Galway IPSC : Israeli Blood Diamonds fund war crimes - No Tanks
galway |
rights, freedoms and repression |
news report 
Sunday April 08, 2007 14:32
by TD - Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign
"The South African apartheid regime never engaged in the sort of repression Israeli is inflicting on the Palestinians"
Yesterday, the Galway branch of the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign did a six hour petition/info table, as part of the ongoing campaign against Israeli Blood Diamonds and DIY stores Atlantic Homecare and Woodie's, outside Lynch's castle in Shop Street,
The IPSC believe that as a result of Israel's domination of the diamond business, diamonds crafted in Israel are on sale in all Irish jewellery shops. Consequently, Irish consumers are unwittingly supporting the Israeli economy and Israel's illegal occupation and vicious repression of the Palestinian : In an interview with Al Ahram Weekly (March 28-April 3, 2002) Ronnie Kasrils, South Africa's minister of water affairs maintained that "The South African apartheid regime never engaged in the sort of repression Israel is inflicting on the Palestinians. For all the evils and atrocities of apartheid, the government never sent tanks into black towns. It never used gunships, bombers, or missiles against black towns or Bantustans. The apartheid regime used to impose sieges on black towns, but these were lifted within days". Tanya Reinhart augmented this further; "Nor, we may add, had South Africa applied a systematic policy of bring the black population to starvation. What we are witnessing in the occupied territories - Israel's penal colonies- is the invisible and daily killing of the sick and wounded who are deprived of medical care, of the sick who cannot survive in the new poverty conditions, and of those who are approaching starvation.
When it comes to Palestine there is no justice from the present crew in government and the EU, only anesthetized conscience and hypocrisy; with the complicity of the Irish Government, the EU will not enforce part 2 of the Euromed Agreement which stipulates that Israel must respect human rights and democracy otherwise, the kybosh will be put on its special EU trading priviledges. If Ireland and the EU were doing their professeed duty the need for IPSC to campaign against Israeli Blood Diamonds, DIY outfits like Atlantic Homecare and Woodies, companies such as Tesco, Dunnes Stores, Marks and Spencer (all of whom reprehensively stock and sell Israeli manufactured goods and agricultural produce) would be obviated.
The Grafton Group plc which owns Woodie's and Atlantic Homecare continues to profit from their sales of Keter plastic products manufactured in Apartheid Israel. Sales of Keter garden sheds, bins, wheelbarrows and storage crates support the Israeli economy and help fund Israel's genocide against the Palestinian people and illegal occupation, theft and destruction of Palestinian land and property.
If you care to join us, starting at 12 noon tomorrow, Galway IPSC will be doing another six hours outside Lynch's castle ?.
Comments (21 of 21)
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from today's stall !
Good to see this. Nice one, Tom! While we're at it - why all the vitriol against myself personally (incurring a possible libel) on the Comments thread under the heading of 'Salthill Airshow'? Some of it is distinctly deranged. Where is this coming from? Anyone with any suggestions?
I support the boycott Israel campaign and have visited Palestine and seen for myself the historical injustice dished out to the people there. I also believe there is a serious democracy deficit in Israel itself, it is a hopelessly militarised society among other things. However, I'm uncomfortable with the placard which depicts the star of David with a red line through it. What is it supposed to mean? It doesn't convey the boycott idea, not at all. There were no red lines through the South African flag in the anti apartheid years and I haven't seen a red line across the stars and stripes at anti war demos. If this is a 'boycott Israeli diamonds and garden furniture' action then perhaps these items could have a red line through them with an Israeli flag somewhere on the item. But a red line through the flag? Zionists would have a field day with this. It seems careless.
I agree. It plays into the hands of the 'you all hate Israel' school. It's unnecessary. Meanwhile, if anyone can throw light on the vitriolic invective being heaped upon people who attack the Salthill Airshow (see Comments) . . . . It too is out of proportion and smacks of a nasty hysteria, personally directed.
