Photos : Palestinian folk group; Al-Quds visit to Galway

by TD - IPSC Tue Feb 27, 2007 00:09

The Al-Quds dancer in Photo No. 4 was deeply touched by the spontaneous gift of flowers by a stall holder in the Farmers Market.

Outside the Galway Camera Shop

Eyre Square

Free Palestine !

A Cead Mile Failte in the Galway Farmers Market

by TD - IPSC Tue Feb 27, 2007 00:38

Cack-handedly clicked on a photo taken at the S2S Bellanaboy protest.

Michael D.

by TD - IPSC Tue Feb 27, 2007 01:11

there !

IPSC activists who heartened ULPSS/Galway IPSC by travelling from Dublin for the occasion

Martha and Uisce

As always "J" spearheading the event !

by TD - IPSC Tue Feb 27, 2007 01:40

For : "Aoibheann McNamara, proprietor of the Ard Bia restaurant in Quay Street and Seamus Sheridan, head honcho of Sheridan's Cheesemongers in Church Yard Street organised a collection today at the farmers’ market in Church Yard St in order to assist the beleaguered Lebanese who run the slow food market in Beirut - the moneys raised will be divided among the various families struggling to survive in their city and country viciously wasted by the Israelis". (see link)

Maria; from Basque country and one of the prime movers of the UL Palestine Solidarity Society

Slow food and fast service in Ard Bia

Until we meet again !

by Mary Kelly Tue Feb 27, 2007 18:52

for feast of photos and obviously solid hearty welcome for the Palestinians. Fair play for all who helped make the trip happen.!

by PaddyK Wed Feb 28, 2007 01:07

Lovely photos. Cultural events like this on the ground, linking Irish culture with Palestinian culture, are the real expression of solidarity. The organisers and facilitators are to be commended. Keep it up.

by redjade Wed Feb 28, 2007 12:33

Thanks for the lovely photos.

One question - or a perhaps a plea for clarification - please explain who or what the 'Al-Quds' from Palestine are.

George W Bush and his gang have just last week claimed that 'Al-Quds' from Iran are training and arming Shia Iraqis.

I assume that these are not those Al-Quds - but a googler arriving to indymedia.ie for the first time might see an Iranian-Irish Plot and a threat to Shannon Airport and we wouldn't want people to get the wrong idea, of course.

So, seriously now, who or what are Palestinian Al-Quds?

by Sean O'Carroll - ULPSS Wed Feb 28, 2007 12:51

As one of the organisers of this event, the event itself was 2 years in the making and came about as a result of significant funding from trocaire, the project was aimed at using music and dance as an expression of identity and raising awareness.

Al Quds themselves are a folk group from Jerusalem, thier full title is the Al Quds Troupe for Popular Palestinian Arts, they have been in existence since 2000 and they are recognised as a leading exponent of Palestinian music and dance, they work with young kids from 7 years upwards safeguarding and developing traditional Palestinian music and dance

by M Wed Feb 28, 2007 15:59

The name Al Quds simply means Jerusalem in Arabic. The gorup is based in Jerusalem, hence the name.

More information on the group can be found on their website: http://www.alqudsfolk.com/

by TD - IPSC Thu Mar 01, 2007 20:37

According to Wikipedia : The al-Quds Brigades is the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamist organisation Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).

Especially active in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the al-Quds Brigades are reportedly receiving orders from the PIJ leadership in Damascus, Syria.

Since the beginning of the al-Aqsa Intifada........For the rest of the text, see the Wikipedia URL -ed

by Malachy Sun Mar 04, 2007 18:38

They look pretty scary. The men take off their headscarves, the women don't. All somewhat reminescent of the Germans in lederhosen. Personally, gives me the creeps.

by Someone Tue Mar 13, 2007 09:04

And does this gives you the creeps?:

"Israel recalls its envoy in El Salvador after he is found outside by police, drunk, wearing only bondage gear."

by Free speech Tue Mar 13, 2007 18:10

He should count his blessings that he was found by police in El Salvador . Had he been found in an Arab country wearing homosexual paraphernalia well he'd be a grease ball!

by Benjamin Wed Mar 14, 2007 14:52

Israel doesn't have embassies in Arabic countries because of what they do to Arabs. The latter have quite enough of those sadomasoquists pushing Palestinians off their land and destroying their livelihoods for Zionist distorted dreams of grandeour. Get yourself a good psychiatrist and live innocent peoples alone.

by PaddyK Wed Mar 14, 2007 18:25

Lets keep it real folks.

