National self-determination is the only way forward for Palestine – Declan Kearney MLA
By Declan Kearney MLA
In May I visited Johannesburg and addressed the ‘Global Anti-Apartheid Conference’ on Palestine.
It addressed the urgent need to launch a global campaign against Israel’s occupation of and apartheid system in Palestine, emulating the scale of the international actions which were so essential to achieving national democracy in South Africa.
It was supported by the South African government, and speakers included Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor; Namibia’s Justice Minister Yvonne Dausab; former South African government minister, Ronnie Kasrils; Reverend Frank Chikane; and many others.
The war in Gaza has become a lightning rod for mobilising popular world opinion against Israel’s apartheid occupation.
The actions of students, particularly in the US, but also in Ireland, Britain and across Europe, in demanding the implementation of divestment policies by academic institutions, are reminiscent of the student movements against the Vietnam war.
The groundbreaking legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice in The Hague by South Africa is not only morally courageous; it has become a catalyst for actions by other international governments.
Decisions by Ireland, Spain and Norway to formally recognise the state of Palestine have disrupted the pro-Israeli consensus within the European Union.
For the first time, discussions have begun to happen in Brussels about the need to apply sanctions against Netanyahu’s government and the Israeli war economy.
The announcement by the International Criminal Court to pursue arrest warrants against Netanyahu and his defence minister will reinforce such new shifts in western governments’ policies.
All of these factors are relevant to the development of the global anti-apartheid campaign launched in Johannesburg.
For the success of a global campaign to be fully optimised, there must be a resolution to divisions within the Palestinian national struggle.
The resistance and reluctance by some to forge a national consensus, embrace political unity, and form a united leadership, is a strategic failure and weakness.
But the Palestinian struggle needs to equip itself with the cohesion, capacity and strategies to achieve self determination.
Progressive and democratic international pressure has to focus upon introducing positive initiatives to deliver a lasting ceasefire; inclusive talks, followed by fully representative negotiations; an irreversible peace settlement; and, Palestinian national self-determination and sovereignty.
The experience of Ireland and the Sinn Féin leadership, and our friends in South Africa, is available to that end.
- Declan Kearney is an MLA for South Antrim and National Chair of Sinn Féin. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter/X and Instagram.
- This was originally published in the July 2024 Sinn Féin International Bulletin.
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