Hundreds take to the streets to show solidarity and mourn for the people of Gaza

by Paula Geraghty Sun Dec 28, 2008 20:26

There was a live report from inside Gaza played out through the megaphone describing conditions there and appealling for support, solidarity and action to put pressure on governments to call off the Israeli actions.

Watch this space for more reports from around the country.

All images (c)

by Kev - IPSC (pers cap) Mon Dec 29, 2008 15:04 info at ipsc dot ie

IPSC Press Release: 250 Attend Gaza Solidarity Protest in Dublin

Today Sunday 28th December around 250 Palestine solidarity activists and Palestinian residents of Dublin protested Israel's brutal assault on Gaza at the Spire in O'Connell Street. The attack left more than 280 Palestinians dead, and many more wounded. Some of those attending have had friends and family killed or wounded in the assault.

The protesters angrily chanted "Shame! Shame! Israel!", "Stop the Slaughter! End the Siege! Palestine Will Be Free!" and "Free, Free, Palestine!". There were also speeches by Mary Lou McDonald (Sinn Fein MEP), Richard Boyd Barrett (Irish Anti War Movement) and Jack O’Connor (SIPTU President), as well as from Palestinian activists.

A spokesperson from the IPSC stated: "Israel is committing deplorable war crimes and the International Community does nothing but calls for 'restraint'. It is well past time for concrete steps to be taken to isolate this rogue state. For example, the EU should suspend the Euro-Med agreement under which Israel has human rights commitments that it is clearly not respecting. Furthermore, the UN should impose sanctions on Israel until it complies with International Law."

The IPSC spokesperson continued: "Given that Foreign Minister Michael Martin yesterday condemned Israel's assault in 'the strongest terms', the Irish government should take a lead in pushing for tougher EU and UN policies towards Israel. Words of condemnation are not enough, action is necessary - this collective punishment of Palestinians must stop now."

"The IPSC utterly condemns the actions of Israel in Gaza, from the brutal siege to yesterday's abominable assault. And we express our grief and sympathy to all those who have suffered as a result of these barbaric actions", the IPSC spokesperson continued.

Smaller demonstrations were also held in Limerick, where 50 people attended, and in Derry.

There will be further demonstrations tomorrow in Dublin at 5pm outside the Israeli Embassy and at Belfast City Hall at 12 noon. And on Saturday there will be a demo in Cork starting at 1pm in Daunt Square - and a further demo in Dublin, details tbc (check Indymedia upcoming events section later tonight).

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PS: Thanks for the Dublin pics Paula!

Photo from the Limerick Demo where about 50 attended

Another Photo from the Limerick Demo

by Malachy Steenson - The Workers Party Mon Dec 29, 2008 15:58

Time for action from governments, including sanctions

The International Committee of the Workers’ Party of Ireland condemns the current barbaric aggression of the Israeli government against the people of Gaza which has resulted to date in at least 280 Palestinians dead and more than 700 injured. This terrorist act follows a sustained blockade which attempts to starve the people of Gaza into submission.

Earlier this year Palestinians remembered the 60th anniversary of the massacre at the village of Deir Yassin, where the Irgun, a group of Zionist terrorists led by Menachem Begin, murdered some 300 Palestinian villagers, including women and children. This was a deliberate and planned operation designed to terrorise the indigenous Arab population and ethnically cleanse them from their lands. This current aggression involving an attempt at the economic strangulation of Gaza coupled with the physical terrorisation of the Palestinian civilian population has a long historical precedent as a calculated strategy from Deir Yassin, the systematic destruction of Palestinian refugee camps, the terror bombing of Beirut and the massacres at Sabra and Chatila.

Since 1968 the United Nations has documented repeated violations of human rights in the Occupied territories including occupation, annexation of territory, the illegal building of Jewish settlements, the deportation and expulsion of Palestinians, the confiscation and destruction of property including the demolition of Palestinian homes and agricultural land as collective punishment, the exploitation of Palestinian labour, mass arrests and administrative detention without trial, ill-treatment and torture of persons under detention, censorship, the violent suppression of demonstrations and protests, military attacks on political organisations and the strangulation of the economy of the Occupied territories.

The wide-scale Israeli military operations against Palestinian civilians continue in violation of international and humanitarian law. The Occupied Territories are under siege. Palestinian civilians, including children, are killed virtually on a daily basis. Civilians are deliberately targeted. All border crossings of the Gaza Strip have been closed and the total siege imposed has had disastrous social, economic and humanitarian consequences. Severe restrictions have been placed on the movement of the civilian population. The entry of food, fuel and raw materials has been restricted. Even access to water is severely restricted and drinking water has become unsafe. The Israeli occupation perpetuates the suffering of the Palestinians who are experiencing a humanitarian crisis.

