The images that have emerged over the past few weeks of Palestinians being starved by Israel’s blockade of Gaza have been “impossible for any politician anywhere in the world to defend”, Lynn Boylan, an Irish member of the European Parliament representing Sinn Fein, tells Al Jazeera.
Even in countries such as Germany, which has been a staunch ally of Israel, citizens have been contacting their politicians and saying, “this must stop”, she noted, adding “unfortunately, then we’ve seen the distraction of [Israel’s conflict with] Iran, and the focus moved away from Gaza.”
Boylan said the daily footage of Palestinians being targeted at the aid distribution sites as they “desperately try to get food and water for their children and themselves” has now become normalised.
“The commentary that we heard was as a direct result of both the imagery and the people power and putting pressure on the German government … hasn’t manifested”, she said.
