Although some of them have been broken up by the police, many camps are still located on university grounds around the world, as a measure of solidarity with the people of Gaza, and to peacefully protest against the merciless slaughter that is wrought by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on the people of Gaza. It is estimated that at least 35,000 people have died and 78,000 were injured as a result of this horrific fighting. The war began with surprise terrorist attacks by the terrorist group Hamas on October 7, 2023. About 1,200 people were killed and 250 people were kidnapped in that attack. The Israeli government consequently promised to eliminate Hamas. Israel began a ground attack in the Gaza Strip on October 27, 2023, and they are not finished yet. Unfortunately, the civilians of Gaza are the most affected by the war. There are not many buildings left standing in the strip, and there is now a shortage of food. More than a million people, or half the population in the Strip, do not have enough food or clean water. That is a major disaster as it is, and the people of Gaza are facing even more disaster - especially if the IDF attacks the city of Rafah, now home to more than 1.5 million people, most of them refugees from elsewhere in Gaza.

Unconditional support

The Hamas attack shocked countries around the world, and all countries understood that there would be a strong response from Israel. The United States and the European Union stood firmly with Israel and understood that Israel had the right to defend its country and to counterattack and subdue Hamas. They also understood that the punishment should fit the crime, and that Israel had an international duty to avoid killing innocent civilians. But the IDF carried out attack after attack indiscriminately, and on average, a child dies in Gaza every ten minutes. This is unacceptable and in all likelihood Israel is breaking international law. But despite everything, the United States and the European Union are too slow to move their position and withdraw their support until Israel fulfills its international obligations. The United States is still supplying Israel with offensive weapons, when they know full well what will be done with them. That approach does not sit well with the view of the majority of the western public.

Public Protest

When there is a significant difference between the government's policies and the public's point of view, the public shows its displeasure and often takes to the streets in protest and organizes protest marches. It is now the case regarding Gaza, and large protest marches take place in Ireland, the United States and many other countries, demanding an end to the terrible violence taking place there.

A protest movement is also emerging in universities around the world, with students setting up camps on their university grounds. The students at Columbia University were among the first to set up camps, and that movement spread to campuses across the country, from California to Ohio to Georgia. Then, it spread around the world, including to universities in Ireland and to Trinity College in particular. The students have issued a list of demands, asking their universities to issue a statement criticizing Israel and to stop dealing with Israeli companies, and especially those companies involved in human rights violations against the Palestinian. On the Columbia campus, the students took over the university building (Hamilton Hall). On account of that, the president of the university called the police. They entered the campus and closed down the camp and arrested more than 300 people. A total of 2200 people were arrested across the country on university campuses. A few universities in the United States - including Brown University, Northwestern University, Rutgers University, University of Minnesota, UCLA and the University of California at Riverside - have said they would take steps to divest.

Ray of Hope

Over 40 tents were erected on the Trinity College campus on May 3, and therefore, a meeting was organized between the university and the protesters on May 6. The university has yielded to several demands saying it will stop investing in three Israeli companies that are on the United Nations Human Rights Council's list of companies involved in illegal Israeli settlements. The university also promised to establish a task force to investigate Israeli institutions, and to provide eight scholarships to Gaza students . Although the university did not give in to all the demands of the protesters, and although the protesters did not stop their campaign, it is a good sign that the two parties are talking and making progress together. As this article goes to press, President Biden has just intercepted a large shipment of bombs from Israel – 1,800 bombs weighing 2,000 pounds and 1,700 bombs weighing 500 pounds. That's a step in the right direction, and it's quite possible that the peaceful protests, including in the universities, had a significant impact on President Biden's decision. If so, it shows how powerful peaceful protests are against unrestrained violence!

