Dr. Nabil Shaath's visit to Ireland to secure a ‘YES’ vote for the UN to recognise Palestine
In September 2011, the Palestinian Authority will seek UN membership for a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders (Gaza, West Bank and East Jerusalem). Sadaka believes that the Irish government should not only vote for UN membership but should also take a leading role in the EU to encourage other states to do the same.
Over the next couple of months, Sadaka’s priority is to secure a positive Irish vote in the UN. To this end, we hosted a visit to Ireland by Dr. Nabil Shaath Overview: Dr. Nabil Shaath is Commissioner of International Relations with Fatah and is a senior PLO and Palestinian Authority negotiator. He has been a member of the Central Committee of Fatah since 1989. Today, he is Head of the Political Committee of its General Congress and editor of its Political Programme. From 1995 to 2005, he was Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Planning and International Co-operation, Minister of Information and from 2005 to 2006, Deputy Prime Minister and Acting Prime Minister. (Click for more) between 11th – 14th July 2011.
Dr. Shaath's meeting schedule (click below for links):
Tuesday 13 July: Labour Party, Fianna Fáil, The Technical Group, DCU Seminar, Round Table discussions.
Wednesday 14 July: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade,Chair of JOFCAT, Sinn Fein, members of the Oireachtas
Day 1: Monday 11 July 2011
10.00: Interview with Mary Fitzgerald, Irish Times
1300: Meeting with Proinsais De Rossa, MEP and Nessa Childers MEP
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Dr. Nabil Shaath with Proinsais De Rossa, MEP and Nessa Childers MEP Both MEPs are members of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament. Proinsais also chairs the Delegation for Relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council within the European Parliament. |
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Day 2: Tuesday 12 July 2011
1000: Meeting with Members of the Labour Party. Dr. Shaath addressed a meeting of members of the Labour Party in Leinster House (the seat of the Irish Parliament). Those present included TDs and other members of the Party. The meeting was organised by Joe Costello, TD for Dublin Central.
1030: Meeting with Micheál Martin, Leader of Fianna Fáil, and Seán O'FearghaÍl, Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs. Fianna Fáil has submitted a Private Members motion to the Dáil (Irish Parliament) calling for Irish recognition of a Palestinian state and agreed to issue an immediate statement on the matter.
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Former Palestinian Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Nabil Shaath and former Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin along with the Ambassador of Palestine to Ireland, Dr. Hikmat Adjuri and Seán O'FearghaÍl, Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs (on the right) |  |
1100: The Technical Group
Dr. Shaath, Mr. Fadi Abu Sidu, members of the Board of Sadaka and members of the Dáil Technical Group on the plinth of Leinster House.
The Technical Group comprises members of the United Left Alliance and other Independent TDs. The Group has 16 members. It has no common platform or ideology and its membership ranges from right-of-centre to politicians who would be known as ‘far left’. The meeting was convened by Catherine Murphy TD for Kildare North.
1300: 'Palestine: the 193rd State?: The Case for UN Recognition’. Dublin City University (DCU) Seminar hosted by the DCU Schools of Communication and Law and Government.
| Dr. Shaath was welcomed at Dublin City University (DCU) by Professor Ronnie Munck, Head of Civic and Global Engagement and Professor John Doyle, Head of Law and Government DCU have a report of the seminar which may be found on their website here. |
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1800: Round Table Discussion with Trade Union and NGO Leaders. The purpose of the meeting was to brief organisations and individuals who are opinion makers and shapers in Irish society. The aim of the briefing was to: ensure invitees are up-to-date on the ‘recognition’ issue and the Irish Government stance on same; to encourage the trade union movement and NGOs to lobby the Irish Government in their own right and to encourage organisations present to assume an active role in further Sadaka initiatives on this issue.
The following organisations were represented; Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Trade Union Friends of Palestine, Trocaire, Amnesty International, Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation, Irish Medical Aid for Palestine, Friends of Sabeel Ireland, EAPPI (Ecumenical Accompaniment Progamme in Palestine and Israel), Palestine Education, Trips to West Bank and Irish Ship to Gaza.
Day 3: Wednesday 13 July 2011
0850: Interview on Morning Ireland, RTE 1. To hear this interview, please click here.
1000: Meeting with Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Mr. Eamon Gilmore TD and senior officials in the Dept. of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
| The meeting was attended by the Secretary General of the Department, the Director of the Middle East Desk and other officials. The meeting was also attended by the Ambassador of Palestine to Ireland, Dr. Hikmat Adjuri. |
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1045: Press Briefing. A report from this briefing and subsequent Dáil discussion on the issue was provided in the following day’s Irish Times. To read this article, please click here
1100: Meeting with Pat Breen, Chair of Joint Oireachtas (Parliamentary) Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade (JOCFAT).
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Other JOFCAT committee members included the Sinn Fein spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Pádraic Mac Lochlainn, Senator Jim Walsh (Fianna Fáil) and Labour Party TD, Eric Byrne. |
1600: Meeting with Gerry Adams TD, President of Sinn Fein, Pádraic Mac Lochlainn, Sinn Fein Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, Aengus O’Snodaigh, Party Whip and Spokesperson on Social Protection and Kaniah Cusack, Sinn Fein party official.
1830: Open meeting with TDs and members of Seanad Eireann. This meeting which was open to all members of the Oireachtas was attended by over 30 TDs and Senators from across the range of political parties. During the meeting, a commitment was given to re-establish the Oireachtas Friends of Palestine.
2030: Meeting with members of the Palestinian community. This meeting provided an opportunity for the Palestinian leadership to update members of the community (including the refugee community) on current developments on the political situation in Palestine.
Dr. Shaath was accompanied at all times by Dr. Fadi Abusidu, Fatah’s Foreign Relations Commission Representative in the UK, Marie Crawley, Co-Chair of Sadaka, Dr. David Morrison, Political Analyst and other Board members of Sadaka.