The New Arab newspaper features the views of Sinn Fein Prime Minister Michelle O’Neill on Gaza and Palestine.
O’Neill comes from a family steeped in Irish republican tradition. [Getty]
Michelle O’Neill recently became the first Irish Republican and Catholic to become Prime Minister of Northern Ireland.
One of Mr O’Neill’s first visits, accompanied by Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald, was to the Palestinian mission in London, where he met with the Palestinian ambassador, Husam Zomlot.
new arab examines O’Neill and her views on Palestine and Gaza in the context of Sinn Féin and Irish republicanism’s long history of solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
O’Neill’s “historic victory”
During his meeting with Mr Zomlot, the ambassador described Mr O’Neill’s election as Northern Ireland Prime Minister as “historic on every level”. This name is not just a cliché.
During the worst years of Northern Ireland’s long and brutal conflict, known as ‘The Troubles’, pro-British Ulster supporters seized state power and ethnic Irish people were denied basic civil rights. However, it seemed impossible for an Irish Catholic to become the first Prime Minister of the country, which they did not recognize, and which they did not recognize as equals.
O’Neill comes from a prominent Irish republican family. Her father, Brendan Doris, was a member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA). The IRA is a paramilitary organization established to achieve self-determination and equal rights for Irish Catholics in the North against oppressive and xenophobic Loyalist-controlled security forces and British military occupation. .
Sinn Féin was widely considered to be the political wing of the IRA, with many former combatants holding leadership positions in the party.
Ms O’Neill was not a member of the IRA, but her father was imprisoned for being an IRA member and later became a Sinn Féin councilor.
Sinn Féin has long been anathema to the British state, even more so to its Ulster loyalists, who are now part of O’Neill’s government.
“Palestinian Model”
During his meeting with O’Neill, Zomlot said:[Y]You bring us hope… Your experience in Ireland is a model of the power of peacebuilding, peacemaking… and the power of law… of people’s rights and equal respect for all. ”
This could be a reference to the situation in Northern Ireland and Sinn Féin’s path from “extremist” to its current rise to power, and could serve as a model for bringing justice to Palestine through dialogue and the law. be.
Macdonald’s Sinn Féin party, the opposition party in the Republic of Ireland, supports the Irish government’s call for an immediate ceasefire and voted in favor of a motion calling for the Irish government to assist in the South African genocide crisis. Ta.
However, in an interview, LBCMr O’Neill emphasized that Hamas should continue to be seen as a “partner for peace”, citing power-sharing in Northern Ireland and the once-unthinkable dialogue between Sinn Féin and the British government. was enthusiastic about
“The obscenity of genocide”
A key question is whether Sinn Féin’s long-standing support for the Palestinian cause will continue in government once Mr O’Neill becomes Prime Minister.
So far, the signs are looking good, although her powers are limited. Prime Minister O’Neill is scheduled to meet US President Joe Biden and other leaders in Washington on St Patrick’s Day in March, where he pledged to “speak up for the Palestinian people”.
“At home, within the EU institutions and through all our international engagements, Sinn Féin will continue to call out the obscenity of the genocide taking place in Gaza. “This is the latest chapter in a long story of brutal oppression,” Oh said.Neil wrote: ireland news last month.
“We insist that Israel must be held accountable for its actions and call on the United States to join our call for a ceasefire.
“We will use our peacebuilding experience to make the case for the importance of U.S. support for international peace efforts.”