ISRAELI MISSIONS IN ARAB COUNTRIES

http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/2000_2009/2000/2/I...tries

by Malachy Wed Mar 14, 2007 19:06

All I said was that anyone behaving ostensibly homsexual in a muslim country would invariably be arrested and locked up. He or she doesn't have to be caught with a ball gag in his or her mouth. Maybe you people should stage some sort of a protest on Shop Street to highlight the plight of the homosexuals in Arab countries. (not to mention, honour killings, freedom of speech abuses, capital punishment, etc. etc..). If you did so, it might give your anti Israeli protests more credibility.
As things stand, they come across as a pathetic exercise in antisemitism .

by Sean - ULPSS Thu Mar 15, 2007 10:11

Malachy,

This was not an anti-Israel protest in Galway.

It was a music and dance group performing traditional Palestinian music and dance.

Prove it was anti-Israel and more importantly prove it was anti-semitic.

The anti-semitic argument is used all too often, Palestinians are semitic too. Its not just a disengenuous argument it is libelous to the group.

All you mention in your post is an abhorrent factor of life within any country not just Arab countries but this was first and foremost a cultural event and not political. Just this week in UL, israeli musicians were part of a touring group , are they too political, are they too abhorrent because of what Israel does.

No they are not, cultural events like these try and show that beyond the politics, the rethoric and the blind hatred not just of both sides but of uninformed outsiders that there are ordinary people who like anywhere else like to sing and dance and have fun. That is one thing the Israelis and Palestinians have in common.

by Malachy Thu Mar 15, 2007 18:36

ULPSS is a political organization! Your focus on Israel combined with your refusal to protest against the plethora of human rights abuses in Arab countrres is suspect. Hence the antisemitism

by paddy Thu Mar 15, 2007 19:29

Go on Malachy, we are all antisemitic, yeah yeah. Easy job you have. Where you required a third level degree to get it?
You are just jealous because you can't dream a welcome like that. Stop oppressing people and may be you'll get it.

by paddy again Thu Mar 15, 2007 19:39

The Israeli embassador in El Salvador had every right to have sadomasoquist pleasure in the garden, how dare Israel recall him.
By the way, where does it say he was gay in the bbc link? He could have been straight also, couldn't he? Well, as straight as a drunk man can be while tied naked to a chair with a rubber ball in his mouth....
I defend that envoy's right to his sexual tendencies against Israel's intolerance. Recalling him is thorougly antisemitic.

by Malachy Thu Mar 15, 2007 19:48

Paddy, as I said before in this thread, the envoy should count his blessings he wasn't caught in such attire in an Arab country. If he had been, he'd be a grease ball!

by Paddy Thu Mar 15, 2007 21:06

Malachy, I can't believe he would be worse than a Palestinian in the hands of Israel. You should be recalling all your Israeli soldiers and settlers from the West Bank and East Jerusalem immediately and cease your massacres in all Palestine asap. You are an embarrashment to humanity.
What does it say about the State of Israel that it recalls an envoy for public sadomasoquist sexual behaviour, yet it massacres people in view of the whole world with no shame.

It is interesting the kind of thing that will make you ashamed. Pathetic indeed.

by Sean - ULPSS Thu Mar 15, 2007 21:28

Malachy

Do u actually know what ULPSS is

Its a student society in UL -how can it be a political organisation?

Also u have just branded it as anti-semitic do u really think a university would allow an anti semitic organisation on campus?

