Leitrim TD calls for strong response after Irish citizens detained by Israel
Leitrim TD Martin Kenny urged the Government to take a “strong, determined and forceful” response after Irish citizens were detained by Israel.
Fourteen Irish citizens are among those on the Global Sumud Flotilla to Gaza, which set sail from Turkey last week in an attempt to breach Israel’s blockade and deliver aid.
Among the 14 Irish citizens is Dr Margaret Connolly, who resides in Sligo and is the sister of President Catherine Connolly. The flotilla has been intercepted by the Israeli Defence Forces, and all participants have been detained by Israel.
In a Dáil exchange on Tuesday, May 19, Leitrim Sinn Féin TD Martin Kenny raised the issue of the flotilla with An Taoiseach, urging a strong political reaction from Ireland.
“Dr Margaret Connolly is a constituent of mine from County Sligo. She and 11 others have been detained by Israel on the open seas in international waters. Their boats were invaded and taken over by military force and people were taken by military force back to Israel. We do not know who they are, where they are, where they are being held or what is happening to them,” said Deputy Kenny.
While he acknowledged that the Irish consulate is working with them, he urged that the political reaction from Ireland needs to be “strong, determined and forceful,” and that Irish citizens cannot be treated in this way.
“They were bringing aid to an area in Gaza which is under siege, where people are hungry, do not have medical provisions and have been tortured and destroyed by war for the past 18 months.
“Yet we see this international action happening, which is totally inappropriate. I appeal to the Taoiseach to be firm and clear as to what Ireland is going to do in respect of this,” added Deputy Kenny.
An Taoiseach Micheál Martin responded saying the situation is “grievous” and that it is an “appalling” thing for the Israeli Government to be doing.
He continued by saying that the activists on the flotilla are raising awareness about the injustices of what is happening in Gaza and in the West Bank itself, which Ireland has been very clear on.
“It is at European Union level that the greatest impact can be made, and with the United States Government, to have pressure and leverage on Israel to stop doing what it is doing.
“It is acting with reckless abandon and, in my view, is consistently in breach of international humanitarian law,” he concluded on the matter.