{"id":83586,"date":"2025-09-24T22:12:08","date_gmt":"2025-09-24T22:12:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/83586\/"},"modified":"2025-09-24T22:12:08","modified_gmt":"2025-09-24T22:12:08","slug":"ireland-cannot-send-in-marines-to-rescue-flotilla-members-dail-told-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/83586\/","title":{"rendered":"Ireland cannot \u2018send in marines\u2019 to rescue flotilla members, D\u00e1il told \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

Minister for Justice Jim O\u2019Callaghan<\/a> has condemned the Israeli<\/a> government over drone attacks on a Gaza<\/a>-bound flotilla carrying aid, and Irish as well as international pro-Palestinian<\/a> activists.<\/p>\n

It was a \u201creflection of the contempt that Israel has for non-combatants, whether they are in Gaza<\/a> or international waters\u201d, he said.<\/p>\n

But he told TDs in the D\u00e1il on Wednesday Ireland is not a \u201cstrong military power\u201d and he could not \u201cdirect \u2018marines\u2019 or the Army Rangers\u201d to rescue people, as Sinn F\u00e9in<\/a> demanded action to protect Irish citizens on the flotilla.<\/p>\n

The boats, part of a fleet carrying baby food, medicine, other essentials and about 500 volunteers, were attacked overnight by 12 drones, which prompted Italy to send a naval ship to come to the vessels\u2019 assistance.<\/p>\n

The Global Sumud Flotilla is attempting to break Israel\u2019s naval blockade of Gaza. Those aboard include climate campaigner Greta Thunberg<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The organisers said in a statement at least 13 explosions were heard on and around boats and objects were dropped on at least 10 boats from drones or aircraft.<\/p>\n

T\u00e1naiste Simon Harris said in a statement the incident involving the flotilla was unacceptable.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is clearly a breach of international law to have any activity that is targeting civilians or a humanitarian flotilla,\u201d he said in a statement from New York, where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis morning in New York, I have spoken directly with the EU\u2019s High Representative and vice-president Kaja Kallas and to EU counterparts about collectively raising our concerns in Tel Aviv and considering what can be done to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all those on board the flotilla. <\/p>\n

\u201cI also intend to raise the matter publicly in my intervention at the United Nations during the Global Alliance for Implementation of the Two-State Solution meeting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sinn F\u00e9in Senator Chris Andrews<\/a> is among 22 Irish participants on the 51-vessel flotilla, most of which were in international waters off Greece when the attack happened.<\/p>\n

In a statement Mr Andrews said the boat he was on, the Spectre, had been struck four times but there were no injuries or serious damage.<\/p>\n

He said the Irish Government had a responsibility to protect its citizens on the flotilla and \u201cas a matter of urgency they need to arrange for an observer vessel to accompany the flotilla to ensure Israel does not violate the human rights of its participants\u201d.<\/p>\n

Speaking of the prospects of further attacks, Mr Andrews told The Irish Times \u201cyou would be wrong if you were not concerned\u201d.<\/p>\n

He said the attacks were \u201cjust a distraction\u201d from the \u201creal issue\u201d which was the \u201cman-made famine\u201d, the \u201cgenocide in Gaza\u201d and the \u201clack of any consequences for breaking international law\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Irish Government needs to act and to send an observer boat to this flotilla\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

His party leader Mary Lou McDonald raised the issue in the D\u00e1il and described the attack as a \u201cvery serious development. This flotilla is in imminent danger.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr O\u2019Callaghan, expressing concern for Mr Andrews, said the flotilla was \u201cgoing out lawfully protesting about the slaughter in Gaza\u201d when it was attacked by Israeli forces.<\/p>\n

The Minster also referred to Independent TD Barry Heneghan, who is not in the flotilla, but on a vessel due to sail on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Mr Heneghan said he was still in Sicily, with a fleet of about of about eight boats, having been delayed for a number of days. Mr Heneghan told The Irish Times \u201cwith the attacks last night there is a bit of worriedness.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said he had campaigned with a Palestinian flag on his election literature and he was prepared to put his \u201cwords into action.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI condemn the October 7th attacks – and also the last two years which have seen Israel blocking aid to those in need. I support a two-state solution. We need peace,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is about standing with humanity and delivering life-saving aid where it\u2019s needed most.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the D\u00e1il, Mr O\u2019Callaghan condemned \u201cthe actions of the Israeli government in unlawfully attacking a lawful flotilla that is seeking to engage in peaceful activity in international waters\u201d.<\/p>\n

Labour leader Ivana Bacik also condemned the attacks and urged the Minister to \u201cwork with EU colleagues to ensure the safety of all those on that flotilla\u201d.<\/p>\n

The Minister told the D\u00e1il officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs were closely monitoring the issue and would provide every support to the two Oireachtas members and other Irish members of the flotilla.<\/p>\n

Mr O\u2019Callaghan said they had to be aware of \u201cthe limits of Irish influence and Irish powers\u201d. <\/p>\n

He said \u201cwe are not a strong military power. I can\u2019t direct \u2018marines\u2019 or members of the Army Rangers to go over and rescue people on that flotilla.\u201d<\/p>\n

Addressing Sinn F\u00e9in deputies, he said: \u201cYou know as well as I do the only action we can take is through the power of our influence by condemning this behaviour, and by trying to bring to the attention of the international community the totally unacceptable behaviour of the Israeli government. We\u2019ve been quite effective at that, but that\u2019s all we can do.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Minister for Justice Jim O\u2019Callaghan has condemned the Israeli government over drone attacks on a Gaza-bound flotilla carrying…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":83587,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[9,10,18,13,14,6,19,17,7335,11,12,15,16,5,7,8],"class_list":{"0":"post-83586","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-headlines","8":"tag-breaking-news","9":"tag-breakingnews","10":"tag-eire","11":"tag-featured-news","12":"tag-featurednews","13":"tag-headlines","14":"tag-ie","15":"tag-ireland","16":"tag-irish-politics","17":"tag-latest-news","18":"tag-latestnews","19":"tag-main-news","20":"tag-mainnews","21":"tag-news","22":"tag-top-stories","23":"tag-topstories"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83586","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=83586"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83586\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/83587"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=83586"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=83586"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=83586"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}