Latest on Mary Kelly in Nablus and today's Dublin protest.

Wednesday April 17, 2002 01:12

by Tim Hourigan

Tanks in Nablus, large crowd in Dublin.

Aid volunteers abused and injured by Israeli soldiers. Small crowd attend Israeli function in Westin hotel (no TDs seem to have accepted the invites)

Update on Mary received today:

Mary went to the Nablus refugee camp with about 16 others today, to bring food,
water and medical supplies.

They were successful with one camp, then at the second camp were surrounded by
Israeli tanks.

The Israelis threatened to arrest the group.

All we've heard is that at least one of the aid workers (Mika Minio-Paluello)
was kicked repeatedly in the head, and that some of them had cameras and mobile
phones confiscated and destroyed by the Israeli soldiers.

At the last call, they were out of immediate danger and resting from the days
events.

While we were receiving this information, we were actually at a protest in
Dublin against the Israeli occupation.
This was the third such protest in TWO days in Dublin. There was a protest at
the embassy at 8am and also at 8:30 pm yesterday.

Today's protest centred on the Westin Hotel on Westmoreland Street where the
Israeli delegation was hosting celebrations of Israeli independence day.

One of the protestors infiltrated the hotel beforehand and noticed very serious
security at the event including metal detectors in the function room, and
decided against trying to disrupt it from the inside.
There was also a significant police presence outside the hotel with one lane of
Westmoreland street blocked off and the whole Fleet Street side of the hotel
blocked to public traffic and pedestrians.

Outside a crowd of approximately 100 people gathered with large banners. Some
called on Israel to withdraw, others for a trial of Ariel Sharon on charges of
genocide in Sabra, Shatila and Jenin. There was also a large banner calling on
Ireland to stop exporting weapons components to Israel (apparently Amnesty have
written a good report on this subject.)

The protest lasted from 6:30 until about 8pm. There was no confirmed sighting of
the Israeli ambassador at the event.
Further events are planned.