US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s nomination for this year’s Tipperary International Peace Award has been revoked.
He was one of 13 nominees named last week by the Tipperary Peace Convention.
The Cashel for Palestine group objected to his inclusion due to the role of the US in the Israel – Gaza conflict.
They were behind a petition signed by nearly 3,000 people opposed to having Antony Blinken listed alongside the likes of Bernie Sanders and Bertie Ahearn.
Martin Browne from the Cashel group told Tipp Today earlier that having the US Secretary of State on the shortlist went against all the Peace Convention has stood for over the years.
“While he was flying over on one flight for peace deals, the administration that he’s involved in was also sending other planes with bombs and military to take part in the continuing destruction of Gaza and Palestine in both the West Bank and in Gaza itself. And we felt that it would bring down standing of the Peace Prize were it to continue and he to get an award.”