Irish multinational CRH in firing line because of links to Apartheid Wall in Israel

national | rights, freedoms and repression | press release Friday April 23, 2010 18:29 by Fintan Lane - IPSC media officer

IRELAND-PALESTINE SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGN

PRESS RELEASE, 23/4/10

The Ireland–Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) is calling on CRH, the Irish-based multinational building supplies company, to support the human rights of the Palestinian people by divesting from the Israeli company Mashav.

On Wednesday, May 5th, at 11am, CRH will hold their Annual General Meeting in the Royal Marine Hotel, Marine Road, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin.

The Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) will hold a large demonstration outside to inform CRH shareholders and the Irish public of CRH’s complicity in human rights' abuses in occupied Palestine.

The IPSC are calling on CRH to respect international law and support the human rights of the Palestinian people by divesting from the Israeli company, Mashav.

CRH own 25% of the Israeli company Mashav Initiative and Development Ltd who in turn own Israel’s sole cement producer Nesher Cement Enterprises Ltd. Nesher provide up to 90% of all cement sold in Israel.

According to John Dorman of the IPSC: "There can be no doubt that this cement is being used to assist Israeli apartheid measures in occupied Palestine through the construction of the illegal Separation wall, the illegal settlements and the associated infrastructure."
Mr Dorman continued: "CRH, through its investment in Mashav, is deriving profits and, therefore, benefiting from the occupation of Palestine. CRH consequently is complicit in the human rights abuses of the Palestinian people through its facilitation of Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine."

"Israel’s continued occupation of Palestine, the construction of illegal settlements and its infrastructure, the construction of the apartheid wall and other instruments of the occupation violate International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law."

"In 2004, the International Criminal Court of Justice ruled that the Separation wall being built on annexed Palestinian land was illegal and demanded that Israel take it down and compensates the Palestinians affected by the wall. When questioned by Amnesty International, CRH admitted ‘that in all probability’ their subsidiary’s cement was being used in the construction of the wall and illegal settlements. The Irish Government also strongly condemned the building of the wall, and its condemnation has been vindicated by the World Court."

He concluded: "It is now time for CRH to deliver on its claims to ‘Respect the protection of Human Rights within its areas of influence’ and to be ‘committed to ethically and responsibly managing all aspects of its operations’. Let us see if it is serious about these lofty claims."

The Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign is calling on CRH to respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights within the group’s sphere of influence and to ensure that CRH are not complicit in human rights abuses by immediately divesting from Mashav and its operations in the occupied territories of Palestine.

PRESS RELEASE ENDS
For further information, phone John Dorman (IPSC Divestment Officer) at XXXX, or Fintan Lane (IPSC Media Officer) at 087 1258325.