[Dublin] Lunchtime Vigil – End EU Facilitation of Israeli Apartheid (Israeli Apartheid Week)

dublin | rights, freedoms and repression | event notice Wednesday February 13, 2013 17:14 by IPSC - IPSC

In the wake of the recent attack on Gaza that left over 160 Palestinians dead, Ireland has assumed the six-month Presidency of the European Union. However the EU continues to reward and cosy up to Israel, even amid that state’s constant violations of the ceasefire terms, repeated violent provocations in the West Bank, and continued illegal settlement construction and colonisation.

Therefore, as part of Israeli Apartheid Week 2012, on Thursday 28th February, from 1-2pm the IPSC will be holding a lunchtime vigil outside EU House, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2 to highlight the European Union’s ongoing facilitation of Israel’s apartheid policies and war crimes.

In particular we will be highlighting the continued operation of the Euro-Med Agreement with Israel. This Agreement effectively amounts to rewarding Israel for its terrorisation of the Palestinian people as it grants it special trading privileges with the EU. Israel is clearly in breach of the human rights clause (Article II) of the agreement which states that “respect for human rights and democratic principles” are an “essential element” of the treaty. The fact that Israel has faced no sanction from the international community for its litany of abuses against the Palestinians is what emboldened it to launch its recent assault on Gaza, and will ensure such attacks continue to happen on greater or lesser scales. The EU is Israel’s largest trading partner, and such a move would undoubtedly have a positive effect on Israel’s behaviour towards the Palestinian people, therefore Irish government should call for the suspension of Israel from the Euro-Med Agreement.

For background to the EU and Israel, please see the relevant section of our website here: http://www.ipsc.ie/the-issues/the-eu-and-israel

This event is organised by the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) as one of a series of events taking place around Ireland during international Israeli Apartheid Week 2013 (23 February – 2nd March). See the IAW 2013 page for a full list of events taking place around Ireland: http://www.ipsc.ie/iaw2013