Irish citizen harassed on Dublin street by Israeli security operative

by Citizen X Tue Mar 23, 2010 20:34

While Israel continues to insist that “there is no proof” of its involvement in January’s assassination of a top Hamas military official, Britain has announced the pending expulsion of an Israeli diplomat over the killing. At least 12 forged British passports were used by a Mossad hit squad, whose members traveled to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to assassinate Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, on January 19. Announcing the decision, British foreign secretary David Miliband said that the high quality of the forged passports made it almost certain that “a state intelligence service” was behind the operation, and that London had “compelling reasons” to suspect Israel. He told the British Parliament that “such misuse of British passports is intolerable” and that the fact that it was perpetrated by an ally of the UK added “insult to injury”. There are also reports that London is preparing to amend its official travel advisory for Israel, alerting British travelers to the possibility of identity theft by Israeli authorities in charge of inspecting travel documents. The BBC claims that an unnamed Israeli official has confirmed that there will not be a tit-for-tat expulsion of a British diplomat from Israel.

(Breaking news: UK expels Israeli diplomat over Dubai assassination - By JOSEPH FITSANAKIS - intelNews.org)

3 Questions:
1. Is the Irish government preparing to expel an Israeli diplomat, and if not, why not?
2. Is the Irish government preparing to revise its travel advisory for visitors to Israel, and if not, why not?
3. What is the Irish Attorney General's stance on the legality and diplomatic protocol, of foreign security personnel of a country that has recently conducted identity theft of Irish Citizens, conducting ad hoc investigations of Irish Citizens on Irish soil? Does an individual street Garda e.g. have the right to delegate such powers to a such a foreign agent at whim? Is this even Constitutional?

by Jacqueline Fallon Sun Mar 21, 2010 00:00

I want to wish Freda Hughes well with her formal complaint re. the harassment she suffered at the hands of the Israeli Embassy security man - who had absolutely no right at all to question her outside the grounds of the Israeli Embassy, and also with the complaint about the Garda - who had no right to stop her and aid and abet in commiting the offence.

Best of luck to all out there campaigning for the rights of Palestinians and others worldwide.

p.s. This is my final comment.

Slán

by me Sat Mar 20, 2010 21:49

you appear to have completely misunderstood the incident

the uniformed Garda stopped Freda, not the Israeli thug, he merely accompanied the uniformed Garda. Thus the outrage, since the Israeli Security thug had no right to even be there in the first place, let alone attempt to question her, and it appeared the Garda was taking orders from the Israeli thug, or at least acting so as to harass Freda for her previous political activities, as a favour to the Israeli security thug

Trying to turn this into a 'Woman fears rape' incident does a disservice to women in general and Freda in particular, IMHO

Please don't attempt to twist this into something it was not, just to make some unwarranted 'gender-wars' point, of your own choosing

by Jacqueline Fallon Sat Mar 20, 2010 21:32

This harassment of an IPSC member campaigning for the rights of Palestinians is disgraceful. I wonder why Freda remained talking to him for so long, she could have just kept walking, surely, she must have known that this Israeli security agent (or whatever his title was) had no lawful right to interrogate her on Irish soil.

I would recommend a complaint be made for the record to all State authorities (otherwise they'll put whatever spin they like on it) - but, I have zero confidence that the Gardaí will entertain your complaint. Many years ago, as an ordinary peaceful member of the Irish public, I went to a commemoration for the 10 brave Irish hunger strikers (RIP) - and I was handed an abortion leaflet for my troubles by a young garda who approached me and sneered at me, and was also harassed by the Gardaí, therefore, I would not expect anything to come of any complaint sent to the Gardaí.

I would advise women in general for their own safety not to stop if any strange men approach them, to keep walking, and not to enter into any conversation whatsoever with them regardless of what i.d. they carry with them - they have no lawful reason to stop you, so why should you stop - women have ended up raped or dead in the past by men using such tactics, so an incidence likes this one is quite worrying.

by TD - Free Palestine Campaign Sat Mar 20, 2010 15:13

Complaints to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, as Shell to Sea would avow, are a piss into the wind; they are drowned in the whitewash bucket and bounced back to the complainant reeking with the usual mantras, "insufficient evidence," "no grounds for complaint," etc. so, where's the remedy then.? from my experience, the most efficacious of all in this case would be a picket of the Israeli Embassy with hopefully the security fellow in question on duty where he could be asked to explain his intimidatory and harassing actions - for good measure, assuming his Pontius Pilate facilitator is based in Donnybrook Garda station, the personnel in that establishment should be informed, loud and clear, that their sworn constitutional duty is otherwise than that displayed outside the Israeli Embassy.?

Last summer in the run up to the Lisbon 2 Treaty, Garda from Donnybrook station arrested, Sean Clinton, an activist with the Irish Friends of Palestine Against Lisbon campaign group who at the time was erecting an IFPAL sign close to the Israeli Embassy, the reasons proffered would have the imprimatur of Alan Shatter: "It was an incitement to hate" (referring to the text on the sign that stated Israel killed over 300 Palestinian children in its Dec 2008-Jan 2009 attack on Gaza and, to boot, the sign was a "distraction to motorists" (other Lisbon Treaty signs were closer to the road). IFPAL's reaction back then was to muster the troops (happy to say, I was one of them) and challenge this overt suppression of free speech and democratic rights by erecting a similar sign on the same site in full view of a Guard outside Israeli Embassy, who after spending an inordinate amount of time on the phone with, no doubt, his superiors in Donnybrook station whined a little and then backed off.