The "offending" image on the placard was gleaned from the Boycott Israeli Goods (BIG) website and, I'm pleased to say, will be continued to be employed by Galway IPSC - similiar weak minded finger wagging was employed some months back in another Indymedia storm-in-a- thimble type saga. I can't agree with you on this one, I'm afraid, same as I didn't accomodate the pilgrim who last Saturday objected to the David and Goliath image (photo No. 2) of the young lad slinging a stone at an Israeli tank as "too emotive" - when it was put to him the number of Jewish victims in the Shoah is certainly "emotive" by any paradigm of slaughter and should therefore be revised down to 600,000, 600, 6, whatever, by his own malodorous yardstick, doubly pleased to say, there was no more wind in his sails.
May I politely point out that the image on the placard is not "anti-semitic" and Galway IPSC activists vigorously object to being slimed as "Nazis" and "Fascists" as did befall us a number of times last Summer by passing Israelis and fellow travellers and being patronised by well meaning but weak minded advice.
Boycott Israel Campaign rather than Boycott Israeli Goods (campaign).
TD, so what if this image is on the BIG website? I'm asking the people who used it on a public demonstration in Galway what this image means. I dont care if you got it from the trade and industry website of the Israeli govt or if it came from the ADL. Youre not answering the question, instead youre going on about the holocaust and some other complaint about the kid with the slingshot and the tank and accusing me of being weak minded because I dont see the image as useful in a campaign to bring attention to the manner in which Palestinians are denied basic rights.
I never said the image was anti semetic, nor did I ask whenther the ISPC comrades in Galway had been accused of being nazis. That, as you have learned, is standard experience for anyone who gets involved with the Palestinians.
There is a group of Hasidic Jews in Brooklyn (and elsewhere) who argue that the state of Israel is an offense to G..d and who object on theological and biblical grounds to the existence of Israel. They believe the Jewish state should be disbanded and they use this kind of imagery. But they say why they use it and articulate their reasons which are interesting if a bit obscure and wierd.
I still dont know why you use it.
An internationally recognised symbol superimposed on the Israeli flag with the text "Boycott Israel" is glaringly self evident why Galway IPSC are employing it or should be, "internationalist"?.
If you cannot see the elephant in the parlour or hear the dogs barking in the streets, take your " uncle" Pete's advice when next you're driving your motor and don't enter a street, let's say, with this symbol at its entrance?.
Youre right, the sign you refer to means No driving this way. So I assume you mean that the Galway sign says, 'No Israel'. if it means dont go to Israel then I can't go to Palestine, I see another sign in the photos saying 'visit Palestine' so I assume it doesnt mean 'Dont go to Israel'. Still haven't heard from Galway what they think the sign means.
This report was introduced with a reference to South Africa in the bad old days, how apartheid compares favourably to the system employed by Israel in the OT. Im sure Steve Biko and his comrades would disagree. however, the point of all this is to popularise the idea of a boycott of Israel in the cultural and academic arenas and a commercial boycott of Israeli produced goods. hopefully the Galway IPSC aren't just doing this to entertain themselves and the idea is to attract support. If thats the case then why use a sign which says 'No Israel' or can appear to.
Internationalist -
You write "Im sure Steve Biko and his comrades would disagree" with the idea that Israeli apartheid is worse than South African apartheid was.
I'm not convinced. Recently I met Ronnie Kasrils when he visited Dublin. He's Minister for Security in the present SA government, Jewish, a veteran of the campaign against apartheid, and a deeply committed campaigner for Palestinian rights. He recounted how when he met Arafat in the ruins of his headquarters in Ramallah, Arafat gestured around him and said: "Like the townships, isn't it?" to which Kasrils replied: "No" and watched the expression of consternation on Arafat's face. Then he clarified what he meant: "It's worse than the townships ever were."
On a couple of occasions I've met a man called Dennis Brutus, a poet and academic who was in Robben Island with Mandela. In his 80s he was (and as far as I know still is) travelling the world to tell everybody that the injustice being perpetrated against the Palestinians is at least equal to that suffered by black South Africans under apartheid.
