Martin Kenny: Demands action after flotilla detentions
Martin Kenny raises the detention of Irish citizens from a flotilla by Israeli forces in international waters and calls for a firm Irish and EU response. He highlights the case of Dr Margaret Connolly and urges pressure on Israel and the United States to uphold international humanitarian law.
Martin Kenny outlines that Dr Margaret Connolly and 11 others have been detained after their boats were boarded on the open seas. He stresses the uncertainty about their whereabouts and the distress facing their families, and notes consular work underway.
Kenny places the incident in the context of Gaza, describing the area as under siege with shortages of food, medical provision and shelter. He emphasises that the flotilla was carrying aid and that international citizens on board were raising awareness of ongoing injustices in Gaza and the West Bank.
Kenny argues that Ireland must respond strongly and decisively, saying the treatment of Irish citizens is unacceptable. He calls for action at European Union level and appeals for leverage with the United States to increase pressure on Israel.
The speaker accuses Israel of acting with reckless abandon and suggests those actions may be in breach of international humanitarian law. He urges clarity from Ireland on what measures it will take in response to the detentions.
What happened and who is affected
Martin Kenny outlines that Dr Margaret Connolly and 11 others have been detained after their boats were boarded on the open seas. He stresses the uncertainty about their whereabouts and the distress facing their families, and notes consular work underway.
Humanitarian context
Kenny places the incident in the context of Gaza, describing the area as under siege with shortages of food, medical provision and shelter. He emphasises that the flotilla was carrying aid and that international citizens on board were raising awareness of ongoing injustices in Gaza and the West Bank.
Political response and consequences
Kenny argues that Ireland must respond strongly and decisively, saying the treatment of Irish citizens is unacceptable. He calls for action at European Union level and appeals for leverage with the United States to increase pressure on Israel.
Legal and moral concerns
The speaker accuses Israel of acting with reckless abandon and suggests those actions may be in breach of international humanitarian law. He urges clarity from Ireland on what measures it will take in response to the detentions.
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Transcript
Taoiseach, I also want to raise with you the issue of the flotilla. As you know, Dr. Margaret Connolly is a constituency of mine from County Sligo and her and the 11 others who have been detained by Israel on the open seas, in international waters. Invaded, boats taken over by military force, people taken at military force back to Israel and we don't know who they are, we don't know where they are, we don't know where they've been held and what's happened to them and these families are in distress and I acknowledge that the Irish Consulate is working with them and the work that's been doing there. But politically, the reaction of Ireland needs to be strong and determined and forceful. We need to say clearly to the world that it is not appropriate that Irish citizens can be treated in this way. They were bringing aid to an area in Gaza which is under siege, where people are hungry, where people don't have medical provision, where people have been tortured and destroyed with war for the past 18 months and yet we see this international action happen which is totally inappropriate. We need to be firm and clear as to what Ireland is going to do in respect of this. It's an appalling thing to be doing by the Israeli government because people are starving still and people have no proper shelter in Gaza and there are quite a number of international citizens including Irish citizens on board this flotilla raising awareness and so on about the injustices of what's happening in Gaza and indeed in the West Bank itself. Ireland's been very clear on this. It's at European Union level actually that the greatest impact can be made and with the United States government, if the truth, to have pressure and leverage on Israel to stop doing what it's doing. It's acting with reckless abandon and in my view consistently in breach of international humanitarian law.