IPSC condemns the Shannon Apaches

international | anti-war / imperialism | press release Tuesday April 11, 2006 17:07 by Jonah - IPSC

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The IPSC unreservedly condemns the Irish government's facilitation of the
transport of military equipment en route to Israel through Shannon airport.

In a story broken in the Irish Independent (08.04.06) the Irish government
conceeded that Apache attack helicopters en route to Israel were flown through
Shannon airport.

The Apache helicopter gunship is one of the primary means Israel uses to assert
its authority over Palestinian civilians inside the area it has occupied since
1967.

Since the outbreak of the Palestinian Intifada in September 2000 the Israeli
military has used the aircraft as part of its policy of extra-judicial
executions of alleged militants.

Since the outbreak of the Intidfada at least 515 Palestinians have been killed
as a result of Israel's policy of extra-judicially executions - at least 175 of
whom were non-targeted civilians.

The vast majority of these attacks took place using Apache helicopter-gunships.

Israel's policy of extra-judicial executions has been roundly condemned
internationally, including by the Irish government. During the Irish Presidency
of the EU the Council of Foreign Ministers clearly stated:

"The European Union has consistently opposed extra-judicial killings. Not only
are extra-judicial killings contrary to international law, they undermine the
concept of the rule of law which is a key element in the fight against
terrorism". [EU C.of M., 22/03/04: 7383/04 (Presse 80)]

The use of Shannon airport follows on from a period of intensified military
cooperation between Ireland and Israel.

In December 2005 an Israeli company, Rabinex Ltd., was awarded a E2.5million
contract to supply helmets to the Irish Defence Forces. Also last December
concerns were raised in the Dail when it emerged that the Irish military had
previously been involved in providing training to the Israeli military.

Israel's military has been responsible for a vast array of human rights
violations, which escalated at the outbreak of the Intifada.

In 2005 Amnesty International stated:
"Most members of the Israeli army and security forces continued to enjoy
impunity...In the overwhelming majority of the thousands of cases of unlawful
killings and other grave human rights violations committed by Israeli soldiers
in the previous four years, no investigations were known to have been carried
out." (AI 2005 Annual Report)

The IPSC calls on the Irish government to:

1. Comply with its international commitments to respect international law and
immediately end the use of Shannon airport as a storage or shipment facility of
equipment used in the violation of human rights;

2. Immediately desist from all military cooperation with Israel in line with the
World Court Opinion of July 9th 2004 which instructed states not to provide
'material assistance' to the construction of the Wall and the EU Code of Conduct
on Arms Exports which stipulates the necessity for "respect for human rights in
the country of final destination."