Biden’s Blood Fest, Sinn Féin’s Song and Dance
23 March 2024
St Patrick’s day came and went. The snakes who scuttled off to Washington for some revelry with Genocide Joe came back to Ireland. Meanwhile the slaughter in Gaza continues unabated as it did whilst Sinn Féin were clinking glasses with those responsible for the murder.
Leo Varadkar limited himself to repeating the banalities of Joe Biden, saying ceasefire, two-state solution and also affirming that Israel has a right to defend itself. Despite this he came across in the media as more forceful than Sinn Féin, who initially couldn’t bring themselves to make public statements at the events and eventually had a private word with Biden to urge him to use his influence on Israel.
Biden’s influence is that he supplies the bombs that Israel is using, that he has blocked UN resolutions on the matter and has defended Israel to the hilt. Rather than calling for him to use his influence, which he does use to further the genocide, Sinn Féin could have publicly called him out for arming the Zionist monster. They didn’t. They did what everyone knew they would do: say nothing of substance. As Ali Abunimeh from the Electronic Intifada put it, “If we can’t trust you to stand up in the midst of a genocide, when can we trust you? The answer is never and they proved it by going to Washington DC to greet Genocide Joe.
Despite sucking up to Biden, Sinn Féin were invited to speak at a Palestinian rally in Belfast, just one day before the Slaughter Soirée at the White House. Their speaker Clíodhna Nic Bhranair was booed by the crowd. Why was she invited to speak? The Palestinian solidarity movement in Ireland has shied away from taking coherent stances. Sinn Féin is invited despite going to Washington DC, trade union leaders who refuse to organise a workers’ boycott are invited to speak all the time.
We need a real solidarity movement that is not afraid to stand up to corrupt politicians or trade union leaders who will not organise workers in solidarity with Palestine. We need one that will take clear positions on issues rather than wait to see which way the wind is blowing and failing to challenge politicians, beyond politely lobbying them. We need one that will take clear political decisions in relation to Palestine and has no truck with the corrupt Palestine Authority and will argue for a unitary democratic secular Palestine. To do that, it has to be an open democratic movement, that will allow for discussion and debate and not one that stands aside whilst Sinn Féin thugs throw Palestinians out of Palestine solidarity events.
Solidarity is between those who are oppressed, those who are in struggle and not those who seek to hold or obtain political influence and are willing to bow the knee to Genocide Joe or look the other way when some genuflect to the Commander in Chief of the genocide. We in Socialist Democracy are willing to take part in such a movement and work with all those who are open to the idea of real solidarity.