Members of the Israel navy boarded the Irish vessel “Saoirse” attempting to reach Gaza on Friday, in what authorities have described as a peaceful take over. A Canadian ship was also boarded.
Fourteen Irish activists spent the night in an Israelii prison and are expected to be deported today.
Former rugby international player Trevor Horgan, among those believed to be held, texted supporters in Ireland and said: "Kidnapped, being held against our will, boat nearly destroyed by Israeli army in international waters, need Government to press for release."
The Israeli government however, strongly disagreed and said the boats were “attempting to break the maritime security blockade that is in place in accordance with international law."
The two vessels, MV Tahrir (Canadian) and the MV Saoirse repeatedly ignored calls to divert from the Israeli port of Ashdod, according to the country’s military.
"The decision was made to board the vessels and lead them there," the military said in a statement.
Those on board were handed over to the police and immigration officials in Israel. The two ships set sail from Turkey last Tuesday as part of their campaign called “Freedom Waves For Gaza."
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Read More:
Irish ship ‘Saoirse’ among new freedom flotilla en route to Gaza
Robert Ballagh donates Israeli 'Riverdance' profits to Gaza flotilla
Read More: News from Ireland
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Meanwhile in Ireland, Deputy Prime Minister Eamon Gilmore is being urged to intervene in the Israel interception of the Irish vessel.
Sinn Fein foreign affairs spokesman Padraig MacLochlainn, urged Gilmore to seek the immediate release of the crew.
"He must ensure that the human and civil rights of Irish citizens, who are now in Israeli custody, are protected, and that Irish consular assistance is provided immediately upon arrival to the Israeli port of Ashdod," he said.
He added: "This outrageous defiance of Israel to international law is becoming habitual and appears to be without consequence. It makes a laughing stock of international legal conventions."
A spokesman for the Israel Embassy in Dublin described the Gaza-bound mission as a “provocative publicity stunt that serves no practical purpose."
"Israel’s arms blockade of Gaza is perfectly legal and in accordance with international law. This has most recently been confirmed by the Palmer Committee appointed by the UN to examine the matter,” he told the Irish Times.
IDF Soldiers board the vessels en-route to the Gaza Strip:
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.readabook | Nov 08, 2011, 06:27 PM EST
seanomelbourne,who needs sleeping pills when reading your blogs are so much more effective. You are a prisoner of sound bytes and your need to appear informed. Spare yourself the the embarassment of a public debate where you may have to quantify your drivel. You go on and on and.....
seanomelbourne | Nov 07, 2011, 09:52 PM EST
There is no comparison with Ireali's and the post office in fact the comparison is with the downtrodden Palestinians and the Israeli's are the colonist's
Maolra3 | Nov 07, 2011, 03:49 PM EST
Many Israeli friends ( not American ) They wont budge and will stand and fight to the last man.The Irish should understand that. Come on mates remember the post office steps in Dublin ? This is PR and carreer buiding for some.The North Irish citezens couln't vote in last election. The Israeli's won't fold too much like the Irish. Wake Up Out There ,Slainte,Maolra
seanomelbourne | Nov 06, 2011, 07:09 PM EST
I am amused by Belfast and the other Israel apologist's,they refuse to condemn the bulldozing of palaestinian homes.I will give the palestinian haters one more example The "prawer plan" which is under discussion in the Israeli parliament.The plan is to seize all the land in the Negev desert(bar 2.5%) 35 bedouin villages are to be destroyed and the bedouin will be living behind a fenced off 2.5% of the negev,yet they make up 30% of the population.Bedouins pay taxes to the israeli government yet they receive no roads,sewerage or water from the state in fact the brave IDF went on a rampage through the Negev some weeks ago filling in wells and destroying water tanks.Ye apologists are a heartless subhuman lot.
