Republican News · Thursday 3 April 2003

Solidarity from Palestinian Ambassador

"We are glad as Palestinians to associate ourselves with you, and we are proud to associate ourselves with you," Dr Ali Halimeh, Palestinian ambassador to Ireland, told the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis.

"Your conference comes today at a time of serious problems around the world. We deplore what is happening in an Arab country called Iraq.

"Iraq is a land, a country, a people, a history and heritage, not just a regime of Saddam Hussein. It is wrong not to condemn this war against the people of Iraq, wrong to just sit and watch television, and the pictures that you receive here in the west are very different to those being shown on Arab television. The west is not showing the massacres being committed against the Iraqi people. It reminds me of massacres committed against Palestinians.

"The are saying the world changed since September 11. I'm saying no, the world changed when the present American administration came to power. It has a plan, not just for the Middle East; they are going to change the entire world.

"We live in a difficult time. They want to change regime in Iraq. Is this the way to conduct themselves? Is it true that they cannot liberate Iraq without killing Iraqi people?

"This is a crime against humanity and we have to say it. They have tried to change the Palestinian government. Who are Sharon and Bush to change the elected representatives of Palestine? Who gave them that right?

"America is spending millions of dollars to buy governments in the Middle East. Democracy cannot be imposed on people who have different culture and priorities.

"It is not going to end in Baghdad. The planners in Washington want to control the East. Since the creation of Israel 55 years ago, they have wanted and failed to do that.

"They can occupy Baghdad and Palestine, but they cannot occupy our minds and beliefs.

"Sharon and Bush shall not defeat Palestine. We shall continue to fight. No amount of oppression or aggression can defeat us.

"We are with you until you also achieve your objectives."