Organisers estimate 1,000 people took part in rally in Cork in support of Palestine 

Organisers estimated that more than 1,000 people took part in a rally and march in Cork city on Saturday in support of Palestine. 

The event, organised by the Cork Palestine Solidarity Campaign (CPSC), is the 22nd such weekly protest that has been organised on the streets of Cork since the latest escalation of Israeli/Palestinian conflict.

The group said in a statement that protesters carried signs and placards calling on Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and the Irish Government to cancel their St. Patrick’s Day visits to Washington "as a mark of protest against the United States which provides about 3 billion dollars worth of military assistance to Israel each year". 

The co-chairperson of the CPSC, Martin Shiel, said what was needed now was an immediate halt to US arms shipments to Israel and for the Washington Government to demand that Israel lets aid through to the people in Gaza.

“Leo Varadkar has an opportunity now to help make this happen by standing with the Palestinian people, by standing with people throughout Ireland calling for an end to the genocide, by standing with the millions of Americans demanding their government stops arming the genocide, by doing one simple thing, refuse to sit down with Joe Biden on St. Patrick's Day and refuse to hand him a bowl of Shamrock," said Mr. Shiel.