The Workers’ Party condemns the current Israeli aggression as a criminal act. It is indiscriminate, disproportionate and a violation of international law. This is a time for action by governments. This Israeli aggression must be condemned and real sanctions imposed. The Workers’ Party believes that a solution is only possible through the recognition of the legitimate and inalienable rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination, national independence and sovereignty and the implementation of international law and respect for all relevant United Nations’ resolutions.

by Moshe Mon Dec 29, 2008 17:21

The IDF and all Jewish settlers withdrew from Gaza in 2005.
The Palestinians elected Hamas, an organisation that is dedicated to the destruction of Israel and the genocide of all Jews.
Hamas fulfilled its election promises after using the breathing space given to it by Israel to rearm and develop even longer range missiles that began to attack southern Israel while it continued to smuggle weapons through a network of tunnels under the Egyptian border and continued to train terrorists.
Thousands of rockets have been fired at southern Israel since the withdrawl in 2005 and scores of innocent Israel men women and children have been killed.
Hamas broke the ceasefire on Dec 19 and once again began its indiscriminate attacks on Israeli civilians.
Israeli citizens are expected to cower in fear of death from Hamas rockets while the Workers Party weeps for dead Hamas terrorists?

In 2006, Israel came under sustained attack for over a month by Hezbollah killing scores of Israeli citizens in Northern Israel also after it withdrew from southern Lebanon.
Israel hit back at Hezbollah and forced them to halt their rocket attacks.

Israel is doing the same once this time against Hamas again to protect its citizens like any other nation must do when under attack from terrorists.

What would the Workers Party have Israelis do?
Flee their homeland?
Surrender to Islamic extremist murderers?

Israel has the right to defend itself and Israel will defend itself.

Lectures from useful idiots like you who blindly criticise Israel and ignore the evil of Hamas terror are beneath contempt.

Shame on you and shame on the Worker's Party, a party who supposedly are on the side of freedom.

by Naoimi - none Mon Dec 29, 2008 19:06

As long as Israeli women and men continue to serve in the Israeli occupation forces then they are not civilians and relinquish all right to claim 'innocence' in this conflict. We don't know if all the rockets fired into Israel were fired by members of Hamas but we do know that those rockets killed very few people - only 1 in recent days and he was a soldier. Even a simian like G W Bush understands that this latest Israeli operation is not defensive in any way - so let's cut the bull and admit that Israel is carpet-bombing Palestine because it knows that it can. Doesn't it make you feel proud Moshe?

by LP Mon Dec 29, 2008 19:42

Qassam rockets fired from Gaza have killed 18 people in the last 8 years. Since the IDF began their attack on Gaza, they have killed 18 people EVERY THREE HOURS. The disparity in the levels of violence is truly shocking.

by Moshe Mon Dec 29, 2008 21:15

So you support a second Holocaust do you?

The Hamas Charter explicitly abjures negotiated settlements as mechanisms for peaceful coexistence: "There is no other solution for the Palestinian problem other than jihad. All the initiatives and international conferences are a waste of time and a futile game." According to the Charter, those against whom jihad is to be directed are the Jews. "The Nazism of the Jews," it says, "does not skip women and children, it scares everyone. They make war against people's livelihood, plunder their moneys and threaten their honor." Hamas seeks to fulfill the Qur'anic scripture which reads: "The prophet, prayer and peace be upon him, said: The time will not come until Muslims will fight the Jews (and kill them); until the Jews hide behind rocks and trees, which will cry: O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, come on and kill him!"

Israel has a right to exist and it will defend its citizens from Hamas.

Both of you are Jew-haters and supporters of terrorism and genocide of Israelis.

by Ehud Mon Dec 29, 2008 21:55

Moshe your comments are appalling but not surprising from a cheerleader for the Israeli murder machine.

You claim that two of the posters are "Jew-haters and supporters of terrorism and genocide of Israelis."

Now I have re read the post and have seen nothing that supports that claim of yours about them. Perhaps you would point out what they said that backs up your argument. Otherwise you shoudl have the decency to withdraw your remarks and apologise

by indy analyst Mon Dec 29, 2008 22:13

Excusing this massive disproportionality in killing by refering to a 'Genocide of Israelis'.

by Conor. M - S.E.E.D Mon Dec 29, 2008 22:45

Moshe,
your comments are truly shocking. You make an incredible amount of sweeping and unfounded statements on more than one thread. These stories are here to inform people of the mass slaughter of innocent Palestinians. I am not against opinion but, keep your comments within context of the story. No matter how hard you and the mass media try, we will never support these viscous attacks on a scale of mass murder.

