Dublin: IPSC ‘Boycott Israeli Goods’ protest targets Jervis Shopping Centre

dublin | rights, freedoms and repression | news report

Saturday February 27, 2010 18:46

by Kev - IPSC (pers cap)

Today Saturday 27th February 2010, members and supporters of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign took to the streets of Dublin asking consumers and retailers to boycott Israeli Apartheid products in solidarity with the Palestinian people who continue to suffer incalculable misery at the hands of the Israeli state. The action marked the beginning of international Israel Apartheid Week.

Section of the crowd at the rally

At 1pm a crowd assembled at the Spire on O’Connell Street, holding banners and placards and distributing leaflets. They were addressed by Dr. Raymond Deane, a founder member of the IPSC. Outlining the rationale for Boycotting Israel, Dr. Deane stated that “Twenty years ago we found that the Boycott was the best weapon for ordinary people to help bring down the Apartheid regime in South Africa.”

Dr. Deane continued: “But isn’t Israel completely different from South Africa? Yes, it is different because it is worse, and we have heard this from people like Archbishop Tutu, and Ronnie Kasrils – a former Minister in the South African government – who pointed out that they didn’t bombard or starve the townships the way Israel does in the ghettoes they force them into in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem.” (The full address by Dr. Raymond Deane can be viewed in the video embedded below)

After the short rally the participants divided into three groups and staged a peaceful protest and leaflet distribution outside the entrances to Jervis Shopping Centre.

The Jervis Centre hosts not only Marks and Spencer and Tesco who both stock Israeli produce, but also a ‘Sea Spa’ stall - manned by ex-Israeli military staff - which sells products from the Dead Sea. Despite the peaceful nature of the protest, on a public street, the Jervis security called in the Gardai in an (unsuccessful) attempt to have the protest moved.

The picket lasted for an hour and a half, with 1000s of leaflets handed out to consumers, while people held large banners saying ‘Boycott Apartheid Israel’, ‘Don’t Stock Israeli Apartheid Goods’ and - in a reference to the use of Irish and other international passports by the Israeli Mossad in the criminal extrajudicial assassination of a Hamas member in Dubai last month - ‘Boycott Israeli Terrorism’.

Speaking about the Mossad assassination, IPSC Chair Dr. David Landy said: he misuse of Irish and other international passports by Israeli Mossad agents in the extrajudicial assassination of a Hamas member in Dubai is but the latest outrage perpetrated by the rogue state of Israel. In fact it is by no means the worst of Israel's crimes. However, all Irish citizens should be worried that Israel is now abusing Ireland's good name in the Middle East by dragging us into their dirty war against the Palestinian people. For this reason it is more important than ever that we step up the BDS campaign, both to try and help force Israel to comply with International Law and to show Palestinians that people in Ireland will not stand idly by while Israel abuses our own national sovereignty. Trying to convince Irish shoppers to boycott all Israeli products is the very least we can do in this regard.”

Today’s successful action marked both the start of international Israeli Apartheid Week and the beginning of the Dublin IPSC’s monthly ‘Boycott Israeli Goods’ action campaign which will see similar actions take place on the last Saturday of every month.

The IPSC would like to sincerely thank all those who took part in today’s event and we hope to see many more concerned people on future actions.

End Israeli Impunity! End Israeli Apartheid! Free Palestine! Boycott Israeli Goods!