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Irish citizens to be deported from Israel after latest attempt to break Gaza blockade

Rugby star Hogan and MEP Murphy amongst 14 detained

CATHAL DERVAN,

IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Sunday, November 6, 2011, 9:03 AM

Updated Sunday, November 6, 2011, 9:03 AM

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19 Comments

MV Saoirse

Israel is to deport 14 Irish citizens after the latest attempt to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza.

The 14, including former Irish rugby international Trevor Hogan and European Parliament member Paul Murphy, are to be deported after being held by Israeli military forces.

They were aboard the Irish registered MV Saoirse, one of two ships intercepted by the Israeli navy as it attempted to break the naval blockade of Gaza.

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Ireland’s Minister for Foreign affairs Eamon Gilmore has instructed embassy staff in Tel Aviv to assist the Irish involved.

The latest Freedom Wave humanitarian mission to deliver medical supplies to Gaza included 27 volunteers from seven different countries.

The two ships were intercepted by the Israeli navy and towed to the Port of Ashdod where those aboard were detained overnight.

Former Fianna Fail parliamentarian Chris Andrews and artist Felim Egan are also amongst the Irish to be deported

Former rugby international Hogan sent a text message to the Irish Ship For Gaza campaign calling on the Irish Government to intervene.

In response, the Labor Party leader Gilmore, Minister for Foreign Affairs and deputy Prime Minister, said his government’s main concern was for the safety and welfare of those detained.

“My initial reaction is one of relief that there has been no violence and that all the Irish nationals aboard the MV Saoirse are safe and well following this ordeal,” said Minister Gilmore.

“My views and those of the Government on the Gaza blockade are well known. We do not agree with it, we regard it as contrary to international humanitarian law in its impact on the civilian population of Gaza, and we have repeatedly urged Israel to end a policy which is unjust, counter-productive and amounts to collective punishment of 1.5 million Palestinians.”

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seanomelbourne | Nov 10, 2011, 05:04 PM EST

oops!!! sorry for the misspelling of some words.

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seanomelbourne | Nov 09, 2011, 05:52 PM EST

Free trade between Palestine is the issue,Israel will deliberately keep Palestine in a pepetual state of poverty and bad health,hopping one day the palestinians will leave.Israel is americas shame.

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shuvonn | Nov 08, 2011, 09:00 AM EST

The ISSUE here is that the BLOCKADE IS ILLEGAL, and there is no way to be certain that the medical supplies will be delivered. The aid permitted into Gaza is down 75% since the pre-illegal blockade, and with the bombing of UN schools, Medical facilities and compounds without the ability to import the building material to rebuild there is NOT guarantee that the medical supplies will ever be allowed into Gaza. let's not forget the damage to the power supply there whereby hospitals are routinely without power 8 hours daily. Since You do not represent the activists nor do you have the right to say what they are MORE INTERESTED IN, that is merely YOUR OPINION. The UN has deemed the blockade to be illegal, and it is regarded as collective punishment of an entire population.

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jacke47 | Nov 07, 2011, 07:17 PM EST

So!!! What's the issue here. Medical aide or the illegal blockade?? The medical supplies will be delivered. Activists are more interested in getting past the blockade than in helping the cause in the country of need....

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shuvonn | Nov 07, 2011, 12:07 PM EST

Every country has the right to protect to protect their citizens, NOT just israel as you infer in your response but they do NOT have the right to enforce an illegal blockade.

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jacke47 | Nov 07, 2011, 10:16 AM EST

Thank you shuvonn for your input...so much is distorted these days. In the US there is Occupy Wall Street which funds the current admisistration that in turn bails out Wall Street and the banks. Why doesn't Occupy occupy the White House wherein the real trouble lies (double ententre).As for Israel, they too have a population of women, children and men to protect and attend....

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shuvonn | Nov 07, 2011, 09:49 AM EST

Jack46 Gisha an israeli human rights organization had to take the israeli government to court to even have them print out a list of what was banned from being imported into Gaza. You should be aware that the amount of aid permitted in is down 75% from the amount pre-illegal blockade. The UN have deemed the blockade to be illegal. The vessel was in International Waters when it was boarded ILLEGALLY and the treatment of the crews proves again how UNDEMOCRATIC israel really is.

