Gaza : "Overwhelming" response to the Galway Palestine Children's Appeal

galway | rights, freedoms and repression | news report

Monday February 02, 2009 18:56

by TD - Free Palestine Campaign

“The acts of solidarity by ordinary people have been breathtaking” (Dr. Philomena McKenna)

Last Saturday, members of the Galway Palestine Children's Appeal were "overwhelmed" by the public response to their appeal for humanitarian aid for the children and people of Gaza - expecting one 40ft container to be filled with medical supplies, household goods, non perishable food, clothes and toys, a further two had to be ordered and to ease the pressure, a request was broadcast by the local radio station, Galway Bay FM, for donors to procrastinate their visit to the drop-off point at the Black Box theatre until the delivery of the third container - this morning, at 7AM two of the stuffed containers started their journey of mercy and there is a large stockpile of aid awaiting the arrival of the third.

Including an operating table from Letterkenny Hospital, medical staff in the west donated money and supplies and businesses such as the Galway Radisson Hotel gifted 100 duvets and pillows.

Apart from the humanitarian assistance, last Saturday, in an effort to encourage them to ethically source their food stuffs and goods outside Israel, activists from the Free Palestine Campaign, picketed two establishments, Woodie's DIY and Tesco's, manned an information stall in Shop Street for eight hours, gathered signatures for a boycott petition and gave out flyers providing information on what retail outlets and Israeli products to shun and abhor. Unfortunately, the management of Woodie's DIY store in the Headford Rd, didn't display the same largesse of spirit towards the picket as shown to the Palestine Children's Appeal: "Woodie's are not only donating tools, but have helped us while we were loading a very heavy operating table" ( Dr Philomena McKenna) behaved quite shabbily when security and police were called to the last two Saturday's to shift us with overt intimidation, low abuse; "Haven't ye anything else better to do" (a Guard, last Saturday week) and attempts, in vain, to pull the wool over our eyes with spurious claims to a public area being "private property" (See Video).

As an Israeli company, Amdocs is part of multinational consortium bidding for an Eircom multi-million euro Eircom contact for a new computer billing system, a petition to the Board of Eircom, downloaded from the Irish Anti-War Movement's website http://irishantiwar.org/ was presented to the pedestrians on Shop Street for signing and such was the, again, overwhelming, response we ran out of petition forms, shortly, they will be mailed to Eircom's IT Director Gerry Quinn.

From L to R: Dr Philomena McKenna, Treasa Ní Cheannabháin of the Galway Palestine Children’s Appeal and Niall Farrell of Galway Alliance Against War

Sean

Caption: Video Id: 1285 Type: Politube
Embedded video Politube

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Comments (7 of 7)

Free Gaza

by Leona

Mon Feb 02, 2009 20:24

Many thanks to the people of Galway and West of Ireland for their huge support and solidarity with Gaza and Palestine.
Saturday 31 of January 2009 was a landmark point in this support as Black Box theatre in Galway was overloaded with items donated to the people of Gaza.

Great report

by Justin Morahan

Tue Feb 03, 2009 14:06

Great video, great posters, great hearts in Galway. Keep up the brilliant work.

Wow , That is Impressive.

by 50 Cent

Tue Feb 03, 2009 16:24

Galway Radisson Hotel gifted 100 duvets and pillows ?

Apart from the generosity of the common people this act by a large busines is really quite moving . Three cheers for everybody involved and aslo for the Raddison Galway.

Tyrone To Gaza

by John hurson

Fri Feb 06, 2009 01:33

Fair play to all involved.
Heading out to Gaza next week with a lorry load of blankets and clothes.
I'm joining a "Lifeline To Gaza Aid Convoy" organised by George Galloway MP.
There are 90 vehicles confirmed to going, so it should be some trip.
Tyrone To Gaza.....

John Hurson

Great work!

by Fred Johnston

Sun Feb 08, 2009 15:25

Perhaps instead of tossing awards at Bertie Ahern, the good students of NUIGalway might think more properly to award and honour people like yourselves who have undertaken to demonstrate, picket and organise on behalf of the people of Gaza, whom the Israeli administration wishes, in the face of the world, to annihilate. I am deeply sorry not to have been with you on this occasion, as I have been ill, as some of you know. Hopefully companies will follow the Radisson example and contribute. God bless all who took part in this.

viva palestina

by pronsias

Tue Feb 24, 2009 21:11

congratulations to all the people of the 32 counties for their support for palestine, john and greg are legends!!!! Tyrone to gaza, quare wee jaunt
Ireland has done itself proud

A 'Big Thank You' to the people of Galway

by UK Muslim

Wed Feb 25, 2009 22:34

Just like to say 'Thank You' to the the people of Galway and the Irish people for all the donations and gifts for the children of Gaza.

You are a people with good hearts. May god bless you all and reward you for your efforts

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Gaza : "Overwhelming" response to the Galway Palestine Children's Appeal

Comments (7 of 7)