Vigil to commemorate the Sabra and Chatila massacres, 16 Sept

dublin | anti-war / imperialism | press release Sunday September 14, 2003 22:48 by Palmiro Togliatti - Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign 01-6770253

Outside Israeli Embassy, Ballsbridge, 6,00 - 8,00pm Tuesday 16 September

The Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign will be holding a vigil outside the Israeli Embassy from 6.00 - 8.00pm this Tuesday 16 September in memory of the victims of the Sabra and Chatile massacres 21 years ago. The vigil will also call for international protection for Palestinian civilians, who are still falling victim to Israel's war machine.

21 years ago this week, Israeli forces took over West Beirut after a long siege.

Once in control, they allowed their local militia allies to enter the Palestinian refugee camps at Sabra and Chatila, where from Thursday 16 September to Sunday 19 September they massacred over 800 people. The Palestinians were defenceless: PLO armed forces had been evacuated from Beirut in August under an American-brokered agreement.

Israeli troops maintained position outside the camps and did not intervene.

Today, Palestinians are still dying:

Ariel Sharon, who was then Israeli Defence Minister and controlled operations in Lebanon, was found to bear personal responsibility for the massacre by an official inquiry and was forced to resign. He is now Prime Minister of Israel.

Since his election in February 2001, Israeli soldiers have killed over 2000 Palestinians in the illegally occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.

European governments still maintain preferential trading relations with Israel while this is happening, and the US is boycotting the elected Palestinian president at Sharon's behest.

Join us outside the Israeli Embassy on Tuesday to commemorate the victims of Sabra and Chatila and call for international protection for the people of Palestine.