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It is a coincidence that I recently had a column entitled 'Unbridled Greed', discussing the abuse of power in various fields - including the political field. I read some news recently that shocked and appalled me - the leader of the DUP, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, had resigned, accused of 'historical' sexual allegations. My first thought was 'unbelievable'! But then, the subject of my column came back to me, and then I thought maybe it wasn't so incredible after all. Things like that happen often in the United States, and usually, after politicians deny the charges, for the most part they end up being convicted. Although Jeffrey Donaldson's case doesn't look too good, let's leave it to the court to work out if he is guilty. Regardless, politicians in the North will soon have to contend with a new political landscape, and perhaps forge a new vision in the process. Political stability will be in the balance, and it is now quite difficult to predict what will happen. In the interim, who is Jeffrey Donaldson, and what are the implications of the new DUP leadership?

Jeffrey Donaldson

In 1968, as front bench spokesman in the British Government, Enoch Powell gave a controversial speech about 'Rivers of Blood', inciting his followers to hate people of color. As a result of his speech, he was sacked as speaker, but he remained an unwelcome member of the Conservative Party until 1974. In October 1974, Powell found refuge in the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) with the loyalists describing him as a prophet, and then he was elected as an MP in Down South. Powell said in one speech that all political careers eventually fail – something he himself knew well.

Jeffrey's cousin, Samuel Donaldson, was killed in an IRA bombing in 1970, while working for the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC). That inspired Jeffrey Donaldson to political life.

Jeffrey Donaldson began his own political career some 40 years ago as a constituency agent for Enoch Powell from 1983 to 1985. In 1985, he began working as a personal assistant to former Ulster Unionist Party leader James Molyneaux.

In 1997, when Mr Molyneaux resigned, Jeffrey Donaldson succeeded in taking the Lagan Valley seat. In 2003, amid opposition to the Good Friday Agreement and David Trimble's leadership, he left the UUP and joined the DUP with Arlene Foster. He was appointed as DUP leader in 2021, after Edwin Poots resigned after just three weeks in the role.

As leader of the DUP, Jeffrey Donaldson led a two-year boycott of Northern Ireland's political institutions in Stormont, in protest at post-Brexit trade arrangements. After long negotiations, the DUP agreed to return to Stormont in February, 2024, having secured a new agreement and a series of declarations regarding the constitutional position of Northern Ireland within the United Kingdom. The serious allegations occurred when Jeffrey Donaldson was at the top of his game. As for what his mentor, Enoch Powell said – that all political careers eventually fail – the prophecy might well come true in the case of Jeffrey Donaldson.

What can be done now?

When the allegations came to light, DUP party officials suspended Jeffrey Donaldson from the party and unanimously appointed deputy leader Gavin Robinson as interim leader. Mr Robinson is the MP for East Belfast and became deputy leader of the DUP in June 2023. He is a former Lord Mayor of Belfast and was first elected to parliament in 2015. His political stance is almost identical to Jeffrey Donaldson's stance, and he ran a successful leadership campaign for him in 2021.

According to Sinn Féin and the DUP, there is no risk to the political stability of the North. Although I don't believe that to be true, I understand that that is the best thing for them to say. The political ecosystem is now fragile, and easy to break. The ink is not yet dry on Jeffrey Donaldson's decision to end the Stormont boycott, a decision for which he did not have strong support in the DUP. There is a good chance that those who are against that decision would take the opportunity to reopen it and take a step back. On the other side of the argument, there is a lot of pressure on the DUP not to go back to a dysfunctional system in the North, a system where everyone suffers, including their own supporters.

Let's all hope that all political parties in the North and especially the DUP will have a little sense and concern in this hour of decision, and in that way peace will prevail. As we all know, we can never take the political situation for granted, especially in the North!

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Many people in Ireland were demanding that the meeting between Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and the President of the United States Joe Biden be canceled as a protest against the support given by the United States of America (USA) to Israel during its horrific attacks in Gaza. More than 30,000 people were killed there, most of them civilians. Around 250 people are killed on average every day in the Strip – six times more than in the war in Ukraine. There can be no excuse for the destruction and looting that is going on in Gaza - including the Holocaust. It needs to be stopped immediately. This is an unmitigated shame, and the USA is indirectly to blame, as they are a facilitator. In addition to financial and military aid, the US also provides large-scale political support to Israel. The US has vetoed 83 UN Security Council resolutions. 42 of those were against criticizing Israel and the most recent one (on October 18, 2023) against a humanitarian pause in the Gaza Strip.

