Pauline Tully (Sinn Fein)

I thank the Minister of State for being here. It is important that we have these statements today to discuss what happened to the occupants of the Global Sumud Flotilla last night and this morning, and to call it out as a crime against international law. I want to start by commending all of those who were on the Global Sumud Flotilla. I send solidarity and greetings to them and hope they are safe and okay. I want to particularly send them to the Irish citizens aboard, including my comrade and friend, Senator Chris Andrews.

As Members have stated, this flotilla was bringing hope and inspiration, not just to the people of Gaza, but to the people of the world who are looking on at this situation and feeling helpless. The people on the flotilla represented the best of us. They were there representing the voiceless, which the international community has failed to do so far. They were bringing food and aid to beleaguered people who are desperately in need of it. Those people are suffering a man-made famine and a genocide created by Israel. It has been done in front of the eyes of the world for the past two years but nothing concrete has been done about it.

I do not know if other Members saw the videos of the Israeli ships surrounding the flotilla, shining blinding lights on the occupants, spraying them with water and then boarding the boats. They told people to drop their phones in the water and we lost communications. Communication with Senator Chris Andrews was lost last night. It was a time of worry for all of us because we did not know what was happening to him or where he was, and even his family did not know. He has since been kidnapped or abducted. I do not think “detained” is the correct word because he was in international waters on a peaceful mission. He was not a threat to anybody else, nor were any of the other occupants. They were doing what was right. They were trying to break an illegitimate blockade and get vital food and other aid to the people of Gaza.

The Israelis had no right to do what they did. Their propaganda is outrageous. They have been at this for weeks in trying to paint the flotilla as anything other than peaceful, and trying to tie it to Hamas is another example of that. It is totally wrong. I note the Spanish Prime Minister called it out today as a breach of international law and has called for the EU to break off all relations with Israel right now. I agree with him. As a country, we should be doing the same.

The Minister of State mentioned that there is another flotilla that includes an Teachta Barry Heneghan. Will the Irish Government send observers or any sort of support to that flotilla? Will we encourage other members of the international community to do the same and ensure they are safe to get through? Countries need to come together in a much more forceful way and not just leave it to the civilians of those countries. Governments also need to put together aid and try to break the wall that Israel has set up. We cannot allow this to continue in the way that it has. As a country, we need to issue a public warning to Israel that the actions taken overnight against the flotilla are unlawful. It has no legitimate right to create a blockade to stop humanitarian aid from entering Gaza.

We also need to sanction Israel. We need to use every lever of power available to sanction it, and that includes the occupied territories Bill in its entirety. It has been delayed and delayed for years. It needs to be enacted. We need to support the arms embargo. We need to stop weapons from travelling through our airports and airspace. They are going to Israel to kill Palestinians. We are complicit in the genocide if we do not stop that. It needs to be stopped without delay.

I am concerned by a message I have received about some of the participants who have been abducted and brought to Israel. It is reported that the immigration authorities have already begun conducting hearings on their deportation and detention orders in Ashdod port. These proceedings were initiated without prior notice to their lawyers and are denying participants access to legal counsel. I do not know if that is true, and perhaps the Minister of State can establish if it is. I do not know if it involves participants from other countries or is relevant to all of them. That is a very serious violation of the rights of those participants. They are entitled to legal aid and advice, and they should be granted access to that.

I want to see the safe return of all of the participants, although I would rather see their right to continue with the flotilla and to create that humanitarian corridor into Gaza. I do not think that is going to happen right now. However, as was said, there is another flotilla on the way there. We need to see what can be done to ensure the aid from that flotilla gets through. We need to keep on trying to break the barrier that Israel has put up and to help the people of Gaza.