Let Vanunu Go

international | rights, freedoms and repression | news report

Thursday October 07, 2004 19:24

by Justin Morahan - Peace People

Protest at Israeli Embassy Dublin

Today's protest was to mark the day on which the Israeli whistleblower and the world's first nuclear hostage, Mordechai Vanunu, was to receive a Peace Prize in New York

Four of us protested for 2 hours today outside the Israeli Embassy in Dublin. It marked the day on which Mordechai Vanunu was to receive his Ono-Lennon Prize for Peace - but of course he was not able to be in the US to collect it because Israel has denied him the right to travel outside Israel's borders.

By a co-incidence it also was the day on which the newspapers were full of the findings of the Iraqi Survey Group's Report which has found that there were no weapons of mass destruction (WMDs)in Iraq at the time they were used as an excuse for the attack on Iraq in 2003. The ISG report was commissioned by President Bush himself. It will be recalled that Vanunu spent 18 years in prison (nearly 12 of these in solitary confinement) for revealing the presence of weapons of mass destruction in Israel but Israel is free to have such weapons - no scare, no hulabuloo, no outcries from Bush or Blair on that score.

Our posters reflected both of the above issues: NO WMDS IN IRAQ, LOADS IN ISRAEL -LET VANUNU GO, and VANUNU NOT FREE TO COLLECT PEACE PRIZE IN NEW YORK TODAY - LET VANUNU GO:

Newstalk 106, the popular Dublin Radio station, carried a live 2-minute interview on the protest and we were visited also by a Sunday Times reporter. The reaction from bypassers as always was positive.

(On 30th September 5 people chained themselves to the railings of the Israeli Embassy in London to mark the continued restraints on Vanunu's freedom on the 18th anniversary of his imprisonment. The theme of their protest was LET VANUNU GO See report and picture of their action at: www.vanunu.freeserve.co.uk )

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Comments (6 of 6)

Wrong, Noel

Sat Oct 09, 2004 14:50

Wrong on two counts, Noel.

1). Vanunu did not sell his story to the Sunday Times. In 1997 President Ezer Weizman, (your own President) acknowledged this when, speaking of Vanunu, he said (at a press conference in London):
"He was a spy who gave away secrets, and the fact that he did so for conviction rather than for money makes no difference".

2). He protested against his country (Israel) bombing Iraq's unfinished nuclear plant in Osirak, as I would have done if my country bombed some other country's finished or unfinished nuclear plant - would such a protest take away my credibility as an opponent of all nuclear bombs and plants?

3. Why do people like you always come in with vicious and hard-line comments whenever there's a news item about Vanunu? It's as if you are constantly waiting to pounce on anyone who criticises any aspect of Israeli policy even their treatment of Vanunu. Incidentally, Israel broke the Guinness record for solitary confinement by keeping him in solitary for nearly twelve years.

4. The Israeli- Palestinian ongoing crisis will never be solved by hate-filled comments like yours that address only one side of an argument. You conveniently forget to mention that Palestinians were driven into the sea in the occupation of their country in 1948. Your comments only tend to make Israel (your country?) appear even more intolerant. But I know that htere are thousands of your fellow countrymen and women who do not act or write like you and who have bravely proested against amny of Israel's atrocities including its treatment of Mordechai Vanunu

It's not just the Arabs' problem

by Ali H.

Sat Oct 09, 2004 11:47

it's the whole worlds' problem as Israel is a nuclear proliferator, having collaborated with the South Africans in developing and testing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. Israels assistance to the Indians in developing their nuclear weapons program prompting a nuclear arms race on the Indian sub-continent and the development of the first Islamic bomb by Pakistan). It just shows how much planning Israelis put into their actions and the implications of those actions, ie none! As usual the Israelis behave like a bunch of petulant teenagers, playing with nuclear fire. It's about time you and your country grew up.

No more driving Jews into the sea

by Noel

Fri Oct 08, 2004 23:52

'Arabs don't have nuclear weapons.
Israel has nuclear weapons.
That's the real problem.'

