PROTEST AT GREEK EMBASSY AT 12.30 TODAY MONDAY 04 JULY

The Irish Anti War Movement said today that it is supporting this emergency protest called to highlight the complicity of the Greek Government in the siege of Gaza.

 

Last Friday the Greek Government prevented the sailing of ships as part of Freedom Flotilla II. The Greek Coastguard stopped the American ship ‘The Audacity of Hope’ at gunpoint five miles out to sea and forced it to return to port. The Captain of the ship was arrested and is still in custody. Passengers have commenced a protest fast outside the Israeli Embassy in Athens.

 

Jim Roche, PRO of the IAWM, who was also a passenger on board the Irish ship MV Saoirse said:

 

"It seems the illegal and immoral siege of Gaza now extends right across the Meditteranean Sea to Greece. It is shameful that the Greek Government should bow to Israeli, and possibly EU/IMF and US pressure, and be complicit in the continued subjugation of the Palestinian people. The Greek Authorites firstly used bureaucratic and administration reasons for delaying the flotilla. These delays allowed the Israeli secret services time to sabotage a Swedish / Greek ship in Athens. When these methods were no longer viable the Greek Authorities issue a dictat preventing all ships on the flotilla from sailing using armed commandoes to enforce this. It is truly shocking that Governments of the world are willing to openly partake in Israel’s continued subjugation of the Palestinian people and the denial of their basic human rights."

 

END