Northern Ireland

Croke Park summit organised by firm with links to Israeli military postponed

Israel responsible for deaths of 40,000 Palestinian people

Palestinian supporters  protest at Casement Park in Belfast on Friday.
PICTURE COLM LENAGHAN
Palestinian campaigners held a protest at Casement Park in Belfast on Friday. PICTURE COLM LENAGHAN

A summit organised by a firm with links to the Israeli military which was due to be held at Croke Park next week has been postponed.

Red Hat, which is owned by international technology company IBM, was to hold an event in the GAA’s headquarters on Tuesday.

GAA members had threatened to stage a protest outside the Dublin stadium on the same day as the summit.

Several prominent GAA figures had also voiced concerns about the planned Croke Park gathering.



The Oasis reunion gigs are being staged at Dublin’s Croke Park
A summit due to be held at Croke Park that was organised by a firm with links to the Israeli military has been postponed (Damien Eagers/PA)

However, the controversial Croke Park summit has now been called off.

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A message posted on Red Hat’s website in recent days confirmed the postponement adding that “a new date and location will be announced when confirmed”.

In the past both the GAA and Gaelic Players Association have backed calls for a ceasefire on humanitarian grounds.

Despite several requests for comment the GAA has not responded to the Irish News.

Details of the postponement emerged as Palestinian campaigners gathered outside Casements Park in west Belfast on Friday to hold a protest.

Similar protests were due to take place in Derry and Armagh over the weekend.

Red Hat, which has offices in several Irish towns and cities, provides IT services to Israeli armed forces responsible for the deaths of more than 40,000 Palestinians in Gaza, including thousands of woman and children, since last October.

Despite international pressure Israel has refused to call a permanent ceasefire.

It launched the current onslaught after around 1,200 people were killed during a Hamas-led attack inside Israeli territory last October, which resulted in around 200 hostages being taken.

Michael Doherty, of campaign group Gaels against Genocide, welcomed the postponement.

“As far as we are concerned this is s victory for the grassroots and for the people on Gaza,” he said.

“For them to see a group of Irish people came together, put pressure on a company….and now their summit has been forcibly cancelled as a result of pressure from Gaels and Palestinian activists combined.”