Israeli bombing of Gaza resumed on Friday, with bombing of southern Gaza and a demand that civilians move even further south, to the border city of Rafah (Al Jazeera). This graffiti and a simple painting of the Palestinian flag are in the Elmfield area of Glengormley, Newtownabbey.
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The “put/give it back, thief” imagery that we saw used for the Lough Neagh protest (and much earlier in republican murals) is used on an “Israel, get out of Palestine” sticker on the bollard now outside Cultúrlann McAdam-O’Fiaich that originally came from McAdam’s Soho foundry in Townsend Street. (A sticker in worse condition was also seen in Israel Get Out Of Palestine.)
“Caıth bomaıte ar son na Palaıstíne. Seol ríomhphost chuıg gach ceannaıre polaıtiúıl sa tír. – Caırde Palestine.” [Spend a moment on Palestine’s behalf. Send an e-mail to every political leader in the land. – Friends of Palestine]
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Here is another gallery of teddy-bears and soft-toys wearing “Boycott Israeli genocide” stickers in support of the children of Gaza, this time from the fencing in front of the Royal Victoria Hospital.
See also the soft-toys from the Milltown roundabout junction, former site of the Andersonstown RUC Barracks.
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The UN Security Council last night passed resolution 2712 (UN), calling for extended humanitarian pauses in Israel’s assult on Gaza. The resolution was proposed by Malta, who wrote the resolution to focus on the plight of children. Today’s images show a selection of the teddy bears and other soft toys that have been placed on fences and lamp-posts in CNR west Belfast in memory of the children who have been killed in Gaza. It is estimated that a child dies in Gaza every 10 minutes (Reuters) and that 4,600 children have died so far (UN).
For more on the bears, see Belfast Media.
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As the shelling of Gaza continues and the death-toll mounts, there are protests on a daily basis. In Belfast, there were rallies supporting Palestine this week in Poleglass (Xitter), Lenadoon (Xitter), Ardoyne (reddit | Xitter) — home of this new mural showing F-16 jets over Gaza — and more to come in the city centre (Friday) and Dunville Park (Saturday). For more upcoming rallies, see Belfast IPSC (Fb) | Derry IPSC (Fb) | IPSC (Fb).
The final image is from the rally at Queen’s University on November 4th, of a protester with a hand-painted “Saoırse Don Phalaıstín” board.
Murals and graffiti so far:
In Belfast: Stop The Slaughter In Gaza | Palestine And Ireland United In Struggle | Stop Israeli Murder In Gaza | Stop Israeli Terror | Israel Get Out Of Palestine | Free Palestine |
In Derry: Free Palestine | Ireland Supports Palestinian Resistance | Victory To Gaza
And also Ulster & Israel.
Balholm Drive, Ardoyne, north Belfast
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“Stop the slaughter – ceasefire now”. A pro-Palestinian board was added to the “International Wall”, Divis Street, and launched on November 4th. The previous Saber Al-Ashkar mural — His Land, His Legs, His Life — has been mostly painted over, with part of the mural remaining at the top and the image of a man carrying a wounded child perhaps deliberately left to the right of the board.
The image represented would appear to be an from social media (probably AI-generated, as no one can say who is depicted or where) of children sitting among their ruined house, surrounded by broken toys, including SpongeBob and Pudsey Bear, with the boy using an incorrect Palestinian flag to cover the girl.
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“Stop Israeli murder in Gaza.” “ma” is presumably a false start on “murder”. This is new graffiti at Camberwell Terrace/Limestone Road.
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“Ulster & Israel – brothers in arms”. The Uzi was developed in Israel in the late 1940s and became a general-issue weapon in 1956 (WP). It was used (and copied) by loyalist paramilitaries in Northern Ireland (Balaclava Street has a comprehensive history of loyalist weaponry) and appeared in a both UDA and UVF murals and graffiti: The Elite | Ulster Says No! To The Politicians | Sandy Row 2nd Batt | UFF Uzi.
Here is an article from TheJ.ca interviewing PUL politicians on their support for Israel and an Irish News article revisiting the issue in light of the current conflict. And loyalists have previously (since 2002? Irish Times | OU) flown the flag of Israel — see Gregg & Carson (2011) | View From The North Bank (2012) | The Young Conquerors (2013) | The United Nations (2014) | The Glorious Memory (2014) | Ulster Supports The People Of Israel (2018) | EU Hands Off Ulster (2021). But this is the first time that a symbol of violence has been used as the symbol of solidarity. (In republican muraling, see PLO-IRA (1982) | Women In Armed Struggle (1983).)
Tate’s Avenue, in the Village area of south #Belfast.
The placard in the middle, between Brothers In Arms and “Sir E. Carson K.C., M.P.” was discussed in Stand Firm. The Winning Hand was seen previously in The Red Hand And The Winning Hand.
See also: Godfather Of The Israeli Army.
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A march/rally supporting Palestine takes place in Belfast today, starting at noon and going from Writer’s Square to City Hall. The graffiti above is on the Falls Road at the Royal: “Stop the genocide. Stop “Israeli” terror. ‘Fom the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!; BDS [Boycott, divestment, sanctions (web)] IPSC [Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (web | Fb)]”
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These images were taken in the lower and middle Falls, west Belfast. As might be expected, there is some reaction to the current conflict between Hamas and Israel: “Victory to the resistance – Free Palestine!” and “#NotMyKing” are at the closed-up Mac Diarmada club at Sráid Phort Láirge (see previously: CIRA GHQ); “Israel get out of Ireland” is on a crossing button in Beechmount.
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Extramural Activity 