Saoırse Don Phalaıstín

Here is an INLA/IRSP/RSYM pro-Palestine mural from Derry (see also يومنا قادم). “PFLP” stands for “Popular Front For The Liberation Of Palestine” (WP). A very similar PFLP-INLA board was seen in west Belfast: Peoples United. There was PFLP graffiti in Creggan: Victory To The PFLP.

The first two are from William Street and the Bogside; the small INLA nail-up in the final image is in Creggan.

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Though An Army Besiege Me, My Heart Will Not Fear

In 2000, during the Second Intifada, Palestinian teenager Faris Odeh was photographed by an AP photographer in the act of throwing a stone at an Israeli tank. He was shot and killed a few days later and the image became a symbol of resistance. (A mural of the photograph was painted in Springhill: see David And Goliath.) The iconic image is updated here for Israel’s current invasion of Gaza, showing a young girl with a soft toy standing in front of a tank that is bedecked with the flags of the European Union, France, the USA, the UK, and Germany.

The F-16 jets and rubble and child with teddy-bear are the same as in the We Stand With Palestine mural in Ardoyne.

For the teddy-bears and soft toys, see Boycott Israeli Genocide.

For the Easter Rising mural, see The Undauntable Thought.

South Link, Andersonstown, west Belfast.

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Humanitarian Intervention

On March 25th, Israel declared that it would no longer work with UNRWA to deliver aid into Gaza (Reuters | Guardian). On March 28th, Foreign Minister Micheál Martin announced that Ireland plans to “intervene” in South Africa’s ICJ case against Israel, asserting that the Genocide Convention includes blocking humanitarian aid (BBC | Guardian | RTÉ).

The support for Palestine by Ireland and South Africa is illustrated here by Irish, Palestinian, and South African children standing hand-in-hand. The same type of image was also used, with younger children, in the Painting For Palestine project on the International Wall – see The International Court Of Justice, which also gives details of South Africa’s initial case against Israel.

Painted by MD in South Link, west Belfast, facing the Israeli tank in Though An Army Besiege Me, My Heart Will Not Fear.

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Seas Leıs An Phalaıstín

Two murals have been added to the exterior of Felons’ Club in Andersonstown to show support for Palestine. Above, on the Lake Glen side of the club, a printed board reading “We stand with Palestine – seas leis an Phalaıstín” and including an Emmalene Blake image (ig) on the right (shown in close-up, below); further below, a “Stop the genocide in Gaza” tarp above the entrance.

Also included are images of several memorial plaques from the courtyard, to James Smyth, Anraí (Harry) Osborne, Seosamh Ó Conghaıle (Joseph Connolly), and Roger Casement. “County Antrim Memorial: Tógaḋ an leaċt seo mar ċoṁarṫa urraıme, grá agus dílse do na saıġdıúırí uaısle as Contae Aontroma, a martraíoḋ ar son Ṗoblaċt Na hÉıreann. Ṡeas gaċ glúın díoḃ sa ḃearna ḃaoıl, ag troıd go cróga ċun aontaċt agus saoırse a ṫaḃaırt ar aıs do náısıún na nGael. Go spreaga an leaċt cuımhne seo na daoıne feasta ıonas go leana sıad lorg na laoċra dtí go mbéarfar bua uasal na saoırse ar ball. Erected by the Belfast Committee of the National Graves Association with generous co-operation from sub-committees in America and Dublin.”

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Looking Heaven In The Eye

The launch event for the Painting For Palestine project (Fb) took place on March 3rd. A large paper Palestinian flag (with the cartoon character of resistance Handala (WP) on it) was used as a cover over the mural of three children – Irish, Palestinian, and South African – and unveiled by local children who had worked on the piece.

For the ten pieces linked by Alareer’s poem on a red ribbon, see Tell My Story.

