David Cullinane (Sinn Fein)

I raise the issue of the 14 citizens held captive by Israel. I propose an amendment to the Order of Business to the effect that the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Eamon Gilmore, should come to the House to discuss the situation. Yesterday, several Senators from the Labour Party and Fine Gael asked what was the big deal. The big deal is that 14 Irish citizens were on a humanitarian aid mission, trying to bring medicines to women, children and men suffering in Gaza. They are suffering because of a blockade which is immoral and illegal. It has created a humanitarian crisis in the city of Gaza. Israel is trying to control every aspect of the lives of the Palestinian people. They have effectively closed and shut off Gaza from the rest of the world and they are imposing a form of collective punishment on the people of Gaza and Palestine because of the way those citizens voted in an election. It is appalling.

Two of my party colleagues from Waterford, who are also colleagues of the Leader of the House and who are from his city, are among those being detained. Councillor Pat Fitzgerald from County Waterford was one of those aboard the plane this morning. His wife was in contact with me to say that they were not allowed to board the airplane. They were asked again to sign deportation papers and in signing these deportation papers they were being asked to admit that they committed a crime and had entered Israel illegally. They were taken from their ship forcibly and we now know they were treated appallingly. Water cannons were used on the Irish citizens on that ship. They were strip searched and filmed naked. This has happened to 14 Irish citizens. Their families were informed yesterday and the Leader was informed in good faith by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade that these citizens were to be put on airplanes today and brought back to Ireland.