West Belfast Sinn Féin Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

O'Hara joins activists collecting for Irish Medical Aid for Palestine

Published: 24 January, 2009

West Belfast Sinn Fein activists were out on the streets again over the weekend with their collection buckets, raising much needed funds for the 'Irish Medical Aid for Palestine' charity.

Party activists were out round the doors in Poleglass, Twinbrook, Turf Lodge, Ballymurphy, Dermotthill, Springhill, Riverdale, Cavendish, Colin, Beechmount and Suffolk, and received a very generous welcome from members of the community.

Colin Sinn Fein councillor Charlene O'Hara, who was part of the group collecting in the Twinbrook area along with Jennifer McCann MLA, said:

''Republicans have been out in many parts of West Belfast from Thursday evening through to Sunday evening.

''While the situation in Palestine has dropped off the news headlines, the hospitals in Gaza are still under enormous strain and there are shortages of medicine, bandages and medical equipment.

''Anyone who watched the news coverage over the past few weeks could see that hospitals in Palestine were finding it almost impossible to cope.

''The 'Irish Medical Aid for Palestine' charity, based in Dublin, has been highly active in fund raising across the country and their work will continue because of the huge amount of injured arising from the vicious Israeli attack on the Gaza strip.

''A representative from the Irish MAP charity will be coming to Belfast in the next week to receive the money raised by Sinn Fein and will be giving a talk on the work that the charity does and will explain where the money that has been kindly donated goes.

''We will let the public know in advance the date and venue of the talk, for anyone who is interested in hearing from the Irish MAP representative.

''In Twinbrook, where I helped with the collection on Friday night, people were expressing their anger at Israel's actions and their support for the Palestinian people.

''The unbridled aggression shown by Israel has horrified the people of West Belfast who know only too well the suffering that occupation brings.''

Meanwhile, Sinn Féin MEP and senior negotiator in the Good Friday Agreement, Bairbre de Brún, has described the appointment of George Mitchell as US Envoy to the Middle East as a "welcome development".

Ms de Brún said:

"George Mitchell played an invaluable role in the Irish peace process and in the achievement of the Good Friday Agreement.

''He brought, to his three years of engagement in our process, enormous patience, good humour and finely honed skills as a negotiator.

''I am confident that he will bring to his role as Middle East Envoy the same dedication and commitment.

''The task before him is hugely important and very challenging.

''Peace in the Middle East is a priority. Its outcome will require a two state solution in which each side respects the rights of the other and which guarantees a sustainable and durable sovereign Palestinian state.

''As George knows from his experience here - dialogue is key and this will mean direct dialogue with Hamas in the time ahead.''