Chris O'Keeffe

he/him

[#savekilkenny @SaveKilkenny]

#RiverNore #SAC

[Led By Donkeys @ByDonkeys]

Israel has killed over 11,500 Palestinian children in Gaza and the West Bank since October 7th, when 36 Israeli children were killed.

It’s impossible to imagine that number. This is what it looks like. A line 5km long.

(Location: Bournemouth Beach)

[Al Jazeera English @AJEnglish]

Here is a list of the names we know from the more than 11,500 Palestinian children killed during Israel’s continuing war on Gaza ⤵️

Know their names: https://t.co/l9T4EJlRKT

[The Elders @TheElders]

The Elders call for immediate compliance by #Israel with #ICJ provisional measures.

Click 'Show more' to read the statement in full:

The Elders call for Israel to comply immediately with the provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to protect Palestinians in Gaza from acts of genocide.

The Elders also call for Israel’s allies to publicly affirm their respect for the Court’s ruling, and to use the political, military and financial leverage at their disposal to ensure Israel’s compliance with the provisional measures.

The ICJ’s legally binding decision is a moment of the utmost gravity.

Israeli forces have killed over 25,000 Palestinians in Gaza, destroyed homes and infrastructure across the territory and displaced up to 1.9 million people. The Elders share the Court’s judgement that this scale of devastation risks causing irreparable harm to the people of Gaza.

Israel, as the occupying military power, must comply with the Court’s ruling and implement the provisional measures in full. This includes ensuring its military does not commit any acts of genocide against the Palestinian people as a protected group, including killing members of the group. It also includes preventing incitement to genocide, and enabling provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance. An immediate step must be to lift the siege of Gaza and end the collective punishment of Palestinians.

The Elders support the Court’s emphasis that all parties to the conflict are bound by international humanitarian law, and its call for the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages held by Hamas and other armed groups.

All states have a responsibility to respect the Court’s ruling. South Africa has shown moral leadership in bringing this case, and it is now incumbent on others – particularly Israel’s allies and the UN Security Council – to live up to their own moral and legal obligations to prevent acts of genocide, and support the ICJ’s ruling.

As a minimum, Israel’s allies must ensure they are not complicit in any atrocity crimes. The Elders thus reiterate their call for all countries providing military assistance to Israel to place this under review and set new conditions for future provision. Governments which provide military assistance in the knowledge that atrocities are being committed, or may be imminent, risk being complicit. Self-defence can never be a justification for atrocity crimes.

For too long, Israel’s allies – particularly the United States and many European states – have provided political cover for its violations of international law. This impunity must end now.

Political leaders who choose to disregard or undermine the Court’s ruling risk further weakening the international rule of law at a time when it is already acutely under threat. The UN Security Council has a vital role in ensuring compliance with the ICJ ruling and upholding the consistent application of international law. The world is watching.

Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and Chair of The Elders

Ban Ki-moon, former UN Secretary-General and Deputy Chair of The Elders

Graça Machel, Founder of the Graça Machel Trust, Co-founder and Deputy Chair of The Elders

Gro Harlem Brundtland, former Prime Minister of Norway and former Director-General of the WHO

Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand and former head of the UN Development Programme

Elbegdorj Tsakhia, former President and Prime Minister of Mongolia

Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

Hina Jilani, Advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and co-chair of the Taskforce on Justice

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former President of Liberia and Nobel Peace Laureate

Ricardo Lagos, former President of Chile

Juan Manuel Santos, former President of Colombia and Nobel Peace Laureate

Ernesto Zedillo, former President of Mexico

ENDS

https://t.co/5NyTQQQWIH

[TIMES OF GAZA @Timesofgaza]

Watch | In his Sunday sermon, Pope Francis condemned the actions of the Israeli occupation army in Gaza as terrorism

[B'Tselem בצלם بتسيلم @btselem]

Original security camera footage obtained by B'Tselem captures two short-range executions of Palestinians in al-Far'ah R.C. on 8 December 2023.

[UNRWA @UNRWA]

There are no words left to condone these atrocities.

Every day, every minute, the situation becomes worse, becomes more desperate.

Nowhere is safe, no place is protected, #Gaza has become one of the most dangerous places in the world.

