Having grown up in Scituate, Massachusetts, a town with almost 50% residents of Irish descent, I was surrounded by reminders of the struggles our Irish ancestors faced in the United States.
Framed "No Irish Need Apply" signs hung in family friends' homes, serving as poignant reminders of the discrimination Irish immigrants overcame since the 19th century. Now, as an Irish-American Muslim deeply committed to justice, I find myself profoundly troubled by the Biden administration's complicity in Israel's genocide and forced starvation of Palestinians in Gaza.
President Joe Biden, who proudly touts his Irish heritage, leads an administration that enables Israel's murderous actions in Gaza through political support and active arms sales. This echoes the suffering our Irish ancestors faced during the English occupation of Ireland and the subsequent Irish Famine, marked by military invasion, occupation, and forced starvation.
If America cherishes its cultural ties to Ireland, then we cannot turn a blind eye to the suffering of the Palestinian people.
At present, the Gaza Health Ministry reports that 27 people, predominantly children, have succumbed to malnutrition or dehydration in the past few weeks.
In February, the United Nations reported over a quarter of Gaza's 2.3 million residents were believed to be confronting catastrophic levels of deprivation and starvation. The organization warned that without prompt intervention, the likelihood of widespread famine was deemed "almost inevitable."
The haunting memory of Ireland's Great Famine, where a catastrophic blight led to mass starvation and death while food was exported from Ireland to Britain, resonates deeply with Irish Americans. This historical trauma, a result of British colonial policies, led to the liquidation of over a million Irish men, women, and children and forced millions more to emigrate, including Biden's and my ancestors who sought refuge in America.
Today, as we witness the atrocities unfolding in Palestine, we are reminded of our shared history of oppression and occupation. The Palestinian people endure similar tactics of forced starvation and deprivation as a means of control. Israel's 16-year blockade of Gaza and present denial of humanitarian aid mirror the colonial tactics employed during Ireland's darkest days.
The recent rejection of a motion in Cork City Council calling for an Irish political boycott of the White House visit underscores the ethical dilemma Irish Americans face. If America cherishes its cultural ties to Ireland, then we cannot turn a blind eye to the suffering of the Palestinian people. Over 32,000 Palestinian civilians have been killed by Israel using U.S.-provided weapons, and 72,000 more have been injured, with American complicity casting a long-lasting shadow over these war crimes.
President Biden must confront the glaring hypocrisy of his administration's stance on Palestine. His unwavering support for Israel contradicts the values of justice and human rights that he campaigned on and tarnishes any U.S. claim to moral leadership on the global stage. He cannot celebrate our Irish heritage in the White House while ignoring the Palestinian cries of oppression.
Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar declared that he would use his recent visit to the St. Patrick's Day White House celebration to voice Irish concerns directly to President Biden. While meeting with President Biden, he joined countless Americans in urging for an immediate cease-fire and the delivery of aid to Gaza.
Furthermore, the recent meeting between the Sinn Féin President and the Republic of Ireland’s leader of the opposition Mary Lou McDonald and Palestinian-American Muslim Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) underscores the importance of Irish-American solidarity in the face of injustice. Ahead of her St. Patrick's Day tour of the U.S., she posted on X: "Met with [Rashida Tlaib]—a powerful voice for Palestine in the U.S. Congress. We stand with her in calling for a cease-fire, an end to occupation, and a free Palestine."
As one Irish American to another, I am calling on President Biden to heed the Irish calls for justice and dignity for the Palestinian people, whose current struggles echo the oppression our ancestors faced. Regardless of nationality or creed, we must stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and demand an end to their suffering.
