Irish multinational CRH's links to Apartheid Wall in Israel to be raised at AGM rally

NEXT Wednesday’s AGM in Dun Laoghaire of the Irish-based multinational CRH building supplies firm will face a demonstration calling for it to cut its links with Israeli company Mashav and its activities in occupied Palestine.
The Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign says it wants to inform CRH shareholders and the Irish public of their company’s complicity in human rights abuses in occupied Palestine.   
The IPSC is calling on CRH to respect international law and support the human rights of the Palestinian people by divesting from Mashav.  
CRH own 25% of Mashav Initiative and Development Ltd which, in turn, owns Israel’s sole cement producer, Nesher Cement Enterprises Ltd.  Nesher provides up to 90% of all cement sold in Israel.
According to John Dorman of the IPSC:
“There can be no doubt that this cement is being used to assist Israeli apartheid measures in occupied Palestine through the construction of the illegal Separation wall, the illegal settlements and the associated infrastructure.
“CRH, through its investment in Mashav, is deriving profits and, therefore benefiting from the occupation of Palestine. CRH consequently is complicit in the human rights abuses of the Palestinian people through its facilitation of Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine.”

VIOLATING HUMAN RIGHTS
The IPSC says that Israel’s continued occupation of Palestine, the construction of illegal settlements and its infrastructure, the construction of the apartheid wall and other instruments of the occupation violate international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
In 2004, the International Criminal Court of Justice ruled that the Separation wall being built on annexed Palestinian land was illegal and demanded that Israel take it down and compensate the Palestinians affected by the wall. When questioned by Amnesty International, CRH admitted that “in all probability” its subsidiary’s cement was being used in the construction of the wall and illegal settlements. The Irish Government also strongly condemned the building of the wall, and its condemnation has been vindicated by the World Court.
John Dorman concluded:
“It is now time for CRH to deliver on its claims to ‘respect the protection of human rights within its areas of influence’ and to be ‘committed to ethically and responsibly managing all aspects of its operations’. Let us see if it is serious about these lofty claims.”
The Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign picket at the CRH AGM takes place next Wednesday, 5 May, at 11am at the Royal Marine Hotel, Marine Road, Dun Laoghaire, County Dublin.