Tadhg Hickey, an Irish comic and commentator with more than 128k followers on X, is going viral with his new video in which he urges Irish America to act on the US response to Gaza.
In his three-minute video message, Cork native Hickey, who regularly makes content about Irish and world politics, relates the current situation in Gaza to the Irish Famine, or Great Hunger.
“The word famine masks a tragic paradox, because this was not some unfortunate natural disaster," Hickey, donning a keffiyeh in solidarity with Palestinians, says in his video.
“In the face of widespread starvation, large quantities of food were exported from this island [Ireland] to Britain, Ireland’s colonial ruler at the time.
“At the height of the famine, food shipments were even accompanied by armed guards.
“For many, it was coffin ships to the US or a slow death at home.
“Today, experts and the UN World Food Programme agree that famine is taking hold in Gaza. As with Ireland, this famine is not some natural disaster or some unintended outcome.
“Israeli officials have made public statements expressing their aim to inflict a total siege to deprive civilians in Gaza of food, water, and fuel, statements reflected in Israeli forces military operations.
“Human Rights Watch has concluded that the Israeli government is using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare and this is a categoric war crime.
“They and other reputable sources say that Israeli forces are deliberately blocking the delivery of water, food, and fuel while intentionally impeding humanitarian assistance and depriving the civilians the essentials for survival.
“Vast areas of agricultural land including orchards, greenhouses, and farmland have also been razed by Israeli forces.
“It is the fastest descent from relative food security to mass starvation ever recorded by UN agencies anywhere in the world.
“So, let’s be clear. This is 2024 and the famine in Gaza is an intentional war crime against a trapped population. Unlike the Irish, they don’t even have the luxury of a coffin ship, they’re trapped behind a sprawling fence and dying of hunger within shouting distance of ships filled with food.
“This is happening with American support, American-made weapons, and greenlighted by an Irish American President who shamefully is a descendent of Famine Irish.
“A lot of us back here think Biden should never be welcomed back to Ireland.
“His ancestral home in Mayo, ironically, [is] the area of Ireland most devastated by the Great Famine or the Great Hunger to give it its more apt title.
“Time is ticking, especially for the young children of Gaza.
“Here in Ireland, we are calling on Irish America to step up for our sisters and brothers in Palestine.
“Make your voice heard. Contact your local state and federal representatives today and demand that the Biden administration support an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, demand the unrestricted entry of food, medicine, and aid for starving and dying people, and demand that the US ends its unconditional support for Israel and supports freedom and justice for the Palestinian people.
“Because if you’re Irish American and you’re not standing up for Palestine right now, you may want to take another look at your history.”
You can watch Tadhg Hickey's urgent message to Irish America here:
An urgent message to Irish America pic.twitter.com/wioVjbWB4j
— Tadhg (@TadhgHickey) January 23, 2024
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