Apartheid means "separation" - Hafrada in Hebrew, a word often used by Israelis in relation to their illegal West Bank wall and also the wall that imprisons inhabitants of the Gaza ghetto.
It is wholly simplistic to compare the issue of South Africa and Israel and a bit twisted
to be honest.
South Africa was a colony- by the Dutch/Afrikaans.
The claw back of power and parity took generations.
Israel is not an ex-colony. It is a US satellite and a hangover from WW2.
Israel is a rogue state.
The problems between the ordinary Israelis and Palestinians are being hampered by
the geo-political interests of the American-foreign -policy makers.
The refusal to look at this by the campaigners in Galway is baffling. completelty
and absolutley baffling and in all honesty it is anti-semitic.
Ordinary Israeli people are as victimised by this war of attrition which is establishing
a US friendly satellite in the region.
I am boycotting Galway ISPC and the members of Aosdana who so flagrantly refuse
to educated themselves on these issues and seek to tar the whole of a people
with a big stupid brush that has nothing to do with the reality of ordinary lives.
going to make the banners now and have them photographed and put up here.
:-)
No comparison sez: 'It is wholly simplistic to compare the issue of South Africa and Israel and a bit twisted to be honest.'
sigh... here we go again. Yes there is a comparison - and it has been made by people who would know. Like, Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, Uri Avnery and Michael Ben-Yair.
click here to read the quotes i've researched and quoted on an earlier thread...
http://indymedia.ie/article/80943#comment183536
The experience of apartheid is the same ,that point was acknowledged.
The experience of the countries of South Africa and Israel- this is where there
is no comparison- honest to goodness- take the point.
South Africa was a victim of colonial abuse for thousands of years.
We had slavery/buffalo soldiers/genocide.
Some write that the current Mbeki and past Mandela regimes were
a 'mean' an average to introduce globalisation into the African economy- including John
Pilger. [Freedom Next Time]
Israel is a rogue state illegally supported by the US- it commits genocide and
its regime uses apartheid. I still accuse the members of Aosdana and
IPSC of being simplistic in analysis of the geo-political situation there.
I still say that ordinary Israeli's and Palestinians and their diasporas
would like peace but that it goes against the establishment ,through fear of
a US sponsored satellite state.
There is a refusal by many political chancers in this country to look at
war as an obscenity and they take sides which increase apartheid and hatred
by blaming the people of Israel for their government.
Do US citizens whose leader is possibly insane believe that Bush , in his
language of Hatred and separation speaks for them?
Does Bush represent the ordinary people of the US?
Two israeli leaders have been accused of rape and financial corruption
do these men speak for the ordinary israeli people?
Anti-semitism and race-hate are a by- product of this 'Road map to peace'
which is sponsored by Bush and Blair.
Condemn all wars and apartheids- but look honestly at who it serves
and who it benefits.
Next week all the states with accredited diplomats to Israel (of whom there are really a lot : but not all) will go stand in the Shoah (Holocaust) Museum in Yad Vashem. All of them except one. Antonio Franco has painfully regretted to inform the Israeli state of his absence . Wow eh? Oh yep. forgot... you probably don't know who Antonio Franco is. He's the papal nuncio. Ratzinger's man in Tel Aviv.
Funny how the names linger on... I thought you'd like to see the photo of Ratzinger in Auschwitz again. It was one of those few times when well how do I put this - his life insurance policy seemed really ready to call & my bunch wouldn't have given a black chickpea all the same coz I'm nice I didn't sign the warrent. Oh yeah I linked that into the Polish and Catholic perversion thing too...
http://indymedia.ie/article/76290#comment151377
This is the link to the startling news that the man who didn't want to be either a NAZI or a Pope won't allow his nuncio Franco goto the Shoah museum. (it's in French which as well as being the official international language of diplomacy is the main language the Frenchie president will get elected in, the 2nd being arabic & I'm doing that on the "qt" (don't let anyone know). so I couldn't be bothered to find a link in english or gaeilge http://www.liberation.fr/actualite/monde/247598.FR.php )
Are yiz happy with that? Or would that be a sort of "negative boycott"? Hmmmmmm. funny world isn't it? Well anyway none of my jewish friends are buying Israeli diamonds or products. So we're all still going to heaven.
