Sir, – I am writing to you as a proud Irish citizen of a Palestinian origin. The context comes in light of the raising of the Palestinian flag over Dublin City Council premises. It amazes me that the free-willed decision of the honourable, popularly-elected council to fly the Palestinian flag – commemorating 50 years of Israeli occupation – should be questioned by Alan Shatter, a renowned legal representative and a former minister for justice and defence. Mr Shatter should stand for freedom of expression, speech and opinion. And he should stand for the oppressed people. The motive of the council’s brave decision was to express support and show solidarity with the oppressed and note the enduring harsh occupation by Israel. The Palestinian people and the Palestinian leadership have accepted Israel as a partner for a just and long-lasting peace in the Middle East based on a two-state solution.
This was confirmed and reiterated by the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, while visiting President Trump in the White House this month. Yet again Israel’s leadership position remains tergiversate and shows a more hardline approach on all frontiers; for example, atrocities against prisoners, confiscation of more land, building of more illegal settlements and the continuous practice of administrative detention against innocent civilians. All of the aforementioned are illegal under international law.
I am taken aback by Mr Shatter’s letter to the lord mayor. It insinuated that raising the Palestinian flag is almost a crime!
I wish that a true peace prevails between the Israelis and the Palestinians in the near-future and the flags of the two countries can fly side by side. – Yours, etc,
Dr BASSAM NASSER,
Head of the Palestinian
Community in Ireland,
Sutton,
Dublin 13.