Amnesty wants Israeli wall inquiry

Amnesty International has called on the Government to investigate links between Cement Roadstone Holdings (CRH) and the construction of Israel’s controversial security fence in the West Bank.  Human rights groups say the fence is dividing communities and restricting the movement of Palestinians.  Amnesty yesterday said Nesher Cement in which CRH has a sizeable stake was supplying cement for the wall. The Government has criticised the wall as illegal under international law.

A spokesman for CRH, however, said it had a minority stake in the company and that other firms were also supplying cement in the region.  "Nesher is not involved in the manufacture of concrete, or concrete products, or construction activities in the region."

Amnesty also made a presentation before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, which said it would be disappointed if there was an Irish role in the construction of the wall.  Committee chairman, Senator Paul Bradford (Fine Gael), said the group would invite the Israeli ambassador before the committee to hear of the country’s justification for the wall.