Seanad debates

Wednesday, 30 November 2016

Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign: Motion

 

10:30 am

Photo of David NorrisDavid Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Right, okay but I hope I get this in injury time. This is the reply I received. He is the head of Bank of Ireland and a public official. I see no problem whatever about naming him. He signed the letter after all. May I point out his bank was rescued by the people of Ireland and now he acts in this appallingly undemocratic way.

This is a worldwide phenomenon. A German bank recently closed the accounts of a German Jewish organisation, Jewish Voice for a Just Peace in the Middle East, at the instigation of the Israeli Government. Here is another case of the infringement of people's freedom of speech and solidarity with the people of Palestine.

In July 2016, the IPSC received a series of inquiries from Bank of Ireland. These accounts had been in place without the slightest suggestion of any difficulty for 15 years and suddenly, under the impulse of moves from the Israelis, this difficulty arises. The first question asked was what the funds in the account were used for. The IPSC answered honestly and openly the funds were used for campaigning for the human rights of all Palestinians and that it rents an office, employs a co-ordinator, holds public meetings, hosts visiting speakers and prints leaflets.

The second question was what was source of funds in the accounts. It answered that primarily the organisation is funded by membership subscriptions and donations but it also organises fundraising events and gave the example that last year a member organised an amateur boxing night in Croke Park which raised €6,500, a sponsored walk raised €1,169 and a Christmas lunch raised €1,350. It stated it also has a small margin from the sale of solidarity items such as football shirts and Palestinians scarves.

The third question was whether it transfers funds to Palestine and if so to whom. The answer was the only transfer is to the Hirbawi textile factory in Palestine in payment for Palestinian scarves, and that in March this year it transferred $1,209 in payment for a delivery of Palestinian scarves.

The fourth question was whether it transferred any money to political organisations and, if so, to whom and where are they based. The reply was that it was not affiliated to any political organisation and does not transfer money to any political organisations.

These were four clear questions with four clear answers, and nothing for the IPSC to answer. It has done nothing. It is a campaigning organisation. It does, of course, campaign on the basis of the boycott, divestment and sanction motion, which suggests items that come from the settlers and invaded areas of Palestine should be boycotted, there should be divestment of investment in these areas and there should be sanctions. This is a perfectly legitimate campaigning issue. Nobody can quarrel with this. It is precisely the type of thing we did in South Africa. Have people forgotten apartheid? Have people forgotten the way in which the Dunnes Stores workers stood out in solidarity with the people of South Africa? Of course it is correct for people to be able to campaign.

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