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Tell My Story

For the launch of the murals painted in the Painting For Palestine project (Fb) a red ribbon with the words from Palestinian writer Refaat Alareer’s poem “If I Must Die” was added to the ten consecutive panels below the ‘republican museum’ panel.

If I must die, 
you must live 
to tell my story 
to sell my things 
to buy a piece of cloth 
and some strings, 
(make it white with a long tail) 
so that a child, somewhere in Gaza 
while looking heaven in the eye 
awaiting his dad who left in a blaze — 

and bade no one farewell 
not even to his flesh 
not even to himself — 
sees the kite, my kite you made, flying up above 
and thinks for a moment an angel is there 
bringing back love 
If I must die 
let it bring hope
let it be a tale

Alareer’s poem was also used on Free Derry Corner; see If I Must Die in the Seosamh Mac Coılle collection.

For images from the launch, see Looking Heaven In The Eye.

For the twelve pieces without the red ribbon, see The Land Is OursKhan Younis Mass GraveMan Holding ChildA Window To A Free CountrySoldiers Standing Over ChildrenThree Children – Flying Children/PrisonersBethlehem Fireworks – Family GroupSoso And Omar AshourPhoenixCooking In Front Of A Tent.

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A Window To A Free Country

A Palestinian boy sitting among rubble looks out through a window of bars to see doves flaying in front of a Palestinian flag.

Based on a original by artist Azhar Al Majed (ig).

On the International Wall, west Belfast, part of the Painting For Palestine project (Fb).

The image above is from February 25th. Other images are as dated below:

February 18th:

February 11th:

February 4th:

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The International Court Of Justice

In December, South Africa lodged an emergency application (pdf) at the International Court Of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, alleging that Israel had violated the 1948 convention on genocide (see also the WP page of human rights violations against Palestinians).

Two days of public hearings were held on January 11th and 12th and the ruling on the 26th directed Israel to take “all measures” to prevent any acts that could be considered genocidal, though it did not order a halt to Israel’s attack on Gaza (Al Jazeera | WP).

Sınn Féın moved in the Dáıl that Ireland join South Africa as a plaintiff in the full case, but the motion was defeated (Irish Times).

The image above shows, on the left, three children from Ireland, Palestine, and South Africa holding hands, and, on the right, dead Palestinian children flying to heaven over stripped and kneeling Palestinian prisoners. The flying children are based on an image by Taqdees Fatima (ig) and the kneeling prisoners on an image by Saïd Hassan (ig). The source for the three children is unknown.

The murals are on the International Wall, west Belfast, and part of the Painting For Palestine project (Fb).

February 18th:

February 11th:

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Broken Family

This mural is based on an original by Ahmad Shaweesh (ig) which shows a group of people, perhaps a family, in distress. The piece, both original and reproduction, is deliberately left unfinished, presumably to represent the unfinished lives of the Gaza dead.

The mural is on the International Wall, west Belfast, part of the Painting For Palestine project (Fb). The next mural, to the right, is of Soso And Omar Ashour.

The image above is from February 25th. Other in-progress images are as dated below.

February 11th:

January 24th:

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Don’t Look Away

Sinn Féın leaders Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O’Neill intend to travel to the USA for St Patrick’s Day, despite US support for Israel in its sustained attack on Gaza (Indo). The SDLP has said that it will not travel to the White House (Bel Tel). Sinn Féın say they will use the trip to promote business opportunities in Northern Ireland. The Taoıseach will also be in DC, while the Tánaıste will be in Vancouver (Breaking News).

These posters are in west and south Belfast, from https://socialistdemocracy.org/ and the Socialist Party (NI) (web).

“No handshakes from Stormont for Genocide Joe. Take action against genocide in Gaza. Boycott the White House. Expel the Israeli ambassador.”

“Don’t look away. 30,000 people have been killed in Gaza. End the genocide.”

“Boycott genocide Joe. No greenwash at the White House. Leo/Mıcheál/Mary Lou stay away from St Patrick’s Day celebrations! Solidarity with Palestine.”

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