At a news conference in Dublin on Friday, Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O’Neill stated, “We are all heartbroken as we witness the suffering of the Palestinian people and the recent comments of the US president about the widespread expulsion of the Palestinian people from Gaza. I cannot ignore that,” O’Neill said.
The White House has not been taken lightly when it made the decision to not visit, but it is aware of the obligation that each of us as individuals has to protest injustice.
Mary Lou McDonald, the head of the Sinn Fein party, also made a statement at the press conference, stating that she was unable to travel to Washington “as the threat of mass expulsion hung over the Palestinian people” was on the horizon.
Political leaders from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland typically travel to the US for the March 17th annual celebration of Ireland’s national day.
Trump earlier this month proposed that the US would retake control of the Gaza Strip and permanently relocate its Palestinian residents, sparking outrage worldwide.
Sinn Fein’s decision to stay is put pressure on Prime Minister Micheal Martin, who has not yet been formally invited but is expected to meet Trump at the White House.
One of the most steadfast supporters of the Palestinian cause in the European Union has been Ireland, who has publicly criticised Israel’s actions during the Gaza conflict.
Source: Aljazeera
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