ICTU Rally

PRESS RELEASE

Mairead Maguire speaks at ICTU Rally on Saturday 24th November 2012. Maguire called Israeli President Perez, Prime Minister Netanyahu And defence Minister Barak, war criminals and called for them to be held accountable before the International Court of justice

 

 

Mairead Maguire, nobel peace laureate, said;

 

“TheUSAadministration is the greatest block to peace in the Israel/Palestine

conflict. They continue to be complicit in Israelis war crimes by their veto of

UN resolutions againstIsraelandUSA’s military, financial and diplomatic

support forIsrael. TheUSAcontribute 8 million dollars per day of military aid , making possibleIsraelcontinued military occupation and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people. The American administration could help bring peace to Israel/Palestine by withdrawing military aid toIsraeland insistingIsraeluphold UN resolutions and end its military occupation ofPalestine.

 

Maguire accused the Israeli gov., of war crimes and crimes against humanity carried

out, during its latest 8 day military assault (14-2lst nov.,) on the civilian population ofgazasaying a military assault on a civilian population was collective punishment and

against theGenevaconventions. This was not a case of ‘israeli right to defence’

It was a massacre ofgaza’s civilian population, as over 167 palestinians, overwhelmingly women and children had been killed, and over l,000 injured with much of the infrastructure being destroyed. Israeli also deliberately targeted and killed 3 journalists – which is a war crime, in the 8 day bombardment by israel of what has become to be known ‘as the gaza strip, the largest open air prison in the world’.

 

Israelhas no desire for peace but rather has chosen land and continues to confiscate

Palestinian territory. Everytime there is some movement towards a ceasefire, Israelnot only breaks it but carries out a brutal assault by their military the 4th strongest army in the world, backed up by over 200 nuclear weapons. In a recent

Interview by exusapresident Jimmy Carter, he said that ‘Israeli leaders have decided to abandon the two state solution. Their policy now is to confiscate Palestinian territory and they have announced publicly that the Palestinians have to recognize not justIsraelbutIsraelas a jewish state, even though 20% of the Israeli community are non-jews.’

 

Israelcontinues with ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians and building illegal settlements inJerusalemand West bank, and continues to choose territory over peace.

Israelnever intends to negotiate peace and from its inception has done all that it could to sabotage ceasefires and efforts for peace by Palestinians, by targeted assassinations of Palestinian leaders and military attacks. Israeli broke the latest ceasefire and launched a murderous attack ongazafor 8 days. A ceasefire has been declared, but thegazasiege is intact and the brutal Israeli military occupation of Palestinian territory continues unabated.

 

Maguire said that the Russell tribunal onPalestine, has found Israelguilty of the crime of persecution of Palestinian people and guilty of the crime of apartheid, and a form of apartheid worse than that carried out insouth Africa. The Palestinian people and the Russell tribunal have called for international civil community to support the BDS campaign and to;

Divest fromIsraeland companies that deal with it; boycott

all Israeli good and services; and support arms sanctions againstIsrael. Maguire

said that the co-operative society has implemented a boycott against Israeli settlement goods, and also against companies who do business withIsrael, and proposed we sent

thanks to co-operative society for their brave stand and hoped others would follow their example.

 

Maguire said that President Perez, the Israel Prime Minister Natanyahu and Defence Minister, are war criminals and should be held accountable for their war crimes, as if they were left to act with impunity, as on so many occasions before, such as operation

‘Cast lead’, they could continue with the next military attack upon the people ofgaza. It is important to hold Israeli politicians accountable before the International Criminal Court.

 

Regarding the BBC’s reporting in thegazamassacre, and much of the middle east conflict, is so biased and distorted they have lost credibility. Describing gaza/israel as ‘an intractable conflict between two equals’ shows they have lost any impartiality and independence and have succumbed to Israeli propaganda.

 

The ceasefire ending the latest brutal assault ongazais to be welcomed but it is

Recognized the siege and occupation of Palestinian continues unabated.

The international civil community must triple their efforts to work for the

Human rights and freedom of the Palestinian people believing peace for Palestine/Israel is possible.

 

 

Mairead Maguire

www.peacepeople.com

nobel peace laureate

jury member Russell tribunal onPalestinewww.russelltribunalonpalestine.com