Boycott of Israeli Goods Protest - Dublin

dublin | rights, freedoms and repression | news report

Saturday January 16, 2010 17:41

by Freda H & Ronan OD - IPSC

Successful Israeli boycott actions were held across Dublin today by the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign and several other organisations.

Protestors assemble at the Spire

On Saturday, January 16th the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) and our supporters held boycott actions across the country, asking shoppers not to buy Israeli goods in solidarity with the people of Gaza who are still being starved by the Israeli government. Along with the IPSC, the following groups are supporting the Boycott Day of Action: Anti-War Ireland, éirígí, Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS), Irish Anti-War Movement, Palestinian Rights Initiative, Sinn Fein and UNITE Trade Union.

In Dublin, activists from the various groups gathered at the Spire on O’Connell St. for a brief rally before breaking off into three groups. These groups moved to the targeted shops/outlets across the city centre; Jervis Street Shopping Centre, Tesco on Parnell Street and Marks & Spencers on Grafton Street.

Jervis Street Shopping Centre
Jervis Street Shopping Centre allow Sea Spa Beauty Products to trade in a stall in the centre of the first floor so a large crowd gathered outside leafleting and engaging the public at all three entrances. Please see picture two for more information on Dead Sea Beauty Products which often originate in illegal Israeli settlement colonies in the West Bank. The IPSC asks you to refuse to buy these products of oppression and to write or speak to any retail outlet that allow them to be sold on their premises. There is a sample letter online at http://www.ipsc.ie/dsbp . Passersby and shoppers were supportive, taking leaflets to give to family members and stating they found the Israeli actions in Palestine disgusting. At one point, Israeli ex-military staff from the Sea Spa outlet came outside to the protest. They denied the existence of Palestine and spoke in a derogatory manner about the campaign. One member of staff stated that he took pride in having killed Palestinians during his time in the Israeli Defence Forces.

Tesco on Parnell Street
Another groups of protesters, led by members of the Irish Anti-War Movement, assembled at Tesco on Parnell Street who sell Israeli fruit, vegetables and herbs. They received messages of support from the public as they distributed leaflets outside. The group then entered the shop in order to remove Israeli stock from the shelves to highlight the Israeli product lines stocked by Tesco.

Marks and Spencers on Grafton Street.
Members of the IPSC and Eirigi protested in large numbers outside Marks and Spencers on Grafton Street who also sell Israeli fruit, vegetables and herbs. They chanted pro-Palestinian slogans and engaged positively with shoppers and members of the public.

As part of the ongoing campaign, letters of protest were handed in to the management of the targeted outlets

What is the boycott?

The boycott of Israeli goods is a peaceful way to get Israel to stop the occupation of Palestine, and obey international law. Palestine is suffering from relentless Israeli attacks and experiencing a humanitarian catastrophe now. As with South African Apartheid, ordinary people have the power to stop injustice. Please do your bit. Don't buy or sell Israeli products or services. Israel is a export orientated economy, and Europe is Israel's largest trading partner, so even the threat of boycott has been effective in getting Israel to rethink its behaviour. More pressure on Israel will alleviate the terrible oppression the Palestinian people suffer.

Who supports the boycott?
171 organisations representing Palestinian civil society have called on people around the world to help them and support the boycott. Many human rights groups and trade unions around the world including Irish unions and ICTU have supported this call for boycott. There is even a growing
movement inside Israel called ‘Boycott From Within’.

What you can do.
The IPSC want to extend the boycott to all walks of life – economic, cultural, academic and sporting. Please refuse to buy any Israeli products, check for the barcode beginning with 729 and also go in these shops to tell them why you are boycotting. Additionally, the Irish company CRH is helping to build the illegal Apartheid Wall in Palestine - we need your help to stop them. The IPSC Dublin branch have fortnightly meetings on Thursdays in the Central Hotel on Exchequer St. Dublin 1. To find out how you can help us make a difference, please contact us at (01) 6770259, info@ipsc.ie or go to www.ipsc.ie from more information.