IRISH ANTI WAR MOVEMENT (IAWM) PRESS RELEASE – 06 January 2024
The IAWM issued a statement today calling on the Irish Government to do much more to help the people of Gaza than merely meekly calling for a ceasefire.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin must openly condemn Israel’s military onslaught as genocide. It should support the detailed case by the Government of South Africa – now supported by the Governments of Turkey, Malaysia and Jordan – to accuse Israel of the crime of genocide at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Read full IAWM statement HERE
Marnie Holborow, IAWM Steering Committee member said:
“Protestors around the world in their hundreds of thousands have demonstrated in support for Gaza and demanded an immediate ceasefire. In the coming weeks of 2024 there will be major protests and vigils for Gaza organised by the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (www.ipsc.ie) and others. The IAWM is calling for a very clear message to be sent to the Irish government. It should get off the fence and condemn Israel’s genocide in Gaza. It should openly support South Africa’s Government’s Genocide Convention application to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). It should immediately break diplomatic relations with Israel and expel the Israeli Ambassador. It should impose immediate sanctions on Israel for its war crimes – a consumer boycott of Israeli goods, the freezing of Israeli assets, and Israeli companies no longer being allowed to trade here. Boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against the Israeli murderous regime need to be implemented in full. The Irish Government’s weak stand rests on it falling in behind the western powers, in whose interests the Israeli state was founded, and which continues to this day.
Jim Roche, PRO & Secretary, Steering Committee, IAWM said:
“The Irish government is perceived as being Palestine-friendly but its actions fall far short. Amid all the apocalyptic horror visited by the racist, apartheid state of Israel on the people of Gaza not once has the Irish government condemned Israel. Micheál Martin’s support for Gaza amounts to him visiting Israel and being photographed inspecting a hole in a ceiling while the Israeli military pounded Gaza. The Government should expel the Israeli Ambassador from Ireland and it should summon the US Ambassador and announce that it is withdrawing the facility to the US Military at Shannon Airport. That would be real support for the desperate Palestinians. Until such actions by our Government it is vital that we keep protesting on the streets.”
The message to the Irish Government that we need to put out loud and clear at Dublin’s March on Saturday 13 January and subsequently is:
* Support South Africa’s Government’s Genocide Convention application to the ICJ
* Expel Israeli Ambassador from Ireland
* Boycott and sanction Israel
* Close the Shannon War Port
The Irish Anti War Movement urges all our supporters to join the solidarity protests for Palestine and make our voices heard.
#CeasefireNow
#EndtheGazaGenocide
#ExpelIsraeliAmbassador
#StopEthnicCleansing
#EndtheOccupation
#BoycottApartheidIsrael
Contact:
Jim Roche, PRO & Secretary, Steering Committee, IAWM, Tel. 087 6472737
Marnie Holborow, Member, Steering Committee, IAWM, Tel. 087 9889244
Sara O Rourke, Chair Steering Committee, IAWM, Tel. 087 6024821
Glenda Cimino, Steering Committee IAWM, Tel. 086 124 9456
Eamon Rafter, Steering Committee IAWM, Tel. 087 298 4005
Mark Price, Co-chair Steering Committee, IAWM, Tel. 086 345 4332
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