Deirdre 'D' Murphy, the UK-based Irish woman who was arrested by Israeli forces last month, was deported back to the UK on Wednesday, June 11, the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) said in a statement.
70-year-old Murphy, a native of Co Cork who is now based in Swansea in Wales, had been volunteering in recent weeks with ISM, which describes itself as being committed to resisting oppression and dispossession of the Palestinian population, using non-violent, direct-action methods and principles.
On May 31, Murphy and 48-year-old Swedish woman Susanne Björk were arrested in Khalet Al-Daba’a, a village in Masafer Yatta in the southern part of the occupied West Bank.
The Israel Police Spokesperson's Unit said in a statement that the duo was arrested after they were found to be "present within the closed military zone in violation of a standing military order."
In a statement released via ISM after being arrested, Murphy said: “When most governments all around the world are ignoring the genocide in Gaza and the ethnic cleansing of the West Bank, ordinary people like me are answering the Palestinians’ call to come and be a witness to these events being carried out by the Zionist Israeli entity.
"It’s not about politics, it’s about justice and freedom for all people.”
Murphy was initially held at Ben Gurion Airport before being transferred to Givon Prison in Ramla.
ISM said that Murphy and Björk were brought to a deportation hearing on June 1, which resulted in a decision to have them both "removed from the country," Israel Police said.
While Björk agreed to the removal and was deported on June 2, Murphy opted to stay in jail to fight what ISM called an "unjust" deportation order.
On June 4, Murphy was brought in front of a Detention Review Tribunal, though ISM says she did not have "legal advice or representation, despite her requests for them and multiple attempts by her lawyer to get in touch through the prison service."
On Wednesday, ISM said that the lawyer has since managed to visit her once, but did not hear back from the prison service regarding her request for release on behalf of Murphy.
While another review of her case was scheduled for July, Murphy has stopped fighting her case and was deported back to the UK on Wednesday afternoon.
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Speaking on his mother's deportation, Dale Ryan said on Wednesday: “As a family, we are all very relieved to have my mother home.
"The past 10 days has been intense, and we have had to trust that the Israeli authorities would treat my mother fairly and ensure her basic needs were met.
"From their treatment of the Palestinians over the past several decades, this was not something we had the most confidence in.
"My mother did not want to be detained or deported, she wanted to be in Masafer Yatta with her friends, helping them in any way she could, but I do know that she would have been pleased that her situation helped to draw some more eyes to the appalling treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank and the humanitarian crisis we are witnessing in Gaza.
"I know after a day’s rest, my mother will be back gathering support for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and for the fair treatment of all Palestinians, after me and all her family give her a massive hug.”
A spokesperson from the ISM added: “It comes as no surprise to see that Murphy’s rights under Israeli custody were undermined, a complete disregard for the rule of law. This happened to a Western 70-year-old woman, while Palestinians are being tortured in Israeli prisons with our governments refusing to acknowledge this or act.
"It is a harrowing development that as she is deported, the Israeli forces are finishing to demolish what was left of the village of Khalte Al-Daba’a, where she and Björk were arrested.
“Murphy’s case has served to remind us that the international community not only has an obligation to stop trade and relationships with Israel, but also to take decisive steps to bring the genocide and occupation of Palestine to an end.
"We are equally sorry to see a shy response from both the Irish and British governments.”
Last week, a spokesperson for Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs told IrishCentral that it was aware of the case and was providing consular assistance, though, as with all consular cases, it does not comment on the details of individual cases.
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