You defend Israels actions - what about the newly elected mayor of Jerusalem who vows to continue the expansion through planning permission? What about the separation wall? What about the jailing without trial? What about shooting of internationals? What about the murder of stone throwing teenagers? What about the murder of Irish peacekeepers? What about targeting humanitarian camps. If you want to, write your own story to get your point across.

by Sean Og Mon Dec 29, 2008 23:47

. Here’s the URL for the HAMAS CHARTER which some one asked for -it does not make for enjoyable reading but its long and probably worth checking it all out .

http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/hamas.asp.

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him salvation, has said:

"The Day of Judgement will not come about until Moslems fight the Jews (killing the Jews), when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say O Moslems, O Abdulla, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him. Only the Gharkad tree, (evidently a certain kind of tree) would not do that because it is one of the trees of the Jews." (related by al-Bukhari and Moslem). (Article Seven)

Hamas arrogate to themselves the last word about how Palestine should be disposed of:

The Islamic Resistance Movement believes that the land of Palestine is an Islamic Waqf consecrated for future Moslem generations until Judgement Day. It, or any part of it, should not be squandered: it, or any part of it, should not be given up. Neither a single Arab country nor all Arab countries, neither any king or president, nor all the kings and presidents, neither any organization nor all of them, be they Palestinian or Arab, possess the right to do that. Palestine is an Islamic Waqf land consecrated for Moslem generations until Judgement Day. This being so, who could claim to have the right to represent Moslem generations till Judgement Day?

This is the law governing the land of Palestine in the Islamic Sharia (law) and the same goes for any land the Moslems have conquered by force, because during the times of (Islamic) conquests, the Moslems consecrated these lands to Moslem generations till the Day of Judgement. (Article Eleven)

Hamas will block any peace talks etc.

Initiatives, and so-called peaceful solutions and international conferences, are in contradiction to the principles of the Islamic Resistance Movement. Abusing any part of Palestine is abuse directed against part of religion. Nationalism of the Islamic Resistance Movement is part of its religion. Its members have been fed on that. For the sake of hoisting the banner of Allah over their homeland they fight. "Allah will be prominent, but most people do not know."

Now and then the call goes out for the convening of an international conference to look for ways of solving the (Palestinian) question. Some accept, others reject the idea, for this or other reason, with one stipulation or more for consent to convening the conference and participating in it. Knowing the parties constituting the conference, their past and present attitudes towards Moslem problems, the Islamic Resistance Movement does not consider these conferences capable of realising the demands, restoring the rights or doing justice to the oppressed. These conferences are only ways of setting the infidels in the land of the Moslems as arbitraters. When did the infidels do justice to the believers?

This self-appointed minority reserve the right to know what the Palestinian people know, and reject peace for them.

"But the Jews will not be pleased with thee, neither the Christians, until thou follow their religion; say, The direction of Allah is the true direction. And verily if thou follow their desires, after the knowledge which hath been given thee, thou shalt find no patron or protector against Allah." (The Cow - verse 120).
There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors. The Palestinian people know better than to consent to having their future, rights and fate toyed with. (Article Thirteen)

The day that enemies usurp part of Moslem land, Jihad becomes the individual duty of every Moslem. In face of the Jews' usurpation of Palestine, it is compulsory that the banner of Jihad be raised. To do this requires the diffusion of Islamic consciousness among the masses, both on the regional, Arab and Islamic levels. It is necessary to instill the spirit of Jihad in the heart of the nation so that they would confront the enemies and join the ranks of the fighters.

It is necessary to instill in the minds of the Moslem generations that the Palestinian problem is a religious problem, and should be dealt with on this basis. (Article 14)

Secularism completely contradicts religious ideology. Attitudes, conduct and decisions stem from ideologies.

That is why, with all our appreciation for The Palestinian Liberation Organization - and what it can develop into - and without belittling its role in the Arab-Israeli conflict, we are unable to exchange the present or future Islamic Palestine with the secular idea. The Islamic nature of Palestine is part of our religion and whoever takes his religion lightly is a loser. (Article 27)

In the end, Hamas are absurd. Their paranoia prevents Palestinians from working for peace.

