Sadaka has an Irish and a Palestinian patron, both with a strong track record on advancing the human and political rights of the Palestinian people. They are available to Sadaka to offer advice and guidance and facilitate connections to broader networks.
Proinsias De Rossa (former MEP)
Proinsias De Rossa was elected to the European Parliament as a member of the Labour Party in June 2009 for his fourth term as an MEP, having first been elected in 1989.
In national politics, Proinsias formerly served as President of the Workers Party and subsequently as Leader of Democratic Left. He has been a senior member of the Labour Party for a long number of years. He served as Minister for Social Welfare in the Irish Government from 1994 – 1997.
As a member of the European Parliament, Proinsias displayed a keen interest in foreign affairs and social policy. He was a member of the European Convention which produced the 2003 draft European constitution. On election to the European Parliament in 1999 he became a Vice-Chair of the European Parliament’s Delegation for relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council (DPLC). During his last term he was elected Chair of that Delegation. As chair of the DPLC he led Parliamentary Delegations each year to the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and Gaza. He also organised many Parliamentary Hearings in Brussels involving both Palestinian and Israeli experts and activists on the plight of Palestinians in the occupied territories and in Israel. He stepped down from Parliamentary politics in February 2012, naming the issue of Palestine as one on which he will continue to be active.
The Right Reverend Monsignor Manuel Musallam
The Right Reverend Msgr. Manuel Manuel Musallam was born in Birzeit, Palestine 1938. He is known far and wide as simply – Abuna Manuel (Fr. Manuel) Fr. Manuel is the retired Parish Priest of Holy Family Parish Gaza having served as its Parish Priest for 14 years. For most of that time the Israeli authorities would not allow him to visit his family and friends in the West Bank.
During his time in Gaza he worked tirelessly in the provision of pastoral care to the Christian community and was noted for the unfailing help and assistance he always extended to his Muslim brothers and sisters. Fr. Manuel also ran The Holy Family Catholic School in Gaza an institution renowned for the quality of its education. This much respected institution offers an education to both Christian and Muslim children with 80% of its pupils coming from the Muslim community.
While in Gaza, Fr. Manual also served as the Vatican’s official representative in Gaza. He is currently the President of the Christian World Department at the International Relations Commission with Fatah and is a member of the Islamic Christian Commission in Support of Jerusalem and the Holy Sites. He is the Director of its Birzeit Office.