What Lessons Can Ireland Teach Palestinians Fighting For Their Independence?
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Roshan Amiri
- . June 16, 2022
- . Update: June 16, 2022 4:14 pm
Palestine–The ongoing battle between Israel and Palestinians is another war for freedom and recognition. But there is much to learn from their counterparts- Ireland.
For starters, its important to have a vision and the reason to believe you can have a single state; something that comes from directly the rulebook of Sinn Fein. Now who is this? This is a prominent Irish political party. Mary Lou McDonald is the president of Irish republican party Sinn Fein and leader of the opposition in the Irish Parliament too.
What is impressive to Ireland is their slow and steady victory and independence found. They have remained grounded in their history and learned positive lessons on the way to freedom as well. For them self-determination has always been priority.
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At a recent EU conference, McDonald offered a point of view and inspiration for Palestinians to take back home. She acknowledged how Ireland had long suffered under colonial rule, during which Britain exploited Ireland’s resources and treated its indigenous Catholic inhabitants with racist contempt. To facilitate their governance, Britain sent thousands of its citizens to colonise and rule over the island and privileged the Protestant church as another display of dominance.
The first crime they had to bear brunt of was looting of their resources. A bounty rich country was led to conditions of famine as they were forbidden to consume their own grains and produce by British colonials. The food from Ireland was reserved for export to Britain.
From the early 19century coming down to the 1920’s finally, they could fight for their right to be free, again. Another lesson to learn here is how to put bitterness aside and look at ways to build your own state. Ireland did precisely that, while it took time to come to a stage of open power sharing in its Northern parts which still remains under British control; but doesn’t deter movement into other parts of Ireland.
Ireland busied itself and built itself. It has educational institutions of repute that are gradually attracting students from all over the world, it is hub to innovation and startups; its on the road of self-development. Further, Israel might do well to understand that they will not be able to win this war of suppression, with Palestinian Arabs constituting more than one-half of the population between the Jordan River and Mediterranean Sea, they will find their way to victory. What is important is for Palestinians to move ahead with a long term goal, vision and hope for a constructive state.
