A Lebanese woman living in Dublin has urged the Irish Government to more actively pursue its role as an advocate for human rights in the Middle East. Speaking at a protest outside the Foreign Affairs Department on Saturday, Rasha Shraim, a PhD student at Trinity, highlighted that Ireland’s vocal support for Palestine is appreciated by her Arab friends and family who share social media posts commending the country. However, she criticised the government’s lack of action, viewing their praise for merely speaking up as self-congratulatory while immediate measures are gravely required.
Strikes from Israel have taken the lives of over 700 individuals this past week, according to Lebanese officials. Approximately 200 people expressed their concern over escalating violence by attending the Saturday protest in Dublin. This issue is personal for Shraim and many others; she originates from the southern city of Houla, near the Israel border, and has an olive branch tattoo as a reminder of her family home. But an upswing in violence forced her parents to leave their home recently and relocate from Beirut, along with her two brothers and a sister. Her family was forced to move once more after Israel marked certain regions as safe zones.
Last week, Shraim’s father lost a relative, followed by more kinfolk in a recent airstrike. She daily communicates with her family as they anxiously monitor news updates in Lebanon, hoping for a decline in violence and defining ‘safe’ zones. There is a growing fear, however, that Israel may heighten its attacks on southern Lebanon and Beirut in its ongoing conflict with Hizbullah and its objective to return northern residents back to their homes in safety. The number of displaced individuals due to this conflict has risen to nearly 100,000 Lebanese and 60,000 Israelis.
Ms Shraim has expressed her father’s feelings of having been imprisoned yet safe. According to him, he should feel grateful for being in safety, but he equates it to being caged like an animal. He and others believe that an attempt is being made to justify this fate as due to their Lebanese origin, similar to what occurred with the Palestinians.
Ms Shraim further stresses that the situation could deteriorate and that the role the Irish Government plays is crucial. However, she asserts that words are not enough, and the government urgently needs to be proactive rather than uttering ineffective speeches of condemnation. During a protest, appeals for Ireland to enforce sanctions and dismiss Israeli diplomatic personnel were made, one of the prominent voices being Richard Boyd Barrett TD.
He vigorously criticised the Irish government’s stance on the situation, terming it as “disgraceful”. He charged them with hypocrisy, accusing them of simultaneously criticising Israel’s recent actions and recognising Palestine without taking significant steps to discourage Israel’s continuing military engagement.