Palestinian ambassador makes heartfelt plea on visit to Tipperary

The Palestinian ambassador to Ireland has made an impassioned plea to the people of Clonmel to continue to raise their voices in support of Gaza.

Dr Jilan Wahba Addalmajid was a guest of honour at Clonmel Town Hall last Friday.
Invited by Mayor Cllr Richie Molloy, she met elected representatives as well as those involved in organising a recent fundraiser held in the town to provide humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza.

She implored the people of Clonmel to “continue to raise your voices for the people of Gaza.”
“We need every voice,” said the ambassador.

Dr Addalmajid said she was very proud to be in Clonmel as she had heard of the wonderful support that existed in the town for the people of Gaza from the very beginning of the war.

“I was in Kinsale recently and a woman told me about the wonderful support that was in Clonmel for Gaza, so I am delighted to be here today,” she told invited guests at Clonmel Town Hall.
The ambassador said she was honoured to be so warmly welcomed to the town of Clonmel.
She thanked the people of Clonmel for their on-going support and pleaded with the people of Ireland and the government of Ireland to continue calling for a ceasefire.

MASSACRE
The ambassador said the whole world could see that there was a massacre taking place as it was being livestreamed across the globe. Everybody in the world was a witness to what was going on, she said.
Ambassador Dr Addalmajid praised the Irish government for their support, which she said, had been a constant from the very beginning.

She said the aim of the Israeli government, was not only to destroy Gaza, but to force the Palestinian people to leave.
“We belong in this land and we will not leave,” a defiant ambassador told those present.
Ambassador Dr Addalmajid said they needed the support of the international community.
“We need the international community to stop this. We will stay in Palestine, we will not leave. Continue to raise your voices. Thank you so much to the people of Clonmel,” she said.

The guest of honour was welcomed to Clonmel by the Mayor of Clonmel Cllr Richie Molloy.
Mayor Molloy said it was a privilege for him to welcome the ambassador and members of the Clonmel Friends of Palestine group who had raised €17,000 at a recent fundraiser for humanitarian aid in Palestine.
“We are very conscious of what is going on and the people of Clonmel have come out in huge numbers to show their understanding and their support,” said the mayor.

He paid tribute to the Clonmel Friends of Palestine group and thanked them for continuing to highlight what people saw on their television screens every night.
“We have a population of 20,000. We can see that 30,000 people in Gaza have been killed and that brings the scale of the unbelievable suffering that is happening home to us,” said Cllr Molloy.
“We had children from a primary school in this chamber this morning. They were 10 years old. They recognised the Palestinian flag that we had put up for this ceremony, and that is telling you something,” said Mayor Molloy.
Mayor Molloy thanked all those who were involved in the Clonmel fundraiser for Palestine held at the Talbot Hotel recently, some of whom were among the welcoming party to Clonmel for the ambassador.
“A huge sum of money was collected and that is to be given to the Red Cross to provide relief in Gaza,” said Mayor Molloy.

BOMBARDMENT
Cllr Pat English said he had been contacted by so many people in Clonmel who were horrified by the suffering of women and children they were seeing on their television screens very night.
He said people were appalled by the constant bombardment and the horrors that were being inflicted on innocent people.
Cllr English thanked organisers Kate and Eoin, musicians, buskers, the Talbot Hotel and everybody involved in the very successful fundraiser held in Clonmel for relief in Palestine.
Cllr John Fitzgerald said it was awful to watch the carnage that was unfolding in Gaza.
“We are in solidarity with you,” Cllr Fitzgerald told the ambassador.

Former TD Seamus Healy welcomed the ambassador. He told the ambassador that while Ireland and Palestine both shared a history of occupation, the level of support for the people of Gaza in Clonmel and the surrounding area had exceeded all expectations.