IPSC welcomes expulsion of Israeli diplomat but believes ambassador must also go

international | rights, freedoms and repression | press release Tuesday June 15, 2010 20:03 by Fintan Lane - IPSC

The Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) welcomes today's expulsion of an Israeli diplomat by the Irish government and commends Minister Michael Martin for the move, but believes that the ambassador should also be expelled.

According to IPSC spokesperson, Dr Fintan Lane, "This is a long overdue but very welcome development. We commend the minister for taking action in relation to the misuse of forged Irish passports by Israeli assassins in Dubai. We now hope that he takes similar action with regard to the recent kidnapping of Irish citizens by Israeli commandos in international waters and the massacre of humanitarian activists on the Freedom Flotilla. The IPSC believes that Israel should be isolated by the international community. Meaningful sanctions should be enforced until they lift the siege of Gaza and concede the Palestinian right to self-determination. The Israeli ambassador to Ireland should be expelled and diplomatic ties severed with this rogue state."

This call to expel the Israeli ambassador follows a vote yesterday evening by Waterford City Council calling on the government to take such action immediately.

Following intensive lobbying by Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) members and supporters - and public outrage in the wake of the Israeli attack on the Gaza 'Freedom Flotilla' - Waterford City Council yesterday voted to officially call on the government to have the Israeli ambassador removed from Ireland.

At approximately 6:45pm yesterday evening, Cllr David Cullinane of Sinn Fein, asked formally for a vote on the matter and was supported by the Lord Mayor of Waterford John Halligan. The vote was carried unanimously in favour of the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador.

Speaking after the vote, the Lord Mayor called on other councils around the country to follow Waterford's example and pass similar motions.

The issue of boycotting Israeli goods was also discussed at the meeting with the majority of councillors expressing support for such a course of action, though a vote was not taken on this.

Tom Curran of the Waterford branch of the IPSC tonight thanked the Lord Mayor and councillors for their action and said, "Waterford has chosen to act in solidarity with the people of Gaza and Palestine. I welcome this vote and I hope the government understands that this reflects a widespread feeling throughout Ireland."

Dr Fintan Lane, national media officer with the IPSC and a participant in the 'Freedom Flotilla', commented, "We will be encouraging other councils to follow Waterford's example and we hope that the government is listening. There are many reasons to cut off diplomatic relations with the apartheid Israeli state, but the attack on the aid flotilla to Gaza should surely be the final straw. Sanctions should be brought against Israel by the EU and we would like to see the Irish government promoting such measures."

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