The Human Blockade of the Israeli Embassy continued this morning as the Irish Anti War Movement denounced Israel's latest statement.

The Irish Anti-War Movement again this morning (June 25th 7.30am) formed a human blockade around the Israeli Embassy in protest at the continuing blockade of Gaza

In a statement the Irish Anti-War Movement (IAWM) has said Israel's announcement to "ease" the blockade on Gaza is a cynical move designed to quell international calls for the immediate and unconditional lifting of the siege on Gaza.

The IAWM also expressed its disapointment that the Irish government had this week explicitly ruled out a diplomatic or economic boycott of Israel - effectively allowing Israel carry on business as usual, despite the murder of peace activists and systematic oppression of the Palestinian people.  

The "easing of the blockade", if actually implemented, will only represent a 30% increase on what is going into Gaza now. This would be only 23% percent of what normally entered the Gaza Strip prior to the blockade. Land, air and sea routes to Gaza will continue to be controlled by Israel and the Palestinians will continue to be trapped in an open air prison. Those people of Gaza, 50% of whom are under the age of 18, will continue to suffer from malnutrition, lack of access to proper medical care, and many thousands will continue to be homeless since Israel still bans any building materials from entering Gaza.

Beased on past experience, there is every reason to expect that the easing of the blockade is merely a cosmetic change designed not to ease the siege but to ease international pressure.

The sense of deception was heightened when the Netanyahu Cabinet issued a statement in English, talking about a government decision to relax the siege, while the Hebrew version of the same statement including nothing of the sort.

Gaza remains effectively a prison for all who live in it. Palestinians' fundamental human rights, the right to enter and exit, to study, to move around and travel, is not on anyone's agenda.

As for the United States, when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton mentioned last week that the situation with respect to Gaza was not "tenable", she was not hinting at ending a siege that violates fundamental rights. All she meant was that the siege was not tenable politically, and thus it needs to be rebranded to make it more acceptable.

Therefore the IAWM continues to call on the Irish Government to break diplomatic and economic ties with Israel until such time as that country begins to respect international law.

Activists plan to link hands around the Embassy on Friday morning and send the message to the Israeli Ambassador that he is not welcome in Ireland as long as the Palestinian people are denied their human rights.

The Irish public must continue to protest and demand boycott and sanctions against Israel and call not only for the lifting of the siege but also that the Israeli monopoly on power in the region and its reign of lawlessness and terror are brought to an end.