Natural Resource Robbery And Irish Sport - Netanyahu Orders His Band Of Terrorists To Takeover 70% Of Gaza
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Apartheid Israel, has ordered his band of terrorists to seize and exercise control over 70% of the Gaza Strip in a move that threatens to torpedo an already fragile, almost existent, ‘ceasefire’, along with worsening humanitarian conditions in the already devastated Palestinian exclave.
After eight months of a so-called ceasefire backed by the United States and other western governments, this latest military order from Netanyahu exposes a stark reality which the world has so far refused to acknowledge - there exists not just a policy to completely end any hope of an independent and free Palestinian state, there is also one that has the theft of the natural resources of the region firmly within its sights.
In recent decades, United Nations confirmed the discovery of major recoverable oil and gas deposits off the eastern coast of Mediterranean Sea, as well as under Palestine, Lebanon and Syria. These resources could and should be exploited for the collective benefit of the people of the region.
In 1999, the UN stated that those untapped oil and gas resources were, at the time, estimated to have been worth over 524 billion US dollars/389 billion pounds sterling (Yes, those figures were correct in 1999, and, undoubtedly, are substantially more valuable today). However, the Palestinian people are prohibited from exploiting the oil and gas reserves in their own land.
Still mainly unexploited, ask yourself, how much more must those still untapped resources be worth in monetary terms today - over a quarter of a century later? How many homes, schools, universities, and hospitals could be built - in Palestine, in Lebanon, in Syria? How many jobs could be provided?
With its expansionist agenda in full swing, Apartheid Israel is looking to be the one to exploit these resources, in cooperation with its US ally of course, no matter the cost in human life - Palestinian, Lebanese, and Syrian alike.
Meanwhile, the undemocratic oil rich monarchies of the region make meaningless noises but fail to propose or take any meaningful action against Apartheid Israel. It seems that petro-dollars are more valuable than countless Palestinian, Lebanese and Syrian lives.
But beacons of hope against the expansionist, exploitative agenda of Apartheid Israel do exist, and our own country is one of those beacons, even though many of those who currently sit in Leinster House and Stormont do not reflect that.
In the worst period of our history, An Gorta Mór, over one million of Ireland's people died from starvation, malnutrition and disease. At least another one million people had no choice but to emigrate in order to escape the terror of An Gorta Mór. In the immediate aftermath of An Gorta Mór, Ireland, under British rule, appeared to be finally and totally defeated. Yet, the resistance arose again and again, forcing the British to eventually concede independence for most of our island.
The Palestinian people have a deep affinity with Ireland, its history and its struggles. They take hope and inspiration from this, with most Irish people also sharing a similar affinity with Palestine. Both peoples know that foreign military might, injustice, discrimination, and the denial of basic human rights can be overcome.
The present circumstances which exist across Palestine are extremely dire, but the Palestinian people still hold on to hope for a new dawn, a new day, a new future. It is up to each and every one of us to assist in making that hope a reality.
The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) has a role to play in this - whether the Ard Comhairle agrees or not. County and club players, along with members and supporters, are making their voices heard across Ireland - Allianz must go! From a commercial viewpoint, being the main sponsor of the GAA is a very attractive and lucrative proposition for many businesses, including international organisations, meaning there will be no shortage of more ethical replacements if the GAA national leadership chooses to put people and principles first.
Likewise, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) must also make a similar decision with regards to boycotting both upcoming fixtures against Apartheid Israel in the UEFA Nations League. Again, it is the grassroots members and supporters who are leading the way on this, with the FAI leadership leaving their players in an invidious position. It is remarkable just how out of touch the leaderships of these two ‘membership driven’ national organisations are from their own respective members on this issue.
The international BDS Movement calls for a sporting boycott, as part of a wider cultural, academic and consumer boycott, against Apartheid Israel and it’s sports teams as,
“Israel has deliberately and systematically destroyed Palestinian stadiums and sports infrastructures and detained Palestinian players and athletes. It has restricted their freedom of movement, banning Palestinian athletes in the occupied West Bank from training with their counterparts in the Gaza Strip, and subjecting them to interrogations at checkpoints when traveling across the West Bank or abroad to take part in international competitions. Israeli forces have in the past deliberately targeted the feet of teenage Palestinian footballers with live ammunition.”
Irish sporting organisations should abide by these calls to boycott sports teams from the Apartheid state of Israel, just as Irish sports teams in the past boycotted sports teams from Apartheid South Africa. But it is up to each and every one of us to encourage Irish sporting bodies to decline participation in Apartheid Israel’s campaign of sports-washing, and if they choose to disregard these calls, we must hold them to account.
We need to be ready to oppose these attempts to sports-wash Apartheid Israel and their campaign of genocide against the Palestinian people!