Statement: IPSC Supports Protest Against Blair

national | rights and freedoms | press release Thursday September 02, 2010 15:09 by IPSC - IPSC media at ipsc dot ie

The Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) fully supports the protest against the presence of war criminal Tony Blair in Ireland. The protest starts at The Spire on O'Connell Street, Dublin 1 from 9.30am this Saturday, 4th September. The IPSC is calling on all its on our supporters to come out on Saturday and take part in the demonstration.

L-R: Muhummad Ali (Pakistan), Dr. Mudufar Al Twash (Iraq), Robert Ballagh (Artist), Sr Nouri Al Kaziz (Iraq), Roger Cole (PANA), Freda Hughes (IPSC), Richard Boyd Barrett (IAWM) & Claudia Saba (IAWM)

Speaking this morning at press conference in UNITE Hall announcing the demonstration, IPSC National Chairperson Freda Hughes endorsed the demonstration stating: The Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign is supporting this protest for a simple reason. Mr Blair is the nominal head of the so-called Middle East Quartet - a supposedly impartial grouping that aims to achieve peace between colonised and occupied Palestinians and their Israeli colonial occupiers. Mr Blair, a man who waged a war based on lies now describes himself as a "good faith go between" in peace negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis.

Ms Hughes elaborated: However, It is clear which side Mr Blair "impartially" sits on - addressing a conference on the "Delegitimization of Israel" last month he said: "what [Israel has created in the last 60 years] is a remarkable example for the rest of us"[1]. It would appear that Mr Blair, who also recently said that "when it comes to security, I'm 100 percent on Israel's side"[2], believes that an Apartheid State is something that we should be seeking to emulate! It is also worth pointing out that the Israeli state uses "security" as a pretext for virtually every crime it carries out against the Palestinian people - we can only conclude that Mr Blair stands 100% behind all these actions.

Ms. Hughes continued: While desperately clinging to his sense of self importance, arrogance, patronage and power Mr Blair is not holding up well under the pressure. Making strings of excuses while straining to maintain a thin veneer over a sprawling mass of lies this man attempts to dignify war crimes and deceit. He is not fit to have influence over such an important conflict and its chances for resolution. He cannot be an honest broker for peace in this context.

Ms. Hughes further stated: His blatant lack of empathy and inability to reach beyond his blind racial prejudice furthers the "us and them" situation and thus perpetuates the false dichotomy of Islam versus the Western World. He has also expressed a blatant disregard for protest and protesters stating that, "most people are more sensible", while fobbing off those involved in anti-war journalism and activism as "silly".

Ms. Hughes concluded: There is however, one point on which I agree with Mr. Blair, and that is his assertion that, "You can never underestimate the people." We call on all people of conscience to come out on the streets this Saturday and join us to show this war criminal and apologist for collective punishment that he is not, and will never be, welcome here.

The protest begins at 9.30am at The Spire, O'Connell Street and has been organised by the Irish Anti War Movement with the support of various other groups including the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

Notes:

[1] http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=185860
[2] http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/tony-blai...94986