By IRNA,
London : Protesters returned to blockade the Israeli Embassy in Dublin Tuesday calling on the Irish government to cut relations with the Zionist regime after its massacre of passengers aboard the Gaza Freedom Flotilla.
The latest demonstration follows five Irish citizens calling for a boycott of Israeli goods after they were deported back to Dublin on Monday when their humanitarian aid ship, MV Rachel Corrie, was also forcefully taken over by Israeli commandoes.
The activists, including former UN assistant secretary general Denis Halliday and Nobel laureate Maireád Maguire further urged the Irish government to put pressure on the EU to suspend its trading agreement with Israel.
They asked for the return of their boat and for all the humanitarian aid aboard all of the flotilla vessels, “rotting in the harbour” at Ashdod, to be sent to the people of Gaza.
At the blockade of the Israeli embassy, the second since Friday, Irish anti-war movement (IAWM) asked people not to forget the events of the past week as Gardaí police tried to push protestors away from the entrance.
“It is just disgraceful that the Gardaí would try to prevent us from protesting in a peaceful manner, said Palestinian member of the IAWM steering committee, Claudia Saba.
“Protecting the embassy of a government who has just days ago murdered humanitarian workers in international waters and who blockaded an Irish ship and imprisoned Irish activists before deporting them,” Saba said.
Chair of the group Richard Boyd Barrett said the world could not simply allow Israel to return to “business as usual” after its “murderous” action against the peace flotilla last week.
“This latest in a long line of atrocities committed by Israel must be a trigger for real sanctions to be imposed, if the deaths of those brave peace activists are not to be in vain,” Boyd Barrett said.
According to the Irish Times, a Garda spokesman said the police were attending the protest and would remain until the protest finished.
“We are maintaining a presence at the scene and are monitoring the situation. No arrests have been made and no incidents reported,” the spokesman said.
A statement from the Israeli embassy said that it hoped that the gardaí will “ensure the safe entry of Israeli embassy personnel and staff to the embassy, and keep the entrance to the embassy open at all times” after it was blockaded all-day on Friday.