Israel urged to ensure safety of Irish on aid ship to Gaza

[grassfed]

IRELAND’S AMBASSADOR to Israel has urged the Israeli authorities to take every precaution to ensure the safety of Irish citizens travelling aboard aid boats heading for Gaza.

The plea from ambassador Briefne O’Reilly came during a meeting at the foreign ministry in Jerusalem on Monday where he was informed by the ministry’s director of European affairs, Naor Gilon, that Irish peace activists, together with other European participants in the “freedom flotilla”, will be turned back by Israeli naval patrols before they reach the shores of Gaza.

“We are closely monitoring the situation and urge restraint on all sides,” Mr O’Reilly said. “We need to avoid escalation or confrontation to ensure a peaceful outcome which will enable the safe delivery of these humanitarian supplies.”

The Israeli foreign ministry also called in the ambassadors of Turkey, Greece and Sweden. Mr Gilon condemned the latest attempt to bypass Israel’s blockade on Gaza as “a provocation and a breach of Israeli law”. Activists aboard the 1,200-ton cargo ship Rachel Corrie, named after an American who was crushed to death by an Israeli army bulldozer in Gaza in 2003, have vowed to defy the Israeli blockade.

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[grassfed]

1. Nobel prize winner Mairead Maguire on Irish ship, the MV Rachel Corrie, to Gaza

Nobel winner to join Gaza effort

A Nobel prize winning peace campaigner is to join 600 activists and parliamentarians in the latest attempt to bring tonnes of supplies through the blockade of Gaza.
Mairead Maguire, who was detained by Israeli authorities for one week before being deported during the last mission, will be part of an eight ship flotilla to Palestine at the end of the month.
Irish ship, the MV Rachel Corrie, aims to breach the port blockade and bring in medical, educational and building supplies.

RACHEL CORRIE SHIP TO GAZA

[MindandSoul]

2. Good for them!. . .Now let's see what Israel will do!

But in my opinion, whatever they do. . .it is a lose/lose situation for them!

[ProgressiveProfessor]

3. They will stop them, be interesting to see how

Hopefully the vessel has been adequately prepared. It was previously derelict.

[Tripmann]

4. GOWAN THE IRISH!

Nothing makes me more proud than to see my country associated with fighting the type of opression we ourselves lived under for so long.

Found this line the most telling and probably sums up the criminal behaviour of the israeli government best:

The Israeli foreign ministry also called in the ambassadors of Turkey, Greece and Sweden. Mr Gilon condemned the latest attempt to bypass Israel’s blockade on Gaza as “a provocation and a breach of Israeli law”.

No mention of the breach of international law the siege itself amounts to. Funny that.