Donegal Senator Eileen Flynn will be leading the speakers at a ‘Stop the Slaughter’ march and rally for Palestine in Letterkenny this Saturday.
The event has been organised by local campaigners in response to Israel’s breaking of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza which has seen 600 people, mostly women and children, killed since Tuesday 18th March.
The total number of people killed since Israel began its most recent onslaught on Gaza has now topped 50,000.
Other speakers at the rally will include Independent County Councillor Declan Meehan, who co-sponsored a motion passed unanimously by Donegal Co Council calling on the government to pass the Occupied Territories Bill; Dr Tomas McBride from the Healthcare Workers for Palestine, who organises the weekly Healthcare Workers Vigil at Letterkenny Hospital; and Caroline White, President of the ATU Palestine Solidarity Society.
Key speaker Senator Flynn is one of the co-sponsors of both the Occupied Territories Bill and the Arms Embargo Bill in the Oireachtas. The bills are designed to bring pressure on Israel to cease its apartheid regime and to end its genocide of Palestinians. Both bills have been stalled by successive governments.
Local singer and songwriter Karen Kelly, who is one half of Without Willow, will be leading singing and entertainment at the rally.
The march will be leaving from the carpark opposite the Emergency Department, above St Conal’s Hospital at 12 noon, and proceeding via the Oatfield Roundabout and Station Roundabout to An Grianán Theatre for the rally.
A spokesperson for the Donegal Branch of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign said: “The rally will hear about the impact the Israeli assault on the civilian population of Palestine, how Israel is in breach of international law, and has now been accused of the crimes of apartheid and genocide by the International Court of Justice. There will also be calls for the Irish government to pass the Occupied Territories and Arms Embargo Bills as well as taking action in line with the International Court’s ruling to prevent Israel pursuing its campaign of genocide, to end its system of apartheid, to end the occupation of Palestinian land, and to make reparations to the Palestinian people.”