Irish Government and EU must confront Israel over Dubai murder

national | rights, freedoms and repression | press release Tuesday February 23, 2010 11:36 by Fintan Lane - Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign 087 1258325

IRISH GOVERNMENT AND EU MUST TAKE A STRONGER LINE ON DUBAI MURDER AND USE OF IRISH PASSPORTS

Following revelations that the address of a Dublin house owned by a brother of former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds was used by the assassins who killed a Palestinian official in Dubai, the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) is calling on the Irish government and the European Union to take a more forthright position on the murder by Israel of its political opponents.

The IPSC believes that it was entirely unacceptable that Avigdor Lieberman, the Israeli foreign minister, was wined and dined yesterday in Brussels by the European Union. We also believe that the statement issued by EU condemning the use of forged Irish, British, German and French passports did not go far enough and that Israel should have been identified as the main suspect in the Dubai killing.

According to Dr David Landy, chairperson of the IPSC, “The EU reaction has been far too mild and it is quite bizarre that the Israeli foreign minister should have been treated with such regard in Brussels at this time. The Israeli denial of involvement in the Dubai assassination has been wholly unconvincing and more a case of ‘if you can’t prove it, then we won’t admit it’. Israel is treating the international community with contempt.”

Dr Landy continued, “The IPSC is particularly concerned by reports emanating from Israel in recent days that suggest that Israeli political and security officials believe that they can ride out this diplomatic storm and that it will die down soon. This must not be allowed to happen.”

In particular, the IPSC believes that there are specific questions that now need to be answered in relation to the use by the 18-strong Mossad hit squad of five forged Irish passports.

One of these relates to the use by ‘Kevin Daveron’, one of the Mossad squad, of an address at 6 Elgin Road, Dublin, the property of James Reynolds. This house was almost certainly selected as a ‘home address’ for one of the Israeli killers because it has been vacant for a long period.

The property at Elgin Road is situated within Dublin’s embassy belt.

Obvious questions arise. Is Mossad active in this country and did Israeli agents conduct groundwork in Ireland for the Dubai assassination? How was the house on Elgin Road selected and how was it known to be vacant?

More generally, the IPSC is concerned that not enough attention is being paid to the murder itself, which was an act of international terrorism.

According to Dr Landy: “The assassination by Israel of senior Hamas official Mahmoud al-Mabhouh is part of a campaign of ‘targeted killings’ that has been conducted mostly within Palestine and particularly against its political opponents in Gaza. Hundreds have been murdered by Israel in an attempt to suppress Palestinian opposition to its policies while the EU and the international community stood idly by. The difference this time is that Israel has returned to a policy of killing its political opponents within the territory of other sovereign states. This is an outrage but no less acceptable than the campaign of assassination that is routinely conducted against Palestinian officials in Gaza and the West Bank.”

He concluded: “The Irish government and the EU need to speak out clearly against this policy of calculated murder by Israel of its political opponents.”

PRESS STATEMENT ENDS

For further information, contact Dr David Landy (IPSC Chairperson) at XXX, or Dr Fintan Lane (IPSC Media Officer) at 087 1258325.