Activists have to do it for themselves, In the case of Freda, a similar message has to be sent to the Israeli Embassy and the Garda.?

Sean Clinton

by Sue Sat Mar 13, 2010 18:45

My unsurprised sympathy to Freda for what happened outside the Israeli embassy. But I'd argue with the person who said it was sinister that a Garda was present and didnt interfere. What else would you expect? The gardai have no more backbone than their government when it comes to anything to do with Israel. Carrickmacross Town Council take a bow! Keeping a record of such incidents is a good idea. If the ipsc could designate a solicitor who'd be prepared to keep a file of these they could be very useful. In the Prisoner's Rights Organisation this was done and used effectively. We all need to Stare the Rat Down at every opportunity.

by Coilín Fri Mar 12, 2010 00:20

Suggestions:
If any stranger follows you on the street and / or addresses you in an unwelcome way, order him or her clearly but politely to stop harrassing you and to go away. If he persists after that, then it becomes difficult to argue that he had any right to do what he has done.

If there is a Garda present, ask him or her to please intervene to put a stop to the harrassment. Repeat your request several times and vary your wording if necessary.

Make a written note of the time and place, descriptions of the people involved, what exactly is said, the Garda's number, etc. as soon as you can. If you have a mobile phone, send these details by text to a friend, or call and report on what is happening as it happens.

If you can take photos and / or record the conversation on your mobile phone, do so.

With respect to the incident described above, complain to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. Submit your complaint within six months of the incident.

Keep the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) posted on developments, e.g. whether you are happy with the way GSOC handles your complaint. www.iccl.ie

by Rex - none Thu Mar 11, 2010 18:34

I suggest anyone who suffers this intimidation and interference should keep a paper trail of incidents logged with Amnesty International and with a civil rights group or groups. Each incident would need to be supported with some additional evidence in case of going to litigation. At some stage, the added up incidents warrant a successful case against whoever is responsible, I would imagine.
Any advice from legal teams and civil rights groups?

by Bill Thu Mar 11, 2010 16:04

The Israelis are an arrogant bunch of thugs. I cannot believe that they have not been pulled up short by countries who care. If it was not for the 2god almighty" yanks, they would be nothing. Hopefully they will get their come-uppance soon.

by Fred Johnston Thu Mar 11, 2010 01:43

He probably had a good laugh doing it, too. The Irish government needs to adopt a much tougher line, especially since the passports issue, but Evrony knows they won't dare risk an accusation of anti-Semitism flashed round the world. You surely cannot imagine that Israel is playing by what we would term decent rules! Meanwhile, some European countries have chickened out of looking too hard at the Mossad/passports issue. The Israelis kept our Minister for Foreign Affairs out of Gaza - where Israeli policy has created a Third World ghetto. Now even Biden has been insulted by Israel on his visit there: they announced, as he arrived, the creation of more illegal settlements. A point has been reached where Israeli policy makers - to the horror of many, many Israelis - have become high, drunk, drugged on arrogance and the pliability of Europe and the US. As for ourselves, well, the Israeli Ambassador clearly has no respect for our government, so why aren't we giving him his marching orders and seeing him to the 'plane?

by disgracedminister Wed Mar 10, 2010 23:33

The Israeli Ambassador to Ireland, Dr Zion Evrony, has declined a request to attend a meeting of an Oireachtas committee to discuss the use of forged Irish passports by a team allegedly responsible for the assassination of a senior Hamas operative.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/0310/....html

by Fred Wed Mar 10, 2010 16:29

Incidents like this make you wonder about the level of collaboration of the Irish security forces in the provision of passports.

by Mark C Wed Mar 10, 2010 14:00

This is a disgraceful case of harassment as far as I can see.

Thanks to Freda and the IPSC for bringing it to light.

I certainly hope that the issue is brought to the attention of An Garda Siochána as a matter of urgency (it's often the only way to stop someone harassing you), especially given the use of Irish passports in another recent Israeli scandal (which, admittedly, had much more serious consequences).

Nobody should be harassed in this manner when going about their daily business or pursuing an interest (when that business and/or interest is of a totally innocent nature).

Keep us informed of how this progresses.

by solidarity seeker Wed Mar 10, 2010 12:19

On the grounds of it being a free country and anyone can ask another person what their name is and that person has the right to either tell them or refuse I can see what you mean.
However the inference in the report is the Emmbassy staff member (With Garda support) was asking for the name in an official capacity.
Unfortunately I am not suprised the Garda went allong with this!!

by Maura Harrington - S2S; Davitt League Wed Mar 10, 2010 12:12

... on who's asking the question!

If you're an activist in north Mayo asking a skulking security operative for his name/ID No or what company he's working for, you're described by the courts and the press as 'secret police', 'vigilante' etc; if you're a nice man from Mossad that's ok - no courts, no O'Reilly press coverage.

The common denominator is compliant cops who tug the forelock to the Massa' of the moment.

by Puzzled Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:46

Its a free country. The Israeli guy had a right to ask her name; she had a right to refuse. No criminal offence involved. End of.

by Sceptic - None whatsoever . Tue Mar 09, 2010 16:47

Dont worry , the power's that be will certainly find some excuse to put this little public display 'to bed' , they usually do .

by Fred Johnston Tue Mar 09, 2010 15:42

If the harrassment can be pursued, then the Israeli embassy should hand over the perpetrator, though God knows they don't have a good record in handing over wrong-doers. The Department of Foregn Affairs must act on this, especially since we do a nice line in passports for Mossad these days - and that story is being permitted, you'll have noticed, to fade away.