Israel is waging war on population of Gaza

international | anti-war / imperialism | press release Monday December 29, 2008 15:13 by Saoirse - Republican Sinn Fein saoirse at iol dot ie 223 Parnell St Dublin 1 01 8729747

Statement by the Vice President of Republican Sinn Fein Des Dalton

Republican Sinn Fein Vice President Des Dalton describes the Israeli attacks on Gaza as a 'war crime'.

The Israeli air attacks on Gaza constitute the latest phase in an ongoing war being waged on an entire population. The attacks which have to date resulted in the deaths of over three hundred people –including children – are the culmination of the internment of 1.5 million people by Israel since June 2007 coupled with the denial of essential services such as water, electricity and medical supplies. These actions are by definition a war crime and a crime against humanity.

The targeting of an entire population in this manner is illegal under international law as set out in documents such as the ‘Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War 1949’. This crime has been perpetrated with the connivance of the US and British governments and the EU and aided by the total inaction of the rest of the international community of states.

The Irish people are all too familiar with the illegal occupation and enforced partition of our country by a foreign power. Irish Republicans once again support the right of the Palestinian people to national freedom and sovereignty in a viable Palestinian state. We view this as an essential first step in the process of bringing about a just and lasting settlement to the entire Middle East region coupled with ending the illegal occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Republican Sinn Féin calls on people to join the protests at the Israeli and US embassies in Dublin, we must ensure our opposition to this illegal war of occupation and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people is heard at home and abroad.