Irish civil society and trade unions have voiced thier support of BDS following the assault on the Gaza Strip. A number of groups and individuals from Irish civil society have again called for BDS, while the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) is set to launch a boycott of Israeli goods.
A full-page advertisement was published in The Irish Times on 31 January 2009 explaining the situation in Palestine and calling for BDS. The signatories of the letter, who represented various groups in Irish civil society, demanded that the Irish government cease its purchases of Israeli military products, call for an arms embargo, and veto the proposed upgrades in EU â Israel relations. The Irish people were called on to boycott Israeli goods and services.
The ICTU has also announced its intention of launching a boycott of Israeli goods. This development came after senior members who visited Palestine on a fact-finding mission were shocked by the situation on the ground. The ICTU represents trade unions across Ireland, with 55 unions totally 600,000 members, approximately 31% of the Irish workforce.
These actions join the growing movement that has made tremendous steps since Gaza. All over the world, trade unions, universities and civil society groups are working to institute various forms of BDS in support of Palestinian rights.