‘Mervyn Gibson needs to clarify his statement on Palestinian solidarity and support for Hamas’ – The Irish News

I FELT the need to reply to Mervyn Gibson’s article, ‘Fascists are a total anathema to the unionist community’. I’m not going to comment on his main point regarding fascism/racism and loyalism (other than to make the obvious point that it’s taken him more than two weeks since the incidents in Bradbury Place/Botanic/Sandy Row to speak out).

It’s his comment-defence of why he was absent from the anti-racist rallies – “why was I not on the streets standing shoulder to shoulder with some in those protests who were Hamas supporters and justifiers of terrorism?”

As a fellow Presbyterian minister (although not serving in a congregation) I’ve been present at almost every rally since October 7 and never once have I seen a pro-Hamas banner, so unless he conflates Palestinian solidarity and the call for an immediate ceasefire with being a ‘Hamas supporter and a justifier of terrorism’, he maybe needs to clarify his statement.

I recently returned from the West Bank having spent a week at Bethlehem Bible College, and with the death toll in Gaza approaching 41,000 – mostly women and children – there are many Palestinian Christians who would understandably be offended, outraged even, by his comments.

Rev Dr Bill Shaw OBE, CEO 147 Trust

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