[UN News @UN_News_Centre]

#BREAKING United States vetoes Security Council draft resolution that would have demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, and immediate and unconditional release of all hostages

VOTE
In Favour: 13
Against: 1 (US)
Abstain: 1 (UK)

[President of Ireland @PresidentIRL]

Statement by President Higgins on the destruction of school in Khirbet Zanuta https://t.co/VXp21O2bTa

[António Guterres @antonioguterres]

I've just invoked Art.99 of the UN Charter - for the 1st time in my tenure as Secretary-General.

Facing a severe risk of collapse of the humanitarian system in Gaza, I urge the Council to help avert a humanitarian catastrophe & appeal for a humanitarian ceasefire to be declared.

[Janez Lenarčič @JanezLenarcic]

Israeli settlers demolished a school in Zamuta, a village in the Occupied #Palestinian Territory.

The school was built by EU funds - because every child, everywhere has a right to education.

This destruction is intolerable and a violation of International Humanitarian Law.#IHL

[Yossi Eli @Yossi_eli]

טריגר לא מצונזר: האזרח הזה הוא שנטרל את המחבלים הבוקר בירושלים . הוא סיים את האירוע לבדו. הוא לפי העדות של עד ראיה שראיינתי, יצא מה��כב, ותוך 28 שניות סיים את האירוע. בגלל ירי לא פרופורציונלי, החיילים שהיו באזור, החלו לירות בו למרות שהוא מתחנן שלא יירו. אחד החיילים שירה חזר מהרצועה, לריענון, איזו סיטואציה בלתי אפשרית…… האיש הגיבור הזה הוא גיבור שנלחם על חייו בבית החולים…

[President of Ireland @PresidentIRL]

Statement by President Higgins on stabbings in Dublin city centre https://t.co/RMFz6xtLew

[Chris O'Keeffe @mrchrisokeeffe]

Never again*

[Auschwitz Memorial @AuschwitzMuseum]

RESOLUTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL AUSCHWITZ COUNCIL ON THE TRAGIC EVENTS IN ISRAEL, APPROVED BY CIRCULATION ON 18 NOVEMBER 2023

The International Auschwitz Council by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland acknowledges with the deepest pain and sorrow the suffering of innocent Victims – tortured, raped, taken hostage, and murdered by Hamas terrorists.

We wish to express our unwavering solidarity with Israelis and Jews worldwide.

Threatened in its existence, the State of Israel has the right to self-defense in accordance with international law and the principles of humanitarianism. The existence of a free, sovereign, and democratic Jewish State is one of the pillars of world peace.

The unimaginable hatred and violence perpetrated by terrorists only results in extensive and more widespread suffering – affecting also the civilian population of Gaza, whom Hamas exploits as human shields.

An essential first step to halt the horrifying spiral of death and war is the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, a demand we make with all our might.

[UNRWA @UNRWA]

LIVE | @UNLazzarini: Thousands of children killed cannot be collateral damage.

Pushing a million people from their homes and concentrating them in areas without adequate infrastructure is forced displacement.

Severely limiting food, water and medicine is collective punishment.

[Chris O'Keeffe @mrchrisokeeffe]

The European Union should grant equal rights to Israelis and Palestinians.

[President of Ireland @PresidentIRL]

Statement by President Higgins on ongoing violence in the Middle East https://t.co/FaQgXaJJpY

[🇪🇺EU at UN-NY @EUatUN]

In the face of continued Russian attacks against Ukraine’s civil and critical infrastructure, the EU will step up humanitarian assistance to Ukraine. Those responsible for Russia’s aggression will be held to account.
~🇪🇺Amb. @OlofBSkoog at the #UNSC
➡️https://t.co/OT523N9VbC

[Chris O'Keeffe @mrchrisokeeffe]

I condemn in the strongest terms the senseless attacks carried out by Israel against Palestinians.

This is neither a political solution nor an act of bravery. This is purely terrorism.

And Palestinians have the right to defend themselves.

I stand with Palestine.

[Ursula von der Leyen @vonderleyen]

The bombing of the Mariupol maternity hospital is inhumane, cruel and tragic.

I am convinced that this can be a war crime. We need a full investigation.