Dublin City Council has voted to support economic sanctions against Israel – including a boycott of certain Israeli goods.
The motion, passed by councillors last night, notes that the council "fully supports and endorses" the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement for freedom, equality and justice.
The BDS movement targets Israeli goods and services over its occupation and colonisation of Palestinian lands.
The council motion also pledged to discontinue business contracts with technology manufacturer Hewlett Packard (HP), claiming that the company provides and operates “much of the technology infrastructure that Israel uses to maintain its system of apartheid and settler colonialism over the Palestinian people.”
The global IT company is one of the main suppliers of IT systems equipment and services to the Israeli military and security sectors.
However, in a statement this morning, it warned that “allegations that HP is complicit in human rights violations are untrue,” and insisted that it has never offered the services claimed by the motion.
“HP is committed to socially responsible business practices and abides by stringent policies that respect human rights in every market in which we operate.”
The Mayor of Dublin Micheál MacDonnacha is travelling to the Palestinian Territories today for a conference on the future of Jerusalem.
“We really need a message of peace but also justice in Palestine and it is also appropriate I think that I travel out today, the anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement,” he said.
He said the Israeli government’s actions have blocked the so-called 'Two State Solution' to the conflict adding that "in recent days we have seen horrendous actions by the Israeli military with the killing of protesters in Gaza.
