Pro-Palestinian activists oppose EU sanctions

Pro-Palestinian activists gathered to protest against the Israeli occupation of Palestine at the European Union office on Dublin…

Pro-Palestinian activists gathered to protest against the Israeli occupation of Palestine at the European Union office on Dublin's Molesworth Street yesterday morning.

The protest also highlighted what the activists see as unfair EU sanctions on the Palestinian people in the territories that have been occupied for 40 years.

Michael Youlton of the Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign said: "We are protesting because financial support and aid to Palestine has stopped. The EU does not recognise the elected Palestinian government and they continue to give preferential treatment to Israel, which is wrong."

The 25-person protest was peaceful, but supporters were unable to carry out their plan to occupy the EU offices for a symbolic 40- minute period, one minute for every year of the Israeli occupation. Instead a small group protested inside the offices for 20 minutes and others gathered outside for a brief rally.

Steven Carroll

Steven Carroll

Steven Carroll is an Assistant News Editor with The Irish Times