Sir, – Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said that he plans to ask the US to join the “drive for peace” in Gaza during his audience with US president Joe Biden (News, March 13th).
He could, of course, simply pick up a phone to do this. There is certainly no need to travel to Washington for the annual St Patrick’s Day shenanigans in order to convey this message. Moreover, Mr Varadkar must be naive – I doubt he is – if he truly believes that the direction of US foreign policy will be shifted by such soft diplomacy. There is no serious evidence that the US plans to stop supplying Israel with the weapons it has used to kill more than 30,000 Palestinians in Gaza.
A more forceful approach by the Irish Government and the “international community” is plainly required. One thing Ireland could do is end the use of Shannon Airport by the US military. This would send a clear message that US support for the Israeli war on Gaza is profoundly unacceptable. – Yours, etc,
FINTAN LANE,
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Lucan,
Co Dublin.
A chara, – Catherine Martin’s attendance at the SXSW Music Festival in Austin Texas is deeply troubling (“Catherine Martin to attend SXSW events as Irish artists withdraw in solidarity with Gaza”, News, March 12th). The US army is listed as a “Super Sponsor” of SXSW and will host nine events. Weapons manufacturers RTX and BAE Systems, which supply Israel with the weapons that have killed over 30,000 people, are linked to the festival and are sponsoring events. Now that these links have been revealed publicly, I believe it is unconscionable for representatives of the Irish Government to attend. Catherine Martin’s attendance will directly feed into the “art-washing” practised by arms companies, normalise Israeli brutality and further Ireland’s complicity. Her attendance and participation in the festival do not represent the views of Irish artists in general.
I implore her to withdraw her participation and make a statement which represents and supports the position of Irish artists.
Unlike the message sent to the world by Catherine Martin, I stand in solidarity with our Palestinian colleagues, and with Palestinians at large, who are suffering under the brutality of Israeli genocide and apartheid. I also stand with the Irish artists who have taken the brave and just decision to withdraw from SXSW at great personal cost. – Is mise,
DYLAN TIGHE,
Dublin 8.
Sir, – Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he will ask “America to get involved once again in the drive for peace” when he meets US president Joe Biden. On the basis of America’s recent geopolitical interventions, that’s about as likely as Russian president Vladimir Putin getting Russia involved in the drive for democracy. – Is mise,
TOMAS McBRIDE,
Letterkenny,
Co Donegal.