Ireland’s political leaders have condemned Israel’s detention of the Irish president’s sister who was taking part in an aid flotilla mission to Gaza.
Irish premier Micheal Martin said it is “wrong” and “unacceptable” that Irish citizens have been detained.
Dr Margaret Connolly, sister of President Catherine Connolly, is among 12 Irish citizens on board the flotilla that were detained by Israel, organisers have said.
The global sumud flotilla said 10 boats in a 60-vessel flotilla were intercepted in international waters and boarded by Israeli forces shortly after 9am on Monday.
The global sumud flotilla said it has lost contact with the intercepted boats.
President Connolly has said the incident is “quite upsetting” and while very proud of her sister, she is “very worried about her”.
Ireland’s deputy premier Simon Harris said his thoughts are with the president and other families whose loved ones have been detained.
Mr Harris said on Tuesday: “I was very struck by the president’s comments yesterday, because on a purely personal level of course you’d be worried, and my heart goes out to President Connolly and her family, and indeed all of the families of those detained.
“What Israel has done is, in my view, illegal.
“It is, in my view, in breach of international law, quite frankly, not even in my view, it is in breach of international law.”
Asked whether the Irish government should engage with Israel on the detention of the president’s sister, Mr Harris said: “We’re at this long enough to know that Israel doesn’t really care very much for people’s words, does it?”
He said members of government, opposition and others have criticised Israel’s actions in Gaza but “unfortunately Israel seems to ignore the condemnation of the international world”.
“That’s why I think it’s important that we look at the actions that can be taken,” he said, referring to the Occupied Territories Bill and action at EU level.
Irish premier Mr Martin said it is “wrong” and “unacceptable” that Irish citizens, including the president of Ireland’s sister, have been detained by Israeli forces.
He said the behaviour of Israel in international waters against the aid flotilla is “unacceptable” and that people have a right to protest and take part in a mission to highlight the “shocking” humanitarian issue in Gaza.
“In the first instance, what happened is absolutely unacceptable and is wrong,” the Taoiseach said ahead of Cabinet on Tuesday.
“We have condemned that as we have before where Israel intervenes in international waters and detains and essentially abducts people from the ships, and that’s unacceptable and the international rule of law has to apply.
“So, we will be raising this at European Union level in the context of other issues pertaining to Gaza and the West Bank in particular, and we hope to make progress at European Union level in relation to a number of issues in relation to Palestine, particularly in terms of sanctions on settlers, for example, who are to a large extent being facilitated by the Israeli government.”
