The death-toll in Gaza now stands at more than 38,000 people, in addition to the 1,100 Israelis killed on October 7th (Al Jazeera). This graffiti singling out US President Joe Biden – and by extension America’s continued supply of weapons to Israel – is on the hoarding around the derelict Willowbank House, built in 1896 (Belfast Live).
“Israeli Genocide” (Israel represented by the Star Of David) – This Antrim Road (north Belfast) graffiti protests the on-going Israeli attacks on cities in the Gaza Strip. The death toll of Palestinians now stands at more than 37,000 people, with 60% of residences destroyed (Al Jazeera).
Above, “How many [Palestinian] children have to die? Ceasefire now” opposite a (former) shop called Tír Na nÓg [County/Land Of Young People], and, below, “End the occupation. Free Palestine. We are all Palest[in]ian” with drawings of Palestinian and Irish flags.
This is a west Belfast instance of INLA graffiti – seen previously in Derry (Saoırse Go Deo) – celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the group’s founding, in December, 1974.
Here is an assortment of images concerning boycotts of Israeli goods in response to the invasion of Gaza. Above, “Ban Israeli goods” on the wall of the Alexandra Park Tesco, north Belfast; below, V-for-victory fingers as scissors snipping barbed wire (bdsmovement.net) in a shop window in Andersonstown, west Belfast; “BDS” [Boycott, divestment, sanctions] and “IPSC” [Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, which maintains a list of Israeli goods] next to a painted Palestinian flag in the middle Falls, west Belfast; plus an Artists Against Genocide (ig) sticker.
“Cosaın Ár Neodracht – Ní dhéanann muıd freastal ar Westminster nó ar Washington ach ar Éıreann amháın./Protect our neutrality – We serve neither Westminster nor Washington but Ireland only.” The question of Ireland’s neutrality is a frequent one in light of US aeroplanes using Shannon as a stop-over point en route to the Middle East and more recently because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine that has pushed Finland and Sweden to join NATO (CNN).
The other issue on these posters (on the right of the electrical box) is political prisoners in Palestine. The Al Naqab prison is in the Negev, Israel, and “a center of brutality and brutal behavior” according to the head of a Palestinian prisoners’ welfare organisation (Al Mayadeen) with at least six prisoners killed in October-November (People’s Dispatch). (For the POW solidarity poster in the bottom right, see Victory To The PFLP.)
For the use of an upturned red triangle, see Resist! from the Lecky Road underpass. For a kite flying in support of peace in Gaza, and the source of this entry’s title, see Tell My Story.
Central Drive (above) and Southway, Derry.
The Resist triangle in Central Drive replaces some simple graffiti in memory of Bloody Sunday:
“Victory to the PFLP.” “PFLP” is the Popular Front For The Liberation Of Palestine, a revolutionary (where Fatah is democratic) left-wing militant group within the PLO. It dates back to 1967 and known for skyjackings in 1969 and 1970 led by Leila Khaled (see the entry on the mural featuring Khaled in Hugo St) and for suicide bombings during the Second Intifada (BBC | WP).
The posters read: “Republican solidarity with Palestine! التضامن الجمهوري مع فلسطين www.irpwa.irish” and “Stand with Palestine. End Israeli apartheid. End the siege of Gaza.” Both posters have also been murals: for the prisoners joining hands (which is a Carlos Latuff (ig) design) see Hands Across The Yard; for the protester tying her keffiyeh, see #Gaza.
Extramural Activity 