Call for boycott of Israeli goods

THE IRISH anti-war movement have called for a boycott of Israeli goods to continue despite the country calling a unilateral cease-fire in Gaza.

About 500 protesters turned out in atrocious weather on Saturday afternoon in Dublin to highlight what they hope will be a widespread boycott of Israeli goods. The singer Christy Moore and artist Robert Ballagh, who were scheduled to take part, could not do so.

The protesters marched from the Central Bank to O’Connell Street and then back over the river to South Great George’s Street.

They sent in advance parties to Tesco in Parnell Street, Marks and Spencer in the Jervis Street Centre and Dunnes Stores in South Great George’s Street to gather together a basket of Israeli goods and hand in a letter of protest.

After the party went into Dunnes Stores, Irish anti-war movement chairman Richard Boyd-Barrett announced to the crowd outside that they had been informed that Dunnes was not stocking Israeli produce at the moment.

Nobody from Dunnes Stores was available yesterday for comment. The company was embroiled in a 2½ year stand-off with some of its staff in the mid-1980s who refused to handle goods from South Africa.

Mr Boyd-Barrett said it would be significant if Dunnes had decided to participate in withdrawing Israeli goods from the shelves given its experiences in the 1980s.

“We got the goods and brought them to the checkout and the manager came out and informed us that Dunnes Stores had made a decision to take Israeli goods off their shelves.

“If this is confirmed, it is a very significant development,” he said.