IPSC Protest in Support of Anti-Veolia Motion at DCC / Motion deferred - Take action to support it

On the evening of Monday 1st March, members and supporters of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity campaign (IPSC) staged a demonstration in support of a Dublin City Council motion calling on the Dublin City Manager not to sign or renew any contracts with French multi-national Veolia.

The motion, tabled by Cllr. Joan Collins (People Before Profit), calls on "the City Manager not to sign any new or renew any existing contracts with Veolia as it would be in contravention of the wishes of this council" due to Veolia's involvement in the building and operating of the Israeli colonial settler-only light rail system in Occupied East Jerusalem. (The full text of the motion is below).

Unfortunately, as the motion was late on the agenda, there was not enough time to debate and vote on it. The motion will now be tabled at the next Dublin City Council meeting on Monday 5th April.

In the meantime, the IPSC is calling on all those opposed to Israel's Apartheid practices in Palestine to contact DCC Councillors and lobby in favour of this important motion. If it passes it will be the third council (after Sligo and Galway) to pass such a motion. To find out how to contact Councillors and for a model letter of support please see here: http://cosmos.ucc.ie/cs1064/jabowen/IPSC/ipsc/displayRe...D=289

In addition, the IPSC have called another demonstration in support of the motion for 6.15pm outside Dublin City Hall on Monday 5th April. Veolia will also be the target of the IPSC Dublin branch's next Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) day of action on Saturday 27th March, and of our protest to mark Palestinian Land Day on 30th March. please check the IPSC or Indymedia events calendars for details of these actions as they are confirmed.

The IPSC would like to thank all those who came along to show their support on Monday, as well as Cllr. Joan Collins and all Councillors who indicated their support for the motion before the meeting.

FULL TEXT OF THE MOTION

Dublin City Council recognising:

1. That Veolia is a leading partner in the consortium contracted to build a light railway system linking Israel to illegal settlements in occupied East Jerusalem

2. That the Irish government and the U.N does not recognise Israel’s annexation and occupation of East Jerusalem and have repeatedly stated their views that the Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank contravene international law

3. That Veolia’s involvement in the project is in contravention of the UN’s stated demand that Israeli settlement activities and occupation should not be supported;

This Council calls on the City Manager not to sign any new or renew any existing contracts with Veolia as it would be in contravention of the wishes of this council. Galway and Sligo city/county councils have supported similar motions.

Cllr Joan Collins

For more information on Veolia's activities in Occupied East Jerusalem and the international BDS campaign against them, please see: http://cosmos.ucc.ie/cs1064/jabowen/IPSC/ipsc/displayRe...D=289