Newry Armagh Sinn Féin Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

200 students sign Palestinian Book of Condolence at Newry Tech

Published: 19 January, 2009

200 students sign Palestinian Book of Condolence at Newry Tech

Young students at Newry's South Western Regional College were given the chance to send their sympathies to the people of Palestine today (16th) as a book of condolence was taken to the college gates by local Sinn Féin MLAs, Councillors and activists.

Commenting on the response local MP Conor Murphy said,

"We took the book of condolence to the college gates as our office on

Patrick St

had been visited by students daily who were outraged at the events in Palestine and wished to express their sympathy for the Palestinian people. A number of students had commented that they were disappointed at the Council's decision not to open a book of condolence in the City Hall and felt that a large portion of the student body would like to avail of the chance to sign such a book."

"The feedback from the students was better than we had anticipated, at times there were queues of up to 20 young people waiting in the rain to sign the book in sympathy for the people of Gaza who are suffering a humanitarian crisis following over twenty days of an intense Israeli offensive."

"In total we have now gathered over 1500 signatures between our offices in Newry, Armagh and Crossmaglen."

"A numbers of cars pulled over while we were there with both passengers and drivers signing their names."

Conor Murphy also addressed a vigil organised by the friends of Palestine on Saturday.

Mr. Murphy told the crowd,

"Twenty one days of an Israeli offensive has seen civilians, the UN, aid workers, ambulance services and schools targeted by Israeli forces resulting in over 1,150 killed and over 5000 injured. This is an assault that the group, Rabbi's for Human Rights, who state they are the rabbinic voice of conscience in Israel, have called "morally indefensible".

"It has also seen what precious resources there are being exhausted. The blockade of aid and food into Gaza, even before this most recent assault began, has depleted energy, medical, food and water supplies but now these resources are virtually non-existent in Gaza.

"This is nothing short of a humanitarian crisis with 1.5 million people hemmed into the Gaza Strip facing these severe shortages."

"Sinn Féin will be doing whatever we can to help the people of Gaza. Today (Saturday) in Belfast hundreds of Sinn Féin activists from across Ulster are holding collections in aid of the charity, Irish Medical Aid for Palestine, across the city, along with holding a white line picket."

Mr. Murphy concluded by calling on all present to join 'Friends of Palestine' and support the people of Gaza.

Note to Editor

Irish Medical Aid for Palestine provides first hand assistance to Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. IMAP believe that good health is a basic right and access to adequate health care is an integral element of that right - a right being denied to the Palestinians. They are operating a front line service to the Palestinians under the immense pressure of the Israeli onslaught.