Palestinian-American entrepreneur and artwork curator Faisal Saleh stated after Israel determined to shut its embassy in Dublin, he started efforts to lease the constructing and convert it right into a Palestinian museum.
“This will be a very powerful symbolic move where Palestinian art replaces the genocidal entity representation in Ireland,” Saleh instructed Anadolu.
Saleh, the founder and director of the Palestine Museum US in Connecticut, spoke with Anadolu about his household’s pressured displacement following the Nakba in 1948, the museum’s institution within the US, and his initiative to transform Israel’s former embassy in Dublin right into a museum.
Born in 1951 within the West Bank metropolis of Al-Bireh to a Palestinian refugee household initially from the village of Salamah, east of Jaffa, Saleh stated they have been forcibly displaced to Al-Bireh following the Nakba in 1948.
Saleh, who grew up within the West Bank and moved to the US for training in 1969, determined after a protracted skilled profession to deal with contributing to the Palestine trigger.
After specializing in this idea, he based the primary Palestine Museum within the Western Hemisphere in 2018, saying the museum’s mission is to share the injustices and challenges confronted by Palestinians with the world by means of artwork.
He emphasised that moderately than participating in political debates, he intends to make use of artwork as a medium to inform the story of Palestinians and their historical past and that the museum, which has been open for six and a half years, goals to lift worldwide consciousness of Palestinian tradition.
– Opportunity following embassy closure
When Israel introduced the closure of its embassy in Dublin, Saleh noticed it as a chance to advertise Palestinian artwork and change Israel’s illustration with a Palestinian one.
“This will be a very powerful symbolic move where Palestinian art is replacing the genocidal entity representation in Ireland. So to replace evil with beauty was a very important consideration for us in deciding to explore the possibility of doing that,” he stated.
He instantly started researching the constructing’s possession in addition to different particulars in regards to the embassy’s closure. He contacted journalists to collect data, finally studying in regards to the area’s potentialities.
– Global assist for initiative
Saleh famous that the concept of changing the embassy right into a Palestine Museum obtained widespread consideration after the news was revealed, with folks from around the globe expressing their robust assist.
Claims that the Irish authorities would flip the embassy right into a museum or open it quickly have been false, he clarified.
“We’re still in the very early stages of evaluation, but we are very determined to proceed with this project,” he stated.
He added that he’s now working with a distinguished actual property agent in Dublin to discover whether or not the constructing may be leased for the museum.
Saleh emphasised that whereas they haven’t but taken concrete steps, they’re decided to maneuver ahead with the venture.
“We are receiving a tremendous amount of support from the Irish people, Irish organizations, and the solidarity organizations in Ireland, and also we’re receiving support from a large number of people outside of Ireland, from throughout the world; they’re all pushing for us to go ahead and try to put a Palestinian flag and the Palestinian museum in that building,” he stated.
– Plans past Dublin
Saleh emphasised that this initiative is not going to be restricted to Dublin. He highlighted the significance of making everlasting venues to showcase Palestinian artwork globally, citing exhibitions held in Venice, Italy, and upcoming initiatives within the UK and Ireland.
“If we’re successful in creating a Palestinian museum at that location, you know that will open the door for us to use that precedent to create other situations,” he stated.
He additionally sees the potential to ascertain Palestinian artwork organizations throughout Europe and different areas.
Lauding Ireland’s assist for Palestine, he stated, “Ireland will always be in our hearts as a country that stood by us at a time when it was not very fashionable to be standing with Palestine.”
He praised Ireland for its principled stance, regardless of worldwide stress to assist Israel, calling it one of the priceless positions a rustic may take.
– Israel’s embassy closure in Ireland
On May 28, 2024, Ireland formally acknowledged the State of Palestine and later intervened in a genocide lawsuit filed in opposition to Israel on the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar introduced on Dec. 15 that Israel would shut its embassy in Dublin, accusing Ireland of crossing all purple strains.
Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris described the closure determination as “distraction diplomacy,” whereas Deputy Prime Minister Micheal Martin clarified that Ireland had no plans to shut its embassy in Tel Aviv.
Source: www.anews.com.tr