This announcement of a ceasefire is a welcome respite, but it must be more than a pause in the most extreme acts of violence perpetuated by Israel. To ensure a real ceasefire and lasting peace we must see an end to apartheid, an end to the siege of Gaza, and an end to the occupation and genocide.
Even as this phased ceasefire was being negotiated, Israel continued to bomb and kill civilians - including those celebrating the hope of peace. This is what ‘peace’ looks like under apartheid: occupation, displacement, and violence in daily life.
For nearly eight decades, Palestinians have endured a long genocide under Israeli rule. The world has seen what Israel and its allies are capable of.
Our goal remains the fall of apartheid and a free Palestine.
The Irish government could use this ceasefire as an excuse to shelve the Occupied Territories Bill. We cannot allow that. Ireland must stand on the right side of history, as it once did against South African apartheid, and join the global movement for justice and liberation.