The Zionist invasion is a vicious invasion. It does not refrain from resorting to all methods, using all evil and contemptible ways to achieve its end. It relies greatly in its infiltration and espionage operations on the secret organizations it gave rise to, such as the Freemasons, The Rotary and Lions clubs, and other sabotage groups. All these organizations, whether secret or open, work in the interest of Zionism and according to its instructions. They aim at undermining societies, destroying values, corrupting consciences, deteriorating character and annihilating Islam. It is behind the drug trade and alcoholism in all its kinds so as to facilitate its control and expansion. (Article 28)

by LP Tue Dec 30, 2008 16:03

Sean, here's an interesting thought experiment for you. Why don't you try judging people by their deeds, not their words? For example, members of the Israeli government often give beautiful-sounding statements about respect for human rights, and then they murder hundreds in revenge for the deaths of a handful. Members of Hamas may make blood-curdling speeches about what they would like to do, but again this information is useless without reference to their actions. Qassam rockets have killed 18 people in the last 8 years. That's about one person killed every six months, not exactly another holocaust. The IDF has been killing 18 people EVERY THREE HOURS since their latest attack began, which works out at one person killed EVERY TEN MINUTES. Actions speak louder than words, Sean.

by Mr Man Tue Dec 30, 2008 16:36

Actions do indeed speak louder than words. Like indiscriminately firing rockets at civilians. Like using human shields.

by whataboutery Tue Dec 30, 2008 17:31

"indiscriminate firing of rockets at civilians "- what the Zionists are doing in Gaza

"using human shields"- what the Zionists are doing in the settlements in Palestine

by MichaelY - IPSC and iawm Tue Dec 30, 2008 17:50

The Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) , the Irish Anti War Movement, Eirigi and and a host of Palestinian and Irish organisations are organising a series of events in support of the people of Gaza this week.

Some of our political demands around which we are mobilising are:

- The Israeli onslought/slaughter is a war crime of massive proportions;
- The Irish government must demand suspension of the EU/Israel Association Agreement and seek EU sanctions on Israel;
- Israel broke the ceasefire with Hamas and engineered its breakdown to pave the way for this "Shoah" (as the Israeli deputy defence minister threatened some months ago);
- The stated Israeli Aim of the overthrow and obliteration of Hamas is illegal - Hamas is the democratically elected government; The calls by Israeli leaders (Kadima and Likud leaders) for the wiping out of Hamas are illegal;
- The EU Presidency must seek to broker a restoration of ceasefire (as it brokered the truce in Georgia);
All are urged to attend the national demonstration on Saturday at 1pm at the Central Bank - 'Stop the slaughter in Gaza!'

Free Palestine

by MichaelY - IPSC/iawm Tue Dec 30, 2008 18:21

Palestinian Federation of Unions of University Professors and Employees, 30 December 2008

The Palestinian Federation of Unions of University Professors and Employees condemns in the strongest possible terms the bombing yesterday of the campus of the Islamic University in Gaza. This wanton destruction of an academic institution is only the latest in the ongoing lethal campaign launched by the Israeli government and army against Palestinian society in the Gaza Strip. This murderous rampage has caused nearly 400 deaths and the injury of close to 1,500 Palestinians. And the carnage continues with impunity.

We add our voice to the urgent appeal issued two days ago by the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee (BNC) urging international civil society not just to protest and condemn Israel's massacre in Gaza, but also to join and intensify the international boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel to end its impunity and to hold it accountable for its persistent violations of international law and Palestinian rights. We agree that, without sustained, effective pressure by people of conscience the world over, Israel will continue with its gradual, rolling acts of genocide against the Palestinians, burying any prospects for a just peace under the blood and rubble of Gaza, Nablus and Jerusalem.

Today, at the height of the lethal Israeli assault against the Palestinian people in Gaza, we are met with deafening silence emanating from the Israeli academy. Does it condone the murderous bombing campaign that its government is carrying out in the name of all Israelis? Are the members of the academy dutifully preparing for the reserve call-up just approved by their government, ready to serve in the death squads committing war crimes around the clock? Are Israeli universities willing to call for an end to the occupation? Are they going to cut their organic and deep-rooted ties with the military-security establishment? There is no doubt that the aggression against the Gaza Strip has reached horrendous proportions, described by many international public figures as constituting war crimes and a continuation of the ethnic cleansing unleashed 60 years ago.

We urge academics around the world to intensify their boycott of Israeli academic institutions, and to isolate the Israeli academy in international forums, associations of academics, and other international venues. Israeli academic institutions are complicit in the entrenched system of oppression practiced by the Israeli state, and their silence at this critical moment is only the most vociferous indicator of this complicity.

Dr. Amjad Barham
President
Palestinian Federation of Unions of University Professors and Employees