After thinking it over, Varadkar decided to make the visit to Washington, instead of turning his back on Biden. He was determined to express a strong position to Biden, criticizing the policies of the genocide that are being implemented by Israel, and that it is unacceptable for the western world to support Israel in relation to the same policies.

The Shamrock Ceremony

Varadkar attended the events celebrating St. Patrick's Day. An important part of the celebration is the visit of the Taoiseach to the White House to chat with the President of the United States, face to face. That is a great privilege, and no other country, especially a small country, is able to have such a chance, year after year. As important as it is, I was very pleased that Varadkar did not cancel that annual meeting. Also, isn't it better to have a difficult conversation, instead of a boycott?

The two had a private conversation at first, discussing many topics. Biden and Varadkar then gave speeches. Varadkar bluntly said that the problem for the Irish people is that the US is still giving military support to the Israelis, despite what the Israeli military forces (IDF) are doing in Gaza. At the same time, he accepted that the US was working hard to enforce a ceasefire in Gaza. It's interesting that Biden agreed with everything Varadkar said, but actions speak louder than words, and Biden's words and actions are in disagreement so far.

Here are a few excerpts from Varadkar's speech:

“Almost 250 years ago, we Irish were in the American War of Independence. Exactly 100 years ago, the United States became the first country to formally recognize the newly independent State of Ireland and establish diplomatic relations.”

"And tonight, let us all reflect on the words of President Kennedy when he urged us to do 'the most important work of peace' to protect the weak and the small, as he said in the Irish Parliament: ' from Cork to the Congo, from Galway to the Gaza Strip'.

"Mr President, as you know, the people of Ireland are very worried about the disaster that is unfolding before our eyes in Gaza. As I travel the world, leaders often ask me why the Irish have so much compassion for the Palestinian people. The answer is simple: we see our history in their eyes. A story of displacement and dispossession, national identity questioned and denied, forced emigration, discrimination, and now - hunger.

So we support your work and the work of your administration, to achieve a humanitarian ceasefire and to create space for lasting peace.

The people of Gaza are in desperate need of food, medicine and shelter. But especially they need the bombs to stop. This has to stop. On both sides. The hostages taken back home. And humanitarian relief allowed to come in.

Israel must reverse its rash decision regarding the ground invasion in Rafah.

And after 100 years of violence, as you said, the only way forward for security is to have two peaceful and sovereign states, side by side.

Ireland is ready to recognize a Palestinian state with like-minded partners at the right time in terms of peace.

Mr. President, we also see the history of Israel in our eyes. A diaspora whose heart was in Ireland generation after generation. A revived nation-state. And the revival of the language.

I believe that it is possible to be pro-Israel and pro-Palestine and I believe you believe the same.

Because the life of a Palestinian child has the same status as the life of an Israeli child.

And that the ambition of the Palestinian people to have their own homeland, a full-fledged State in the land of their ancestors, is on par with having a state for the people of Israel.

I also believe that there are lessons that can be learned from our own peace process in Ireland. A concept of equal respect and the importance of relationships in particular.

And also the vital role of America, personified by the chairman of our peace talks, Senator George Mitchell. There was a permanent secretariat based on American trust and oversight.”

Conclusion

The Taoiseach's speech tells its own story, and I think we all agree with what he had to say to Biden. I think things are going in the right direction but at a snail's pace. But I also think it's no coincidence that more is happening after the meeting between them than before. That is a small beacon of hope, and maybe there is a small chance that there will be a ceasefire in Gaza before long.

As a final word, Varadkar has announced that he will be stepping down from his role as Taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael. "After seven years, I'm not the best person for the job anymore," he said. I wiish you well in your endeavours, Leo!

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