The remaining nine Irish members of the Gaza flotilla, detained by Israel authorities for attempting to break the naval blockade, are due to arrive in Dublin Airport today. Five of the 14 activists arrived into Dublin on Thursday night.
Ireland’s deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore has raised concerns over the treatment of the activists during their detension and has vowed to follow up with the Israeli authorities after all members of the group return to Ireland.
Paul Murphy, an Irish European Member of Parliament and Trevor Hogan, a former Irish rugby star, were among those detained for attempting to break the navy blockade of the Gaza Strip last week.
European parliament president Jerzy Buzek called on Israel this week to "quickly" release Murphy and the other crew members.
"It is unfortunate that Mr. Paul Murphy, a Member of the European Parliament, chose to instigate a political provocation by attempting to break a legal naval blockade despite the EU's position on the matter," the mission said in a statement.
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A member of the Irish Socialist Party, Murphy considers “he was kidnapped in international waters," according to a party spokesman.
A total of 27 passengers and crew abroad the Irish ship Saoirse, which means Freedom and the Canadian ship Tahrir, which mean liberation, were intercepted by the Israeli navy last Sunday.
The Israeli Embassy in Dublin has defended the decision of Israeli authorities to imprison the Irish activists after they were detained.
In a statement issued on Thursday afternoon, the embassy said the activists "committed an illegal act and therefore had to be detained".
It added that the Israeli maritime blockade on Gaza is "legal under international law, as confirmed by the UN Palmer Report".
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.Sectionhand | Nov 16, 2011, 09:40 AM EST
A better one than you might think .
shuvonn | Nov 13, 2011, 09:23 AM EST
If everyone stayed home and minded their business what kind of world would we live in?
Sectionhand | Nov 13, 2011, 05:34 AM EST
These morons should have stayed home and addressed the many problems in Ireland .
seanomelbourne | Nov 12, 2011, 06:36 PM EST
jacke47's blinkered view and lack of knowledge of the Palestinian oppression is unfortunate.
shuvonn | Nov 12, 2011, 02:41 PM EST
I find it almost funny that the state of israel quotes the ONE report that found the blockade to be legal out of the THREE that were conducted. TYPICAL! In any event it seems that the commission went far beyond its mandate when declaring Israel's naval blockade to be legal. When asked to comment on the legal validity of the Palmer Report, London based Barrister Professor Bill Bowring pointed out to MEMO that "according to its own Report, the Panel was 'not a court. It was not asked to make determinations of the legal issues or to adjudicate on liability'. It would therefore appear to have gone beyond its own terms of reference when it purported to make findings on the legality of the blockade. That issue will now have to be determined by the ICJ if indeed Turkey lodges an application." Furthermore, said Professor Bowring, "findings were made against Israel thus: 'Israel's decision to board the vessels with such substantial force at a great distance from the blockade zone and with no final warning immediately prior to the boarding was excessive and unreasonable'. And lets face it israel ignores every resolution the UN has ever passed against it and yet quotes a report with NO basis in reality, palmer was found to not be qualified to have even made the ruling he did and he lost the run of himself in going beyond what he was asked to do....
shuvonn | Nov 12, 2011, 02:04 PM EST
Jacke47 the blockade is ILLEGAL, even the Palmer Report while supposedly finding it legal (TWO out of THREE reports found the blockade to be ILLEGAL) deemed the 9 dead as being extrajudicial executions and they said the force used was excessive and disproportionate. Self inflicted wounded? IDF bombing in Gaza are NOT self inflicted, get a grip and take a look at the FACTS here, you have not presented a fact only biased opinions! Some of you only count the rockets out of Gaza and the israeli dead and ignore the idf bombing of UN schools, medical facilities and UN compounds and the dead toll of Palestinians is hundreds of times higher than isrealis....
jacke47 | Nov 12, 2011, 12:42 PM EST
Of course the blockade is legal and rightfully so. The Irish have a far greater interest in breaking 'what they believe' to be an illegal blockade than they have in any humanitarian medical aide reaching the target population. The Irish & Canadians know the aide will be distributed. However, it will be distributed by the Israeli's NOT the Irish nor the Canadian intruders. The mics and canucks want/need to be seen as heros carrying bandaids to the self-inflicted wounded...go on now....UP SOUTHIE!!!!!