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jacke47 | Nov 07, 2011, 07:16 AM EST

Aren't the most of you being ignorant regarding the purpose of the blockade? There is no attempt to deny aide!! There is simply the need, based on past history, to have the ship inspected for contraband. That vetting should and must be accomplished at an Israel port and only THEN the so-called 'Denied Supplies', absent any arms and munitions etc, will be forwarded to the disgruntled rocket-launching Palestinians. I'm from "Southie" in Boston and the Irish are well known here for their munitions skills...

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hooligan6a | Nov 07, 2011, 04:55 AM EST

I'm with you colkelley.

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cillowen | Nov 06, 2011, 06:11 PM EST

The World's Master can do as they please with the rest of us does ayone expect it being otherwise. That maniac Hitler tried the flip on that superiority notion to his crazy cumuppance. Irish hero Dev Valera turn out to be England's Greatest Spy, a Converso who used Ireland South as a breadbasket and as a manpower resource to serve Ireland's Saxon Master during WWII. Same guy who set up Collins for the kill then began his exterminating campaign and his triggering of the Irish Civil War. His actions kept the Irish busy and had his so-called Irish brethern distracted from causing harm to the occupier Motherland. Then the notion of him being a Hitler lover, worked magic for his tribe (who pridefully proclaim he being one of them) which culminated in a their homeland. His fellows highly regard and appreciate his guile throughout. He is held in most high esteem for his part in Israel's founding. Who knew?

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cillowen | Nov 06, 2011, 06:08 PM EST

The World's Master can do as they please with the rest of us does ayone expect it being otherwise. That maniac Hitler tried the flip on that superiority notion to his crazy cumuppance. Irish hero Dev Valera turn out to be England's Greatest Spy, a Converso who used Ireland South as a breadbasketand and as a manpower resource to serve Ireland's Saxon Master during WWII. Same guy who set up Collins for the kill then began his exterminating campaign and his triggering of the Irish Civil War. His actions kept the Irish busy and had his so-called Irish brethern distracted from causing harm to the occupier Motherland. Then the notion of him being a Hitler lover, worked magic for his tribe (who pridefully proclaim he being one of them) which culminated in a their homeland. His fellows highly regard and appreciate his guile throughout. He is held in most high esteem for his part in Israel's founding. Who knew?

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Phaenius | Nov 06, 2011, 05:26 PM EST

Hide your Catholic (what is the Irish for rear end?) because they remember it was the Catholics that brought in the Crusades. Actually, this is one Baptist former victim of Catholic persecution (that was some time ago and the American Catholics, of the lot, are the best in that they early on in our American History learned Liberty of Conscience)who will aid the Catholic against the...what did you say...MUSSIES? The Israelis will reap, but not as much as the nations who hate Israel and will eventually go up against her in the last days...but then God will come in and Whoop the dalylights out of those fools. It so happens that the United States is not even mentioned in the prophesies concerning the last days, not even to be able to muster an army to participate in the Israel hate invasions. That means that America has fallen early on because of her sins of Abortions and ultimately Israel hate when participating in plans to divid her or Jerusalem, OR because the bulk of the true Christians are found in America, and with about forty percent of them disappearing in the rapture of the saints at the end of the church age, and beginning of the last seven years of the age of the gentile, America is unable to field an army. But from the looks of the posting...if these are Irish...Ireland will be one amongst the nations destroyed on Har Megdido.

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seanomelbourne | Nov 06, 2011, 04:57 PM EST

The israeli navy are the pirates of the Mediteranean.They have no respect for international law.The 1.5 million Palestinians are held hostage by a terrorist state.

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sirpeter | Nov 06, 2011, 03:10 PM EST

The Israelis will reap what they sow and so will the USA for making a billion Mussies mad as hell.It's bad news to be messing with those guys.They will Jihad your ass until the end of time.It's their sacred duty.Good move by Eamon Gilmore though paying lip service to keep Jihad Jane away from Ireland.

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mamaginnty | Nov 06, 2011, 12:27 PM EST

Seems the flotila were in international waters, our Táiniste Gilmore talks big but would never step on Israel's toes and neither would America it seems. These people are trying to get medical supplies into Gaza, nothing else. Already Israel has killed 9 trying to do the same as the irish flotila.

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