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Israel’s Inhumanity Must be Stopped

02/06/10

“A dark day for humanity,” those were the words of Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu at Monday’s emergency meeting of the UN Security Council after Israel’s brutal murder of humanitarian aid workers on their way to Gaza.

We’re all now aware of the horrific footage beamed around the world of the Israeli military’s raid on a ship carrying humanitarian aid and the bloody massacre they unleashed on the passengers, killing 20 and injuring countless more. Their actions, which were carried out in international waters, can be described at best as piracy. These actions were carried out with one aim in mind – to continue the evil and inhumane siege of Gaza.

The nonsense that the Israelis were merely protecting themselves almost beggars belief. The subsequent kidnap and holding of the aid workers and their interrogation is also inexcusable.

The attention that has been given to this crime is only as loud and widespread as it is because the attack launched by Israel was on aid workers coming from largely western countries. Anyone aware of the hardships meted out on the Palestinian people will not have been highly surprised by Monday’s attack. This is a daily occurrence that the people of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank are all too familiar with, but an occurrence which rarely makes international headlines.

Only a day after the attack on the flotilla, Israel shot and killed two people near the Gaza border and fired shells into the area. Little, if any, coverage was given to these actions by most media outlets. Obviously Palestinians’ lives aren’t that important. Even during the 2008/2009 assault by Israel on the people of Gaza, it took much too long before international condemnation from the great and the good was forthcoming. This and the daily silence in the media and from governments around the world in the face of Israel’s brutal actions must end immediately.

The internationalist in all of us must see the Palestinian people as our own and we must act accordingly in giving them our support, just as the brave men and women on the Free Gaza Freedom Flotilla have done. The determined actions of those in the flotilla should be commended supported and encouraged.

The immediate response of people around Ireland on Monday to the massacre was an example of true internationalism. In Belfast, Cork, Derry, Dublin, Galway, Limerick, Sligo and Waterford, thousands of people, including many éirígí activists and supporters, came onto the streets in protest.

These actions should be replicated in the days to come.

No-one should feel unable to do anything. Simply by boycotting Israeli goods or not buying in stores that financially support Israel, such Marks & Spencer’s, you can send a clear message. You can take part in protests or even join Palestinian support groups in your area.

All businesses should refuse trade with Israel and refuse to stock Israeli goods.

Demand that public bodies take a stand, as Donegal County Council did when it passed the following motion on Monday: “That Donegal County Council condemns the actions of the Israeli navy in attacking the flotilla delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza and calls on the Dublin government to expel the Israeli ambassador in protest.”

This motion was passed unanimously and all councils in Ireland should follow suit.

The Dublin government must also act. Expelling the Israeli ambassador and his staff is the very least they can do. Cutting off any trade agreements with Israel and encouraging other governments to do likewise could make a huge difference. They should demand that the EU’s trade deal with Israel should be scrapped and call for Israel's immediate expulsion from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

The bottom line is that this is a humanitarian issue and the Palestinian people are the victims of massive wrong. Monday was “a dark day for humanity,” but it was no darker than any other day which the Palestinian people have to endure under Israel’s apartheid regime.

One of the first aid workers to be released by the Israelis after the flotilla raid and kidnapping which followed said on his release that the state of Israel are “afraid of humanity”. If this is the weapon which they are afraid of, then this is the weapon that must be used. Ultimately, Israel’s actions were designed to deter people from breaking the blockade of Gaza. This will not work. Support for Palestine and opposition to the zionist occupation must be increased. Israel’s actions must not go unpunished. It’s time to act.

Join the upcoming protests: Tomorrow [Thursday]: March to the Israeli embassy, assemble at the Central Bank Plaza, Dame Street, Dublin at 6pm.
Saturday [June 5]: Rally at City Hall, Belfast at 4pm, main speaker John Hurson.

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