After 18 Years Israeli State to Release Vanunu on Short Leash!

international | anti-war / imperialism | news report Thursday April 15, 2004 13:00 by Dublin Catholic Worker & Pit Stop Ploughshares pitstopploughshares at hotmail dot com 087 918 4552

All night Vigil at Dublin's Israeli Embassy April 20 -21

The international nonviolent movement against Weapons of Mass Destruction readies itself to welcome Mordachii Vanunu's deliverence from an Israeli prison. Vanunu has spent just short of 18 years in prison following his kidnapping by the Mossad in Rome. Vanunu exposed Israel's nuclear weapons program.

There will be an all night vigil outside the Israeli Embassy 122 Pembrooke Rd. Dublin D4. *Begins Tuesday April 20 7.30 pm *Multi faith service 8.30 pm *Walk to Dail Wed 11 am More info 087 918 4552

April 21, 2004.
If you can believe the word of the state of Israel, that is the day that Mordechai Vanunu will be released from prison for the crime of telling the world the truth about his government's secret nuclear weapons program. The date is just five months short of his full 18-year sentence.

On the eve of this release the Israeli State has announced restrictions to make Vanunu's existence impossible.

Vanunu can be rearrested if he
-approaches within 100 metres of an embassy.
-approaches within 300 metres of a national boundary
-moves to another city without receiving permission from the police
-communicates with any foreign nationals or media.
- Vanunu will also be denied a passport for an initial 6 months or allowed to leave the country

In January, it was reported that Israeli officials were considering various conditions and restrictions once Vanunu is released. On February 24, Prime Minister Sharon and other Israeli officials had a meeting to discuss their options. They reportedly decided that keeping Mordechai in administrative detention would likely not pass a High Court review, but they do plan to impose restrictions, including not allowing him to leave Israel.

But this is absurd. Mordechai Vanunu has been locked away from the world for almost 18 years. He has no more secrets to reveal and is not a threat to the security of the state of Israel.

There are of course many unknowns, but the international campaign is moving forward with plans for Mordechai's release, while carefully considering the different possibilities that might occur. 95 internatiohnal activists will be travelling to Israel to welcome the release. State restrictions will deny direct contact with a "freed" Vanunu.

Public pressure has brought important changes over the years. In 1998, pressure from his supporters around the world pried open the lock on Mordechai's isolation cell after his first eleven and one half years in solitary confinement. Israel once claimed that the transcript of Vanunu's closed door trial was so sensitive it could never be made public. But several years ago, bending to public pressure, it released most of the trial record and permitted the Knesset's first open debate on nuclear secrecy. And although Israel still officially denies that it has a nuclear arsenal, government censors are allowing increased coverage of the once taboo topic in Israel's mainstream media.

If the Israeli government doesn't unconditionally release Mordechai Vanunu, we will need your help to apply maximum pressure and demand that they do so.