Campaigners against Israel's attacks on Lebanon and Gaza have called on Irish consumers to boycott Israeli goods and for the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador from Ireland.
Speaking at a press conference this afternoon, Richard Boyd Barrett of the Irish Anti-War Movement called on members of the public to support a demonstration against Israel's actions in Dublin this Saturday.
Richard Boyd-Barrett
"We will be making a number of demands against the Irish Government, who we feel need to take a stronger stance against Israeli aggression in the current situation," he said.
These demands include "an immediate and unconditional end to all Israeli military attacks on Lebanon and the Palestinian territories and the release of all political prisoners by Israel, particularly civilians and elected representatives".
The anti-war campaigner said Saturday's march would also demand that the Irish government immediately end the use of Shannon by the US military and the transport of US or Israeli weapons through Irish airports.
"We want to see [Minister for Foreign Affairs] Dermot Ahern match his protest about current Israeli assaults on Lebanon with deeds in this regard," Mr Barrett said.
"In February of this year, Apache helicopters were transported through Shannon to Israel, so already Ireland has been involved in transporting weapons to Israel and it is quite likely that those Apache helicopters that went through Shannon are being used currently in the offensive against Lebanon or Gaza or both.
"We believe that if Dermot Ahern and the Irish Government are serious about expressing concern about what is going on in Lebanon at the moment, they should match that concern with making a clear public statement that Israeli weapons will not be allowed through Shannon."
Mr Barrett said the Israeli ambassador should be "expelled from this country" until there was an unconditional ceasefire by Israel and a negotiated settlement over prisoners between Israel, Hizbullah and the Palestinian government.
Mr Barrett urged Irish consumers to boycott Israeli goods such as wine, fruit and vegetables and fresh herbs in the same way that South African goods were boycotted as a means of opposing the former apartheid regime in that country.
Raymond Deane of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign also urged universities to embark upon "an academic boycott" and for lecturers not to accept speaking engagements in Israeli universities.
The demonstration will take place on Saturday at the Garden of Remembrance at Parnell Square, Dublin at 2pm.