Boycott Israeli Goods, Says Activists

The ghost of 'Captain Boycott' looms again in Ireland this week with news that campaigners have called for a boycott of Israeli goods until the blockade of Gaza ends.

The Irish Anti-War Movement have vowed to continue holding demonstrations after taking their campaign to some of the capital's busiest supermarkets this past weekend.

They also continued a protest outside the Israeli embassy in Dublin, where they called for an end to the blockade of Gaza, and for the expulsion of the Israeli Ambassador, Dr Zion Evrony.

The boycott news came against a background of a more consolatory tone from Israel's cabinet convened which today is to ratify an Israeli inquiry into the deadly raid on the aid flotilla. The commission will include two foreign observers, but falls short of international calls for an impartial investigation.

Labour Party spokesman on human rights Joe Costello said the decision was "a whitewash and totally unacceptable".

"The ships were boarded in international waters by the Israeli army, nine people were shot by the Israeli soldiers, the ships were compelled to go to an Israeli port, remain in Israel custody and their crews and aid activists deported.

"These are the uncontested facts of Israeli involvement in an extremely serious incident. An internal Israeli inquiry into such an international incident with such profound Israeli involvement is quite simply ridiculous."

Mr Costello said the international community must be centrally involved and in control of the inquiry. The United Nations, the Quartet or the European Union should be in charge, he insisted.

See: Trimble For Gaza Flotilla Probe

(BMcC/GK)