Last year we organised a conference which was addressed by 4 Jewish speakers as opposed to 3 Palestinians, one was from the Jewish Voices for Peace and one was an Israeli academic, we have Jewish members who helped organise the conference, we organised a musical concert entitled, we work with Jewish groups in Israel and the US.

Salam Shalom Siochain which had Jewish, Palestinian and Irish musicans singing together.

this year alone we have had two Israeli Jewish speakers on campus and the bus driver for the group who in the pictures was a Jewish guy from London

Hardly the work of an antio semitic group

Its surprises me that Indymediia allow libellous material like your posts on the site

by M Fri Mar 16, 2007 06:50

Never said they were antisemitic. Used the term antisemitism in reference to the disproportionate focus on the actions of Israel while ignoring the human rights abuses in Arab countries.

by Sean - ulpss Fri Mar 16, 2007 09:09

To Malachy or M

The ULPSS is not part of the IPSC

As I said, its a student society in UL and it does work with all socities in UL against all forms of human rights abuses no matter who perpetrates them

As my original post said

Do you actually know who the ULPSS is?

by Malachy Fri Mar 16, 2007 09:36

Ok, in that case why not bring a mini-bus load of Israeli folk dancers kippas and all waving Israeli flags to Galway. They'd soon be run out of town, I can assure you.

by Sean - ULPSS Fri Mar 16, 2007 09:45

I take it then Malachy that your actual arguments of bias and antisemitism is not directed at the ULPSS but at the IPSC, Galway etc.

As I mentioned on earlier posts, ULPSS have and continue to bring and give Israeli voices to the debate, I have shown you where we have had Jewish and Muslim musicians in a joint concert.

Just clarify who you are actually accusing.

I agree with you that it would beabhorrent to "run people out of town" simply based on their ethnicity or religion, any form of rascism is sickening.

by Malachy Fri Mar 16, 2007 09:55

With deepest respect, my question remains the same.

"why not bring a mini-bus load of Israeli folk dancers kippas and all waving Israeli flags to Galway" ?

by Sean - ULPSS Fri Mar 16, 2007 10:08

With my deepest respect my questions also stand

ULPSS is engaged with using culture, music and dance to show a different side of the conflict. This has been the first stage of a project, the musicians in the pciture have engaged with Irish students and have learned a dance piece entitled "The Cross of Peace." with Irish students.

The project was funded by UL money and Trocaire and with all our projects there three principles underly
(1) broadening Horizons
(2) Addressing Injustice
(3) Dialogue

You cannot have these without listening to both sides and yes we plan to repeat this project again and again and if we find an israeli youth group committed to celebrating their culture but also promoting the above principles we will bring them anywhere and I and the society will be the first to challenge those who attack them for celebrating their culture.

I nor the society cannot control the spin nor the content of what people place on the web ( we didnt place this on Indymedia), if you want to know more about the society , its work and its projects talk to me off site, we may actually have more in common than you think.

by Malachy Fri Mar 16, 2007 10:14

Accepted, with enthusiasm.

by Malachy Fri Mar 16, 2007 10:23

and admiration

by d Fri Mar 16, 2007 10:47

So were your accusations of antisemitism aimed at IPSC, Galway in general, or who?

You seem to think that anyone who works on the Israel/Palestine issue without addressing everything else in the Middle East is anti-semitic. Are you serious? Of course the IPSC focuses on Palestinian solidarity, they're the IRELAND PALESTINE SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGN, you moron.

This "you can't work on any social justice issue unless you work on EVERY one" point is the laziest, most idiotic argument ever, and one that only the most pathetic trolls come out with. The IPSC act in solidarity with Palestine, that's their raison d’être, just like SIPTU focus on workplace issues, AWI work on antiwar stuff, RAR deal with racism etc.

You have no argument, you're clutching at straws.

by Malachy Fri Mar 16, 2007 11:02

Of course the IPSC concentrates on Palestinian issues.That's my very point.. They couldn't give a toss about human rights eleswehere, and definetly not within the Palestinan terrirories. Should I mention, honour killings, summary execution, child abuse? Personally, I plan to continue any exchanges I have on this site in my own language, just to keep an imposed distance from you type of people.

