Sligo — The local chapter of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) will hold a vigil this Saturday, October 18, at 3:00 PM, outside the Sligo GPO, reaffirming their commitment to the Palestinian people.
The solidarity event, themed ‘We Will always Stand with Palestine – Nationhood is their right’, aims to highlight the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination with freedom and justice in a sovereign state.
Speaking to The Sligo Champion, IPSC PRO Chris MacManus welcomed the news of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza but stressed that pressure must be sustained.
“We welcome that a ceasefire agreement has been reached in Gaza and salute the steadfastness of the Palestinian people, as they mourn the tens of thousands murdered in the Israeli genocide,” MacManus said. He extended “unbreakable solidarity to those bereaved, injured and displaced.”
Call for Sustained Political Pressure
MacManus voiced concern that the ceasefire could be a “false dawn,” citing past “acts of bad faith” that have hindered long-term peace. He insisted that this ceasefire “must be the first step to a sustainable political settlement that ultimately ensures self-determination for the Palestinian people.”
The PRO emphasized the need to maintain pressure on the Israeli regime, demanding they be “held accountable for their war crimes committed against the people of Gaza over the last two years.”
MacManus also reiterated key demands on the Irish Government, primarily the need to enact the Occupied Territories Bill. This legislation, he noted, would “ban trade in goods and services with illegal Israeli settlements,” ensuring “maximum pressure on Israel is maintained.”
“I urge people to join us this Saturday and show continued solidarity with the Palestinian people,” MacManus concluded.