As an update, the Star of David crossed with a diagonal line was used as a symbol by the Nazis for the boycott of Jews, a symbol often pasted next to the swastika.. It evokes memories and is liable to be interpreted, justifiably perhaps, by your adversaries as as an antisemitic slur..
There is a severe intellectual laziness about focussing campaign which is heartbreaking to watch.
I apologise to anyone who may have taken me up wrongly on the apartheid issue, but In ireland
we have a magnificent education system, poets and thinkers.
we reduce issues of such import as the abuses in palestine to the simplest black and white
definition without once thinking that we may be subjecting a whole people to abuse.
The symbol- discussed in the comment above is wrong- it is offensive to me, to members of my
family and to my friends.
I noted this before also when members of murderous organisations were invited to Ireland
by Irish groups.
In order to express what is wrong about war and apartheid we have to look at the causes
and the effects- we have to look at it in ourselves, especially in how we consume, and in our
reduction of issues to black and white. if you are anti-war- you condemn war as failure.
if you are anti-apartheid you raise awareness- you are not raising awareness by
condemning israeli people to further hatred by utilising symbols of apartheid to achieve
consciousness of the problems in Israel/Palestine.
I would again ask people to understand the political root of apartheid and support
for rogue states. The religions of Israel and Palestine share a fraternal root.
raise consciousness of war and apartheid but do not foment hate through intellectual
laziness. and be careful of the symbols you use. The klan burnt crosses to justify their
apartheid. we use symbols in bad and ineffective ways.
The problem in the things you wrote is one: the IPSC is NOT against war.
War without end?
Spreading anti-semitism?
Tub-thumping to create political capital?
You cannot support one side of an international war that is based in
the foreign policy interests of a beligerent US without creating and
sustaining an anti-semitic policy in Ireland.
It is an offensive protest that uses images that are offensive. It highlights
a refusal to go and look into the sites where both Israeli and Palestinian people are
attempting to get on- to discuss issues- to bring about peace.
They are using intellectual means.
This is a shameful uneducated display of attempted identification with a very serious
situation in order to gain political capital and it is disgraceful.At least, at the next protest
the use of imagery should be considered. The ability to raise awareness of the
plight of palestinians should be considered through informed and creative
means, that do not amount to incitement.
Raymond, agreed. One cannot say this or that horror is worse or better than the next. That was what i rejected, the notion that we can say that the Palestinian suffering is greater than that of the South Africans. As for quotes, didnt the interior minister under the apartheid regieme say he'd give their entire security legislation for one part of the British PTA, perhaps the taigs had it worse that the South Africans too.
But the set up in SA was very different. The Blacks under apartheid suffered discrimination from their own sovereign state, not another state which is the case of those Palestinians who live in Gaza and the West Bank. Yes, the Israeli state discriminates against non Jews within Israel but that is not what the solidarity movement generally campaigns about. West Bank and Gaza residents actually live outside Israel as you know. The SA govt wasnt administering the lives of people in neighbouring states. This is an important point for those in the movement who demand or even expect a real state of Palestine ever to be created. But as i said these comparisons are not that usefull.
I will make a final point about this though. The star of David with its red line says fairly clearly to most Israelis, "No Jews". Thats like a founding statement for those wishing to create a system of apartheid, not to dismantle one. I think people who wave it about should at least have some sort of decent defense of its use. Otherwise we may imagine they just didnt bother to think about what they are communicating.
We live on an island. We can't afford to boycott anyone.
How about France bombing the 'Rainbow Warrior'? Any calls to boycott them? Nope. Not yet.
If the Palestinians had accepted the division in 1948 and not attacked Israel, wouldn't life be grand for them now? If Arafat had accepted the Oslo accords in the 1990s life would be better for most.
Boycott one group and you must boycott them all.
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