President Catherine Connolly has paid tribute to students from Gaza who are studying in Ireland, telling them at a reception held in their honour that they have inspired the Irish people and given them hope.
“You challenge us in every way to reflect on what is happening with the normalisation of war and genocide,” the president told around 90 Palestinian students at Áras an Uachtaráin.
She added: “You tell us, and I agree, that genocide is about the whole world, it is about humanity and how we are erasing humanity.
“We are indebted to you for your spirit and determination and perseverance, and also for highlighting that the obligation to take action rests with all of us.”
Among the students were around 70 who were evacuated since last August. in an operation co-ordinated by the Department of Foreign Affairs and supported by 14 universities and colleges. Others had arrived in similar operations prior to August.
The students have been following masters and undergraduate programmes in a range of disciplines and all are fully funded by a variety of scholarships.
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Those on masters programmes are graduating next month.
The students presented President Connolly with a painting and a piece of traditional Palestinian embroidery.
Responding to the president on behalf of the students, TCD Philosophy and Creative Writing student Sahar Rabah said: “I would like to express our sincere gratitude to the people of Ireland for opening their hearts to us”.
“Here we have found dignity, kindness, and a chance to believe in our futures,” she added.
Trauma and shock
Students who spoke to RTÉ News thanked the Irish people and spoke about a deep sense of belonging they have in Ireland. But they also referred to their ongoing trauma.
“To be honest I am still in trauma and shock. Yes, I’m studying and living my life but at the same time it feels like a dream. You feel like you have two different lives” said Dima RH Shamaly, a student of Electronic Engineering at UCD.
“My family are still there, and I lost my father two months ago”.
Dima says he was killed in an air strike. He was 53-years-old and a doctor who worked with UNICEF.
She received news of his death over Facebook.
Students from Gaza at Áras an Uachtaráin
“I would say there is a big conflict [inside me]. It feels so messy. You are the one who survived, but you haven’t actually survived, because your family is there, your friends are there, it’s your homeland, everyone you know is there,” she said.
“It’s a mixture of feelings since you are here while your family is still back in Gaza,” said Jehad Al Farra, a student of Applied Linguistics at UCD.
“You suffer emotionally every day thinking of them but you have to persist and make your family in Gaza proud of you.”
“We are really grateful to the Irish Government and we are doing our best to just keep going,” he added.
The students listened to traditional Irish music from concertina player Pádraig Rynne and keyboardist Rory McCarthy.
‘We feel like we are in our second home’
The students clapped before some of them began to dance. A group of young women and men linked arms and laughed as they danced in a circle. A smiling President Connolly was among those looking on.
Earlier, she had praised the students for managing to keep joy in their lives. “It’s a testimony to your spirit,” she had said.
“In Palestine we have our dancing which is Dabkeh, and it is somehow close to Irish dancing”, one of the dancers, student Ibrahim Abusaqer said. “Ireland is known for music and its rich culture, so I felt I wanted to join the other students and dance.”
“As I said to the President, here in Ireland we feel like we are in our second home”.
Ibrahim described his visit to Áras an Uachtarain and his meeting with the president as “a great moment”.