For almost three years, we have witnessed horrific destruction in Gaza and the suffering of the Palestinian people. Children have been killed, families buried under rubble, hospitals attacked and entire communities wiped from the map. We have seen starvation, displacement and collective punishment inflicted on a civilian population. When apartheid existed in South Africa and when war engulfed the former Yugoslavia, boycotts and sanctions followed. When Russia invaded Ukraine, FIFA and UEFA acted within days. Yet, despite all of this, there remains a dangerous and pervasive attitude that treats the Israeli state with kid gloves. If international law matters, it matters all of the time. If human rights matter, they matter for all people. If there are consequences for breaching international law, then there can be no exceptions. We are being asked to accept that a state accused of engaging in apartheid, whose actions are subject to an ICJ proceeding, can arrive on Irish soil, have its flag raised, its anthem played and be welcomed as if everything is normal. There is nothing normal about what is happening in Gaza. There is nothing normal about sportswashing or pretending that sport exists separate from international law and human rights. The suggestion to move these games to a neutral venue is not a solution. It is moral cowardice dressed up as compromise. The Irish people have already taken a position. They have stood up and spoken out loudly in solidarity with the Palestinian people. This game should not go ahead on legal and moral grounds. It is time to stop the games.

Sentiment score: -0.16