If we take the latest genocide being inflicted on the Palestinian people in Gaza since October 7th last year, at least 33,000 people have been killed, most of whom are women and children. This genocide is taking place every day and we can watch the immediate impact on social media. So there’s nobody in Ireland who is not aware of what is happening.
In the six months since last October, numerous rallies, protests and other action has been taking place. The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign has been gaining momentum and Lasair Dhearg has been one of the organisations at the fore of the campaign, especially in West Belfast. Not only is it making more people aware of what is happening in Gaza but more businesses such as shops, cafes, chemists, hairdressers, and barbers are signing up to the campaign. Crucially, they are refusing to stock goods made in Israel. However, the larger stores, such as Sainsbury’s, Lidl and ASDA continue to sell these products even though many who work in those shops have called on the management to change this policy.
Sinn Féin is one of the biggest political parties in the country, with seven members of the British Parliament, thirty six members of Leinster House, twenty seven members of Stormont and more than two hundred councillors across the island. Their support for the campaign would obviously have an impact but aside from public rallies and the odd statement from time to time, they have had very little to say about the genocide in Gaza.
When many people called on the Free State government to expel the Israeli ambassador, Sinn Féin refused to join in the call for her expulsion until public pressure forced them to change tack. Then we had the spectacle of them going to Washington to meet US president Biden despite calls for them not to meet a man who wholeheartedly supports the genocide in Gaza.
Sinn Féin, if they so wished, could get their many elected representatives to go to the management of the major stores that sell Israeli goods and pressure them to remove them from their shelves. They refuse to do so. The question has to be asked, why? Is it a case of avoiding embarrassment to their sponsors in the US, or is it a case of placating their partners on Stormont who support the genocide? Only Sinn Féin can answer that. In public they may pay lip service to the Palestinian people, but they could and should, be doing a lot more.