Yeah, a real problem for the Arabs.
No more Wars of Annihilation.

Although, with the Arabs getting their arses kicked hard in '48, '67 & '73 they probably know better than to try those stunts again.

The Arabs

Fri Oct 08, 2004 15:25

don't have any nuclear weapons. Israel has 200-400. That's the real problem.

Misplaced hero worship

Fri Oct 08, 2004 13:06

Vanunu is hardly a hero figure.

He was a traitor to his country.

He sold his story to the Times for $180,000
(he wanted more, but that was all he got).

His anti-nuclear stance is questionable.
He protested the destruction of Osirak in 1981. So nuclear weapons are fine once Arabs and not Jews have them.

Nominate Mordechai for the Tipperary Peace Prize.

by Damien Moran - dublin catholic worker

Fri Oct 08, 2004 02:09

Well done folks. Apologies I couldn't make it. Down and out with the flu. Thank you for putting Mordechai forward for the Tipperary Peace Prize. I have edited, cut and pasted your initial suggestion below in order to encourage others to consider nominating him.

I nominated Mordechai yesterday and suggest we all consider proactively seeking promoting this particular official recognition of his huge sacrifice for peace .

Please consider nominating this brave prophetic voice for peace, (best individually, so that they regard him as a serious contender). It would be great if everyone who nominates him could get some others to do the same.

Just send an email nominating him to: martinquinns@eircom.net and send
in an accompanying few lines about Mordechai. Martin is the Secretary.

The first recipient of this prize was M. Gorbachev, the last was John O'Shea of GOAL.

UPDATE: Mordechai is the world's first ever nuclear hostage. He blew the whistle about Israel's nuclear arsenal, because he believes in a nuclear free Middle East and a nuclear free world.

He was kidnapped in Rome, gagged, bound and shipped back to Israel
where in a secret trial he was given 18 years. He was released on April 21st after
seventeen and a half years of imprisonment in Israel, the first eleven and a half of these he spent in solitary confinement. But he is restricted by Israel from leaving the country (which he wishes to do), and resides in
the Anglican Church in Jerusalem. The Supreme Court refused a recent plea taken
by the Association of Civil Rights (Israel) on his behalf and so he must stay in Israel indefinitely, under constant surveillance and subject to various restrictions on his freedom of speech and freedom to travel. He has
requested asylum in Ireland.

On 30 September 5 people chained themselves to the railing of the Israeli
Embassy in London -it was the anniversary of the 18 years.
Wednesday, October 13th next will be his 50th birthday.

Dear Martin,
I would like to nominate Mordechai Vanunu, the world's first nuclear whistle-blower and prophetic voice for peace in the 21st century, for this years Tipperary Peace Prize.

Mordechai Vanunu is a great beacon of light in the midst of an ever-increasingly dangerous world. A man who was incarcerated for being prophetically nonviolent in 1986, when he became the world's first nuclear whistle-blower. Bearing the ill done unto him without hatred for his persecutor, since his pseudo-release Mordechai has requested asylum in Ireland.

The awarding of the Tipperary Peace Prize to Mordechai would be an invaluable positive affirmation of the brave stance he has taken in the name of those in the world who want a nuclear-free future for their children and grandchildren.

With the continued proliferation and use of nuclear weapons by the world's major military powers (e.g. through depleted uranium), in the context of next year being the 60th anniversary of the Hiroshima/Nagasaki nuclear annihilations, and the upcoming 30th anniversary of the Non-Proliferation Treaty on nuclear weaponry, I hope you will consider Mordechai a relevant recipient of your award. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you would like further information on Mordechai.
Yours for Peace,
Damien Moran
Dublin Catholic Worker (www.geocities.com/dublincatholicworker)

Below you will find links related to Mordechai's ongoing campaign for freedom.

U.S.A Campaign
http://www.nonviolence.org/vanunu/
http://www.serve.com/vanunu/archive7/

British Campaign
www.vanunu.freeserve.co.uk/

Canadian Campaign
webhome.idirect.com/~occpehr/campaigns/vanunu/

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Comments (6 of 6)