The Ongoing Conflict in Gaza: Why it matters to Northern Ireland

By Rebecca Carlin

*Information thought to be correct at time of publication.

On 7th October, Hamas launched an attack on Gaza resulting in around 1400 deaths, 220 hostages, and thousands of displaced civilians. As a result, Israeli forces have launched retaliatory air strikes, killing more than 4,600 people, according to Gazan Health Ministry. Following around 75 years of settler-colonial occupation, ethnic cleansing, and violent genocide, this attack has prompted a rapid escalation into a humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Why is this happening now, and how is it relevant to Northern Ireland?

Who is Hamas?

Deemed a “terrorist group” by the US and EU, Hamas is a militant Islamist organisation founded in 1987 during the initial significant uprising against Israeli occupation. Following their victory in the 2006 elections and the subsequent displacement of Fatah, the group that founded the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO), Hamas began to gain substantial political support in 2007. After that, in 2007, Hamas assumed de facto control over Gaza, a region with 2.3 million residents and a high concentration of conflict-related violence.

While Fatah, the secular, more peaceful political branch of the Palestinian national movement, renounced military conflict in 1993 and was prepared to negotiate with Israel, Hamas is a radical Islamist organisation that seeks to impose Islamic law. This was divisive since Hamas wanted to establish Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine and destroy the state of Israel that they do not acknowledge exists. Although the media has primarily portrayed this war as a religious conflict, this violence is a result of resistance to 75 years of apartheid, ethnic cleansing, and settler colonialism.

A clear distinction must be drawn between Palestinian civilians and Hamas, a major contributor to the current atrocities. A larger aspect of the ongoing violence and unjust treatment that has been affecting Palestinian people for decades, yet many have grouped Palestinians and those who stand in solidarity with them together in their condemnation of Hamas’ actions and the conflict.

Where is this happening?

Until the UN proposed a divided Jewish and Arab state with Jerusalem as an international area to create a “national home for Jews” in the middle of the 20th century, the West Bank, Gaza (controlled by Hamas and known as Palestinian Territories), and East Jerusalem collectively formed “Palestine.” Following the Arab nations of Palestine’s rejection of the proposal – they saw it as being “pushed out of their land” – civil war broke out between the states, which resulted in defeat, the seizure of 78% of the Palestinian territory, and the establishment of the state of Israel. Tensions between Israelis and Palestinians have persisted ever since. They just reached new heights with Hamas’ strike on the 7th. This was a continuation of decades of oppression of the Palestinians by Israel and termed an ‘apartheid’ by both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

The broader issues at hand

Around 700,000 people have fled Gaza without being able to return, and the UN estimates that 1.4 million people in Gaza are displaced. Israeli military forces have warned the populace to evacuate despite the UN saying it was not possible, warning of “devastating humanitarian consequences”. In addition, the UN pled for access to Gaza for humanitarian organisations and cautioned Israel that the “forcible transfer of civilians” and the blockade of resources may violate international humanitarian law and be construed as war crimes. Despite this, Israeli officials have insisted that there is no humanitarian crisis despite enforcing blockages that prevent Gaza from receiving food, water, fuel, or electricity.

After UN warnings and days of negotiations, Israel agreed to allow around 34 trucks carrying basic supplies through the Rafah border crossing. This has come after a world outcry for aid, but it is insufficient to meet the population’s needs. There is a broad appeal for a stop to the violence with calls for action to be taken putting an end to the mass genocide that has been ongoing in Gaza for the past 75 years. It is clear that the violence has reached unprecedented levels and that this conflict is one of the worst cross-border attacks to occur in more than a generation.

Why should we care in Northern Ireland?

The situation in Israel lends itself to comparison with the Irish Catholic struggle against British control in Northern Ireland. Many have expressed solidarity with the Palestinian resistance in Gaza viewing both regions as suffering at the hands of British colonialism. There have been numerous pro-Palestine protests in Belfast alone as well as pleas from politicians and the general public to end the violence in Gaza; even murals now exist showing Irish support for the cause. Many have compared the two communities as both were enthusiastically pursued by the British and rooted in settler colonialism, with Israeli colonisation of Palestine modelled on English colonisation in Ireland. The creation of Northern Ireland in 1921 draws comparisons to the British mandate in Palestine and the Balfour Declaration that led to the creation of the settler colonial state of Israel in 1948. The biggest similarity could be the use of the ‘Black and Tans’ in 1920, sent first to Ireland and then to Palestine with the sole purpose of crushing resistance through brutality.

Some significant differences remain between the regions, including freedom of movement and citizenship. While Irish residents of Northern Ireland are granted the right to citizenship in both Ireland and the UK and can move freely, Palestinians are largely restricted in their movement and are not allowed to return to their former homeland. Nonetheless, there has been continued support and public empathy for the movement. Ireland was the first nation to recognise the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) and then callings for the creation of a Palestinian state.

Furthermore, recent escalations of violence have prompted a wave of public empathy across Ireland. Thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched on several occasions through Belfast, organised by ‘Belfast Stands with Palestine’, as well as in other parts of the nation. Among the crowds were prominent figures in Northern Ireland politics, such as First Minister (designate) Michelle O’Neill and representatives of Sinn Fein, People Before Profit, and trade unions. Among others to speak out was Tánaiste Michael Martin, who has stated:

“There is no doubt about the brutal criminality of Hamas and their utter disregard for human life, including the life of their fellow Palestinians, but we. Absolutely must distinguish between Hamas and Palestinian civilians in Gaza”.

Furthermore, foreign affairs spokesperson for Sinn Fein, Matt Carthy called on both sides to ease hostilities, stating:

“A lasting and just peace between Palestinians and Israelis requires an end to the occupation and apartheid systems being imposed upon the Palestinian people.”

Michelle O’Neill has released a statement saying:

“Gaza is being destroyed before the eyes of the world. […] This is a humanitarian crisis. The international community cannot continue to stand idly by.”

This wave of support comes with backing from many in Ireland, as calls for a united Ireland and a free Palestine are louder than ever. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza demands immediate international action as lives continue to be lost and destroyed, and the call for peace, justice, and an end to this enduring conflict has never been more urgent.

Edited by Ben Coxon