Dr Margaret Connolly, the sister of Irish President Catherine Connolly, is among at least six Irish citizens aboard an aid flotilla that have been detained byIsrael, organisers say. The Global Sumud Flotilla said that 10 boats in a 60-vessel flotilla were intercepted in international waters and boarded by Israeli forces shortly after 9am on Monday. Organisers said the interception happened approximately 70 nautical miles offCyprus, with at least six of 15 Irish participants among those detained.
The Global Sumud Flotilla said it has lost contact with the intercepted boats. The flotilla has posted videos from Dr Connolly and five others, which appear to have been recorded in advance of their detention. In her video, Dr Connolly said: “If you are watching this video, it means I have been kidnapped from my boat in the flotilla by the Israeli occupying forces, and I’m now being held illegally in an Israeli prison. I am so proud to be taking part in this flotilla - it is the largest to date.
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“Thousands of people all over the world – citizens like you and me – have volunteered their services to help with this flotilla. This is the largest one to date, and now we sail for Gaza to open a humanitarian pathway to bring much needed aid and medical supply to the people of Gaza.”
She added: “I feel utterly compelled – as a mother, a doctor, and as a human being – to help in this flotilla. I ask you all to support the call to immediately free my comrades in prison.
“I wish to appeal to the Irish government to enact the Occupied Territories Bill without fail. The cause of Palestine is the moral compass of our time, it is what makes us human. Their humanity is our humanity.”
Karen Moynihan, Irish lead for the Global Sumud Flotilla, told the Press Association that six Irish citizens had been “kidnapped”.
She added: “Currently, over the past seven months, 33 Irish citizens have been kidnapped byIsrael, and our Government is considering whether they’re even going to sanction Israel – it is absolutely horrific, and the Government needs to be called out fully on its complicity in genocide, and there is no other way to put it.”
In a statement, a spokesperson for the flotilla said: “This attack on the flotilla has no legal basis and all of the participants from Ireland and around the world on this flotilla are acting within the law to deliver aid to the Palestinian people in Gaza who have been failed by all states and international institutions.
Source: Daily Express :: World Feed
