By IRNA,
London : Irish writer and activist, Fiachra O Luain, who was wounded during Israel’s attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, is calling for a “targeted boycott” of the Zionist regime.
“We need to show leadership with diplomatic and economic sanctions,” said O Luain, after meeting representatives from various political parties in the Irish parliament.
He feared the commission of inquiry set up by Israel to examine the attack on the international humanitarian aid flotilla, in which masked Israeli commanders killed at least nine activists would be a “whitewash.”
The inquiry would be “another Widgery”, the 28-year old activist said in reference to the first discredited Bloody Sunday inquiry in Northern Ireland that cleared British troops for killing 14 unarmed civil rights marchers.
O Luain, whose American father Joseph Bangert is a Vietnam war veteran and a member of Veterans for peace, was slightly wounded after being captured when travelling on Challenger 1 as part of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla on May 31.
He said he was kicked and beaten while being deported from Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv and that his life was threatened by Israeli security forces.
There should be a “targeted boycott” on certain produce and Israel should also face diplomatic “consequences”, the Irish peace activist told the Irish Times.
He also called for “ecumenical action” and said Ireland should enhance relations with civic society groups in Israel in order to strengthen alternatives to what he described as “reactionary” groups.
O Luain unsuccessfully stood as an independent candidate for Ireland Northwest in the 2009 elections to the European parliament.
He said he hoped to be invited to give evidence to the Irish parliament about the Israeli attack.