‘We condemn the muted response of the Irish and other EU Governments who are complicit in so many ways with Israel’s oppression of the Palestinians, not least in arms sales.

‘Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank have a right to protest at the border with Israel, especially during these Nakba days, given the horrific 12-year siege, three wars and continuous occupation and military incursion by the 4th largest military machine in the world.

‘Gaza is a besieged territory measuring 40x10km with 2 million people cramped in with no possibilities of movement in or out and with a limited food supply. There is no export or import options. The sewage system is depending on electricity supplied by Israel and / or the Palestinian Authority. Drinkable water must also be imported and again is controlled by Israel.

‘Many women died from cancer in Gaza last year simply because they were not granted exit visas by Israel for life saving treatment in the West Bank.

‘The UN has pronounced that Gaza will become unliveable by 2020 - just two years away. The people of Gaza are starving, besieged, terrorised and desperate. Who would not protest under these circumstances?’

Jim Roche, PRO of the IAWM said: “Irish people have a great understanding of oppression and we must now stand in solidarity with the people of Gaza who are merely protesting against a great injustice. Those who are able to should gather at the Spire in Dublin for the IPSC event at 6pm this evening or attend solidarity events near them. We must also escalate the peaceful BDS movement and bring pressure to bear on the Irish Government to sanction Israel and to expel the Israeli Ambassador now. This massacre of Palestinians must not go unchallenged.”