readabook | Nov 06, 2011, 01:22 PM EST
Shuvonn, Let's go back to the basics in addressing the old and tired Libels and Half Truths prevalent in your continuing perpetration of "The Big Lies" regarding Israel's place in the Middle East. I quote: "israel picked where they wanted to pitch their tents and now want to complain about the neigbors" Gaza Rockets and Attempted Suicide Bombs strapped to their innocent Children are aimed at Israel proper of which their was a Jewish majority in 1948 and a CONSTANT presence in ALL of the territories since ancient times, so cut the crap!Don't forget to point out to the other participants here who may be "snowed" by your constant distortion of the facts that (with the exception of Jordan) Israel is the only country in the Middle East where an Arab newspaper can safely criticize it's government,esp. in Gaza where the flow of goods through legal means has little to do with the poverty of it's citizens at the hands of Hamas and their well fed cronies.So I say, take your INDISPUTABLE FACTS and FLOTILLAS and "shove 'em" shuvonn.
northbelfast | Nov 06, 2011, 12:19 PM EST
Not many Arabs serve but many young Bedouin serve - are you saying the Bedouin aren't Arabs either. Haifa University is 20% Arab. The Bedouin in Israel have political and legal rights, can petition the Israeli supreme court and quite rightly can campaign internationally for their rights. Any ideas why the Bedouin in Sinai are shooting up Egyptian police stations if its all so wonderful for them there?
shuvonn | Nov 06, 2011, 10:16 AM EST
Sorry northbelfast, you are incorrect, NOT MANY arabs serve in the idf except Druze who do NOT consider themselves arab. "No major scholarships have ever been awarded to an Arab; there are no dorms for Arabs and no college-related jobs or financial aid programs. They justify this legal discrimination by the fact that we do not serve in the army. There are numerous blatant and official methods used to keep Palestinian Arabs out of the universities. And please explain how the bedouins living in 40 unrecognized villages with no access to power and water is a far higher standard of living than Egyptian bedoiuns. Many young Bedouin join up to better their prospects in terms of education and work rather than national pride.
northbelfast | Nov 06, 2011, 02:30 AM EST
Sean, Israel's bedouin community enjoy far higher standard of living, education and political rights than the bedouin of Egypt's Sinai. And how do you explain Israeli Bedouin serving in the Israeli army? If Israel is a terrorist state what is your solution - "replacing" Israel? That is offering martyrdom by the hundreds of thousands for Arab and Jewish people alike in a conflict thousands of miles from where you live.
seanomelbourne | Nov 05, 2011, 07:05 PM EDT
The Istraeli authorities knocked on the dooor of Rifa al-oqbi's house in a southern Negev village and told her to leave immediatley as her home was to be demolished.Rifa asked for a stay of 24hrs. to pack her and her childrens belongings they refused, she re-entered her home to retreive some belongings she was grabbed and beaten and her home bulldozed with the furniture and clothing in situ.40,000 arabs in the Negev desert are to lose their homes to make way for Jewish settlements. So much for your Israeli democracy. Israel is a terrorist state where ethnic cleansing is the order of the day.
seanomelbourne | Nov 05, 2011, 06:57 PM EDT
Access top Gaza is freely available through Egypt or Israel. These 'activists' are attention seeking Jew haters. In fact Ireland has been rated one of the highest anti-Jewish nations in the world. The problem in Gaza is not Israel it's Hamas who rule the people there with an iron fist. Take it up with them.
northbelfast | Nov 05, 2011, 05:52 PM EDT
As I understand it, Israel offers full citizenship to its Muslim citizens, some of whom serve in the Israeli army. Sunbeamgirl, work for a peaceful future for all, Jew, Muslim and Christian - that is where your Christian calling should take you.
antoman | Nov 05, 2011, 05:49 PM EDT
Its odd that no Irish people have commented on this article. Except for my remark here. Its Saturday.
northbelfast | Nov 05, 2011, 03:13 PM EDT
Publicity stunt, unimpressed. Iran wants to import missiles into Gaza. Will lifting the blockade bring peace or more bloodshed. Lets down the separation/ peace walls in Belfast first before we lecture Israelis and Palestinians how to make peace.
