Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Irish activists urge divestment at CRH annual meeting


(Protestors in Bilin carry signs urging CRH to divest from Mashav.)

Adri Nieuwhof and John Dorman, The Electronic Intifada, 12 May 2010

"Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) activists are pressuring the Ireland-based international building materials group CRH to divest from its Israeli subsidiary Mashav. Last week, IPSC members attended the annual CRH general shareholders meeting as activist shareholders. Their aim was to discuss the involvement of CRH subsidiary Mashav in illegal construction activities in the occupied West Bank. The four IPSC shareholders dominated the hour-long question and answer session and received support from actual CRH shareholders for the company to divest from Israel...

Meanwhile, in the occupied West Bank village of Bilin, the weekly demonstration on 30 April focused on CRH's role in the construction of Israel's wall which effectively annexes to Israel's settlements the agricultural land of villages like Bilin. Carrying placards calling on CRH to divest from Mashav, villagers marched to the site where resident and grassroots leader Bassem Abu Rahmah was killed by the Israeli military last year. While filming the 30 April demonstration, Irish national Tommy Donnellan was injured and detained by Israeli soldiers. He was released after two hours...."

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