland, National Women’s Council, Dublin Bay North For All, Irish Network Against Racism, Doras, Action for Choice, Pavee Point Traveller & Roma Centre, Kildare Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Galway Council of Trade Unions, Single Parents Acting for the Rights of Kids (SPARK), Community Action Tenants Union, CATU Dun Laoghaire, International Community Dynamics, Inner City Organisations Network, Melting Potluck, Be the Bridge Today, Galway Civic Trust / Dúchas na Gaillimhe, CATU Dublin 3, Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre, Galway Scripts and Scribes, Irish Council for Civil Liberties, Cross-Cultural Conversations, LGBT Ireland, The Rowan Trust, Women’s Collective Ireland, Waterford Integration Services, Afri, Traveller Visibility Group Cork, Dublin LGBTQ+ Pride, Communications Workers Union, Shoutout, AMACH! LGBTI+ Galway, Galway City Community Network, FLAC, Places of Sanctuary Ireland, Phibsboro For All, Cairde, Community Law & Mediation, Helping Irish Hosts, Irish Traveller Movement, National Traveller Women’s Forum, Safe Ireland, The Yellow Flag Programme, Anti Deportation Ireland, Comhlámh, Empower, Mental Health North West, Community Works, Waterford Area Partnership, Galway Palestinian Solidarity Campaign, Future Generations Kerry, Brookfield Community Garden, Northside Family Resource Centre, Slí Eile, Climate Camp Ireland, Galway Feminist Collective, Ciotóg, European Anti-Poverty Network Ireland, Unite With Palestine, Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union, Catu Dublin 7, Buncrana For All, Rohingya Action Ireland, Inishowen Together, Good Energies Alliance Ireland, Treoir, Migrant Rights Centre Ireland, Treasure Leitrim, Jews for Palestine – Ireland, Clare Local Development Company, East Wall Here For All, FfAN Fermanagh Fracking Awareness Network, WSM, Tipperary PPN, Longford Roma and New Communities, Wicklow Area Women’s Group, Mandate, Social Rights Ireland, Teachers Union of Ireland Dublin Colleges, Coalition 2030, Drumgossatt/Knocknacrann Residents Group, The Gathering, The Wells Lane, Third Space Galway, CAIM (communities against the injustice of mining), Ecojustice Ireland, Academics for Palestine, Galway City Age Friendly Older Persons Council, Love Leitrim, Welcome Café, Le Chéile Diversity Not Division Coalition, Development Perspectives, Unite the Union, Academics for Reproductive Justice, Trademark, TCDSU BDS Implementation Group, ShannonWatch, SOS Training, Action Aid, Queens University, Afri, Cooperative Learning Institute, Overcoming Anxiety, Global Shapers Dublin Hub, Entheos Ireland, Lus na Gréine Family Resource Centre Clg Granard Co Longford, Socialist Lawyers Association of Ireland, Film Ireland, Leitrim Development Company, Gluaseacht, Nasc, The Refugee and Migrant Rights Center, An Taisce – The National Trust for Ireland, Voluntary Service International (VSI), Friends of the Earth Ireland, Abortion Access Campaign West, Suas Educational Development & STAND, CATU Inchicore/Kilmainham, Irish Precarity Network, Galway County PPN, Migrant Homeless Action Team, Depaul, Association of Leaders of Missionaries and Religious of Ireland, Dublin City Community Cooperative (Co-op), Association of Leaders of Missionaries and Religious of Ireland, Irland Ornoor, Rights of Nature Donegal, Mulholland Law, Inis Eoghain from Gold Mining, Financial Justice Ireland, Athlone Family Resource Centre, Portlaoise Community and Family Resource Centre, Women in Research Ireland, Sport Against Racism Ireland, Wicklow Travellers Group, Rialto Development Association, Derry – Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Refugee Support Ballaghaderreen, ChangeMakers Donegal, Siolta Chroi, Immigrants Training and Advice Services, Vincentian Lay Missionaries (VLM), Immigrants Training and Advice Services, Amdalah Africa Foundation AMDAF, Centre for Global Education, Irish Pakistani Community of Cork, Cork Rebels for Peace, Fermoy and Mallow Against Racism, Galway One World Centre, Union of Students, Leitrim Volunteer Centre, Cork Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Love and Care for People, UCD Volunteers Overseas, Mindfulness Ireland,UCD Volunteers Overseas, Viatores Christi, Human Rights Sentinel, Laois Integration Network (LIN), Latin America Solidarity Centre Ireland (LASC), Dr Rory Hearne, NMCC (Navan Muslim Community Centre), Rialto Community Network, The Talk About Youth Project, Sport Against Racism Ireland (SARI), Khan tandoori – zudi Ltd . Navan, VIATORES CHRISTI, Ballygall Community Council, Compadrito Tango Ireland, CATU Sligo/Leitrim, Counterpoints Arts, Enniscorthy Tidy Towns, Global Being Foundation website globalfreshwaterssummit.org, Global Being Foundation, YouthsRule, Sligo Traveller Support Group, Dublin Ecofeminist Collective (@DublinEcofems on Twitter and Whatsapp), Cork Environmental Forum,Cork Environmental Forum, Buncrana For All, Asthma Society of Ireland, GORM, Navan Pride CLG, Kune.