David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)

I join with Senator Ó Murchú in again raising the issue of the 14 Irish citizens who are being detained in Israel. I received the e-mail and I have also been in contact with the families of some of those people who are being held by Israel. Two Sinn Féin councillors, Councillor John Hearne and Councillor Pat Fitzgerald, were on the boat and are now being held captive by Israel. Others being held include a former Fianna Fáil Deputy, a former rugby international player and a SIPTU official. These 14 Irish citizens are being treated disgracefully.

It is interesting that the American journalist to whom Senator Ó Murchú referred, Jihan Hafez, talked about how the people were treated. She talked about how they were roughed up, mistreated, stripped searched and filmed naked. This is how the Israeli State and the Israeli authorities are treating Irish citizens and it is absolutely appalling. Two water cannons were used to force some of those on board down onto the lower decks. Four warships, three gunships and two naval ships were employed. Dozens of commandos stormed the ship and they used force to remove citizens from that boat to bring them to Israel.

I have a question for the Leader because this is a very serious matter. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has described this venture as a legitimate humanitarian aid mission. If this is the case, then the Department accepts that Irish citizens are being held against their will and are essentially being held captive. It is appalling that Irish citizens, who are trying to help and assist the people of Gaza who have been subject to a blockade and are victims of a humanitarian crisis, should be blocked in their efforts by the Israeli State, taken from their ship against their will, treated in this manner and detained. At a judicial hearing yesterday, the judge said he could hold those Irish citizens for up to two months. This is outrageous and I ask that the Tánaiste makes every effort to ensure that all of those 14 Irish citizens are returned to Ireland as quickly as possible. This reinforces the need for us to have a discussion about what is happening in Palestine because it is appalling. A total of 42 civil society organisations operating in Gaza and in Palestine sent out a call to the international community asking for people to do something about what is a humanitarian crisis in that part of the world. These Irish citizens were responding to that call, trying to bring medicines to women and children and men who are suffering in that part of the world. That is why it is important that the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade comes to the House to have that discussion about the appalling humanitarian crisis that is Gaza and Palestine.