Boycott Israeli Potatoes : Picket at SuperValu Aston Quay

dublin | anti-war / imperialism | event notice Wednesday August 15, 2007 17:18 by Garry - IPSC

Boycott Israeli Potatoes : Picket - Thursday 16th August, SuperValu Aston Quay, 5pm-6.30pm

The IPSC boycott Israeli potatoes campaign continues after successfull actions at TESCO Rathmines and Baggot Street, Fallon & Byrne, and Dunnes George's street. Join us on our boycott campaign outside SuperValu Aston Quay (formerly Virgin Megastore).

Boycott Israeli Goods!

In South Africa, an international boycott played a significant role in ending apartheid. You can help defeat the brutal apartheid system that Israel is imposing on the Palestinians.

We think of the common potato as being part of Irish history. We may imagine that all potatoes sold in Irish shops are grown in Ireland. However, many Irish shops and supermarkets, including Dunnes Stores, Tesco and Marks & Spencer sell Israeli Potatoes, rather than Irish spuds. The profits from, and taxes imposed on, these goods help Israel to maintain and expand its 40-year old illegal occupation of Palestine. For example, the largest exporter of fruit and veg, Carmel-Agrexco, is half owned by the Israeli State.

On top of this, often the potatoes are grown by illegal settlers using stolen Palestinian water - many precious West Bank water aquifers are under Israeli military control with Israel deciding who gets the water, and when. Israeli settlements in the West Bank never face water shortages while it is an all too common feature for Palestinains despite water coming from exactly the same sources.

To add insult to injury - along with orchards and olive groves - Palestinian arable agricultural lands are often targets of destruction by both the Israeli military and illegal settlers. In addition those Palestinians trying to export perishable good regularly face obstacles and/or the destruction of their produce by the occupation forces.

Almost all 'organic potatoes' on sale in Irish supermarkets at this time of year are from Israel and the IPSC asks you - as an act of solidarity with the Palestinian people - not to purchase them and to complain to the management about their continued presence on Irish shelves. You should also be on the look out for out of season New Potatoes which are also usually of Israeli origin.

To put pressure on SuperValu to stop stocking Israeli spuds, we're having a picket action outside SuperValu Aston Quay, Thursday 16th August, from 5pm-6.30pm. Please come along and show your support. All welcome!

Thanks.