Visas for 46 Palestinians denied by Irish Immigration Service ahead of upcoming GAA tour
GAA Palestine Chair, Stephen Redmond and other adult is a Coach from Moataz Sarsour Club in Al Am'ari Camp, named Mohammad
GAA Palestine has been told that the visas for 46 Palestinians planning to travel to Ireland - including 33 children aged between nine and 16 – have been denied by the Irish Immigration Service.
The group of Palestinians were scheduled to tour Ireland from July 18 to August 1.
The tour was set to see Irish and Palestinian children engage in friendly hurling matches across Ireland, showing children from the war-torn area the most important GAA sites in Ireland.
International Spokesperson for GAA Palestine and Clare woman, Claire Liddy, told the Irish Independent that officials in the Irish Immigration Service claimed they have not received the correct documentation from the group.
'They said that they don't have the documentation… we've sent them the documentation multiple times,' Ms Liddy said.
'I have screenshots [of sending the documentation], because you can't get a receipt [from the website]. They have added new documents that we were never ever asked for, ever. They sat on this.
'This is being done purposefully, we know of several other groups [that it has also happened to]. This is being done to stop Palestinians from coming to Ireland – children.
Palestinian children at hurling training with GAA Palestine. Image: Claire Liddy
'I am absolutely furious. We have been chasing them for weeks… Why would Tel Aviv send the file to Ireland if they didn't have all the documents? They said they didn't have a detailed itinerary; I sent them three pages of an itinerary. We sent them everything that they asked for. They said that they needed Garda vetting – they had never asked for that.
'I am livid. We will be going further with this.'
The news comes after the group launched a large media campaign to get the visas issued in time for the 46-person trip.
Ms Liddy said applications for the 46 visas were put in back in May, with the usual waiting period for a visa between Ireland and Tel Aviv being four weeks.
GAA Palestine Chair, Stephen Redmond and other adult is a Coach from Moataz Sarsour Club in Al Am'ari Camp, named Mohammad
After eight weeks of waiting, the group had to cancel the trip they had planned to Derry and Belfast as the visa application to the North of Ireland needed proof of a successful visa to the Republic of Ireland.
Now, it is unlikely the group will be able to travel at all.
In a statement on GAA Palestine's Instagram, the group said they are 'deeply disappointed' but 'not giving up hope'.
GAA Palestine has been encouraging the public to write to their local TDs and other government representatives to allow these 46 Palestinians to complete the tour they have been 'dreaming' of.
GAA Palestine volunteers from across Ireland and the West Bank
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