Phaenius | Nov 05, 2011, 02:30 PM EDT
Ireland, you have a choice. Fight against God...and be destroyed, or help the Israel that one of your ancestor's gave the aleph beth to (Actually Phaenius invented it for the Canaanites and their language, and that language is Hebrew today...the Bible calls it the language of Canaan). As is, the reason for the obstinate hatred for Israel by the Arab Muslims is, Anglicly (Well I could have said Frankly but I am not speaking French)speaking, God wants to destroy the Arab nations surrounding Israel. Joshua 11:19-20(KJV) 19There was not a city that made peace with the children of Israel, save the Hivites the inhabitants of Gibeon: all other they took in battle. 20For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses. I really bet you were wondering why the folk hate Israel so.
shuvonn | Nov 05, 2011, 02:20 PM EDT
so the forest named after Eamonn Develara are not positive? Or perhaps the jewish minister for Justice Alan Shatter? Or the former president of israel Chaim Hertzog who was born in Ni? Get real, you are talking tripe *Irishgirlintheu*
shuvonn | Nov 05, 2011, 02:01 PM EDT
ahh I was wondering when the old tiny nation of israel excuse was going to come back into the posts. How is the challenge to an illegal blockade undermining the security of israel? You seem to forget israel picked where they wanted to pitch their tents and now want to complain about the neigbors? That's a bit rich, dontcha think?
Tooreenagrena | Nov 05, 2011, 12:49 PM EDT
Israeli stormtroopers
cillowen | Nov 05, 2011, 12:43 PM EDT
Messing with our Master Race - no wonder Hitler went bonkers thinking he could claim race mastery - no way Jose.
shuvonn | Nov 05, 2011, 11:37 AM EDT
AJreaper, the aid permitted into Gaza is down 75% from the amount permitted in prior to the illegal blockade. These flotillas are merely designed to draw worldwide attention to it.
Ajreaper | Nov 05, 2011, 11:35 AM EDT
Here's a hint- if you plan on running a blockade don't advertise the fact you intend to do so, unless of course it's really all a stunt to get some attention. Humanitarian aid is allowed into Gaza after it is inspected so if your intent was truly to deliver aid and not just get some media attention you do what is required to deliver the aid.
shuvonn | Nov 05, 2011, 11:32 AM EDT
RPMschevy, there were FOUR inquiries, one whitewash job by israel on itself, and three by the UN, one (palmer) found it to be legal but the force used was excessive and the 8 turks and 1 us/turkish citizen to have been extrajudicial executions. Both other inquiries found the blockade to be illegal. And I quote from the latest one.* A panel of five independent UN rights experts reporting to the UN Human Rights Council rejected that conclusion, (PALMER) saying the blockade had subjected Gazans to collective punishment in "flagrant contravention of international human rights and humanitarian law." The four-year blockade deprived 1.6 million Palestinians living in the enclave of fundamental rights, they said.* DO try to keep up :-)
shuvonn | Nov 05, 2011, 11:10 AM EDT
Organizations like Amnesty International only work because people do not stay home and mind their business..... and if you do not understand that you have a long way to go...
hooligan6a | Nov 05, 2011, 11:07 AM EDT
since when is protecting your borders against international law??
biggles008 | Nov 05, 2011, 10:53 AM EDT
I agree with joejoe55
joejoe55 | Nov 05, 2011, 09:58 AM EDT
I think Ireland do gooders should just stay home, Israeli is doing fine on their own.
shuvonn | Nov 05, 2011, 09:48 AM EDT
joycean congratulates israel on the continued violation of international law. A panel of five independent UN rights experts reporting to the UN Human Rights Council rejected that conclusion, saying the blockade had subjected Gazans to collective punishment in "flagrant contravention of international human rights and humanitarian law." The four-year blockade deprived 1.6 million Palestinians living in the enclave of fundamental rights, they said.
stephendoyle | Nov 05, 2011, 09:45 AM EDT
International law is for everyone but the jews? Keep digging that hole Israel, you will eventualy end up in China............
joycean | Nov 05, 2011, 09:32 AM EDT
Congradulations, Israel.
maireadinmelb | Nov 05, 2011, 09:01 AM EDT
Interesting how Israel expects compliance with international law from others yet refuses to follow same!!