Le gach deamhain.

by d Wed Mar 21, 2007 22:07

What part of this don't you get?

-Groups work within their remit.

-The IPSC are not a general human rights organisation.

-The things you have mentioned are not within their remit.

Do you have a problem with EVERY organisation that doesn't campaign on the issues you've listed? Does Conradh na Gaeilge, for example, do anything about these things? If not, do you attack them for it? Or are you singling out the IPSC for some particular reason?

Do you have any evidence that members of IPSC only campaign on Palestine-related issues? I know for a fact that TD who posted these pictures is involved in a wide range of human rights and social justice campaigns. In keeping with common sense, though, he doesn't do these things under the name of IPSC. But hey, I'm sure facts and common sense won't interfere with your random prejudices.

Finally, unfortunately I'll understand your drivel whether it's in English or as Gaeilge. The last thing the Irish language needs is snobby morons like you who would try and use it as an impediment to discussion and debate. Why would you come on to a news and discussion site and then try and "impose" a "distance" between you and the other users? If you can't handle debate, piss off. You are an embarrassment to gaeilgeoirí everywhere.

by Malachy Thu Mar 22, 2007 10:28

D, I do recall saying that I was going, yet as a parting shot you tell me « to piss off ». Evidently, I understand your gibberish better than you do mine. That said, you’ve been clinging onto me on other pages like a barnacle since, and having my entries in Irish taken down whenever you can. What ails you ? Is the Cnuas running out ? You are entitled to it as long as the work you do isn’t profitable ; in your case fat chance of that. Now as for the question of remit, you’re very much entitled to one. But please accept criticism when others point out your lack of interest in other issues relevant to the issue. I’ve encountered these protests in my native town in shop street. Have seen Saudi Arabians, Jordanians, veiled Malaysians waving their placards. Upon questioning them on human rights issues in their own countries, the refrain would usually be ‘this is a cultural problem ». When I addressed the failures in Muslim countries: be they economic, educational, social, etc. I was told it was always the fault of Israel and America. When I addressed the issue of homosexuality (I am one by the way), well backs were turned and I was made to understand that I should be on my way. So D my assertion remains the same, painting Israel as the greatest abuser of human rights in such a putrid environment has the effect of promoting antisemitism. And you people would have more human rights credibility if you were to hold protests highlighting the human rights abuses across the basket cases of the Arab world from Morocco to Pakistan. Note that more were killed in horrific circumstances in Algeria during the 90s than in all the Israel-Arab wars without the media batting an eyelid.

PS : we Irish speakers often speak in Irish just for the sake of speaking Irish. You have no right to have my posts pulled down just because you disagree with the content.

Is mise

by d Thu Mar 22, 2007 20:00

I'm not an indymedia editor, I have no power to take down comments.

I have not been following you around or harassing you. I'm a busy guy. On ONE other thread I pointed out the reason why our comments (mine included) would inevitably be taken down for breaching indymedia guidelines. I did this so you would maybe stop thinking you're some kind of victim here, but apparently I was unclear, so I'll try again: Your comments were not deleted because of me, nor because of the teanga you used. They broke guidelines, so an editor deleted them.

I'm not a member of IPSC, I'm just pointing out the senselessness of attacking someone for operating within their remit.

You're right, human rights abuses in a lot of Middle Eastern countries need to be addressed. I agree with you 100%. But instead of criticising a group which was not set up to campaign on those issues in the first place, why not set up such a group yourself?

I'm not being a smartarse here, I genuinely mean it. If you feel very strongly about an issue, eg persecution of homosexuals in Egypt, why not do something about it? I'm sure there are a lot of people here who would support such an initiative (myself included)

Lastly, after claiming that you will use Irish to maintain an "imposed distance" between yourself and others, it's a bit much to be surprised when another gaeilgeoir takes offence.

by Malachy Thu Mar 22, 2007 20:36

Accepted, with sincerity, never any personal offence intended