WEST Cork women are being asked to add their support to the movement to ensure that the Government enacts the Occupied Territories Bill in full.
‘It is time to remind ourselves that we have a choice,’ said Trish Lavelle from West Cork for Palestine. Trish is part of a number of West Cork groups from Bandon to Bantry and Beara that are asking the public to sign a petition which calls for action on International Women’s Day.
The group, including singer/songwriter Áine O’Gorman from Bandon, said that while our politicians were elected three months ago on promises that included the enacting of the Occupied Territories Bill, outlawing trade with Israeli companies, there has been no urgency shown to fulfil the promise.
‘Instead, the government is planning to dilute the effects of the bill to continue to allow services between our countries,’ Áine said.
In November 2024, the UN’s Human Rights Office said their analysis showed close to 70% of verified civilians killed in Gaza over a six month period were women and children, with petition organiser Marguerite McQuaid saying the watering down of the bill is a ‘get-out-of-jail free card for Israel’.
‘International Criminal Courts have found Israel guilty of war crimes, and we are still allowing that regime to profit,’ she said.
‘Women are the largest minority and least represented, yet they are most affected by violence and war. If profit and acquisition of land is more important than human beings, then the world has indeed reached a very sorry state.’
The group is asking for petition signatures on the website change.org and for people to share the petition.
Search for ‘Irish Women Want the Occupied Territories Bill enacted now’ on change.org.
