Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign
التضامن الإيرلندي الفلسطيني

G4S

BDS Victory: G4S to divest from Apartheid Israel!

In a major win for human rights activism against corporate complicity, the world’s largest private security company Allied Universal, which owns G4S, has decided to sell all its remaining business in apartheid Israel. This follows years of an effective #StopG4S campaign waged by the BDS movement for Palestinian rights, including here in Ireland by the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign. IPSC Chairperson Zoë Lawlor welcomed the news saying, “This is an amazing and hard-won victory for Palestinian rights, coming after years of dedicated campaigning by human rights and Palestine solidarity activists. It really says something about the rank toxicity of Apartheid Israel’s … Continue reading

Let’s tell G4S’s new owners that collaboration with Apartheid is unacceptable!

Earlier this month, US-based security company Allied Universal acquired G4S, creating the world’s largest security company. #StopG4S was launched by Palestinian civil society organizations in 2012, to support a historic hunger strike by Palestinian political prisoners. Trade unions, churches, and grassroots movements across over 25 countries joined the campaign that cost G4S contracts worth millions of dollars. The #StopG4S campaign has already shown its impact. In December 2016, G4S sold its subsidiary, G4S Israel, to the Israeli equity fund FIMI. Until then, G4S was responsible for running Israeli prisons, where Palestinian political prisoners are held without trial and subjected to … Continue reading

Over 60 Global Civil Society Groups Sign Open Letter to Allied Universal

Allied Universal recently acquired G4S, Allied Universal now has an obligation in accordance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights to cease its involvement in these crimes, which contribute to Israel’s regime of apartheid. We urge Allied Universal to stand on the right side of history. We, the undersigned civil society organizations, write to you regarding your recent acquisition of G4S – which continues to be the target of an international boycott and divestment campaign launched by Palestinian human rights and civil society organizations nine years ago. G4S was identified in 2012 by the then UN Special … Continue reading

In pictures: Raising awareness for Palestinian Prisoners’ Day

Today, April 17th, is Palestinian Prisoners’ Day. Yesterday IPSC branches in Dublin and Portadown hosted information stalls dedicated to the issue of political prisoners in Apartheid Israel’s jails – where torture and other physical and psychological ill treatment, denial of visitation rights, terrible food and appalling conditions are routine. Since 1967 Israeli has imprisoned over 800,000 Palestinians – around 1/4 of the male population in the OPT – and currently holds over 7,640 political prisoners, including 700 internees, 68 women and 420 children, the youngest being a 12-year-old girl. All are treated with the same callousness regardless of age or … Continue reading

Taoiseach says shocking Israeli government statements not aimed at bringing about peace: Campaigners urge sanctions on Israel

The Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) today welcomed An Taoiseach [Irish Prime Minister] Enda Kenny’s statement that shocking anti-Palestinian statements by members of the new Israeli cabinet are “not part of a philosophy of a democratic government working to bring about peace”. However, the IPSC remains disappointed; despite this recognition of the true character of the Netanyahu administration, the Irish government continues to refuse to implement any meaningful sanctions on Israel thereby allowing it to continue acting with impunity towards Palestinians. By not implementing sanctions our government is tacitly permitting Israel’s commission of human rights and international law violations. Responding to … Continue reading

In Pictures: Palestinian Prisoners’ Day protest in Dublin

On Thursday 16th April the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign held a solidarity action for Palestinian political prisoners held in Israeli jails at the top of Grafton Street. For an hour members and supporters, including many from the Palestinian community stood with placards, banners and flags in very effective visual display to get the message out to the public about the appalling plight of the Palestinian prisoners. Palestinian Prisoners’ Day is April 17 every year, however due to this falling on a Friday this year, we are staged our  event on April 16th to reach as many people on the late shopping … Continue reading

Palestine campaigners celebrate exclusion of occupation profiteer G4S from Irish government contract

The Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) today hailed the Irish government’s decision to award the lucrative JobPath state contract to tender applicants other than the Anglo-Danish G4S security firm. The IPSC had run a campaign calling on the government not to grant this to G4S which it says both enables and profiteers from the Israeli occupation of Palestine. The IPSC, along with several other human rights organisations and concerned individuals, sent a letter to the Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton, under whose auspices the JobPath scheme is being operated, outlining our opposition to the inclusion of G4S in the scheme … Continue reading

Action Item: Stop G4S – Ask Minister to reject G4S tender for JobPath due to complicity in Israeli human rights violations

The Anglo-Danish security firm G4S is one of a number of private companies bidding for the JobPath contract with the Irish state. Amongst other things, G4S is notorious for its operations and service provision within the Israeli prison system. IMPORTANT UPDATE: It was announced on Friday 6th June by G4S that it will pull out of the Israeli prison regime within three years. But as Randa Wahbe of Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association notes, ” this has no immediate effect on those facing human rights violations inside Israel’s prisons today [and] G4S has a long track record of … Continue reading

April 17 – Palestinian Prisoners’ Day Events & Action Items (with added infographic)

Today, Thursday April 17th is Palestinian Prisoners’ Day, and to mark the occasion the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign will be hosting two events in Dublin – A vigil from 5-7pm outside St. Stephen’s Green to highlight private security firm G4S’ complicity with Israeli abuses in apartheid’s prison regime. (Click here for more info) and Two film screenings focusing on Palestinian child prisoners beginning at 7.30pm in the Pearse Centre on Pearse St; the Dublin premiere of  ‘Small Hands in Handcuffs’ & excerpts of ‘Stone Cold Justice’. (Click here for more info) Since the beginning of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories … Continue reading