Ireland-Palestine solidarity group to protest at soccer match
Human rights campaigners are planning protests at this evening's international soccer game between Ireland and Israel.
The Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign will be using the event to highlight what they describe as Israel's illegal occupation of Palestinian territories.
One Palestinian player will play on the Israeli team.
The group's chairperson, Raymond Deane, said we must not forget the plight faced by the Palestinian player's people.
"For the duration of the match, particularly if he does well, he will be a hero and then he will return to his status as a member of the 20% Palestinian minority in the state of Israel who are discriminated against in what is essentially an apartheid set-up," said Mr Deane.
"What is happening in Israel-Palestine is an illegal occupation, dispossession, ethnic cleansing -that has to be dealt with before people can genuinely reconcile with one another.
"Until that time, a football team [including Palestinian and Israeli members] would give a completely false impression of realities in the country," he said.
