Eleven Irish citizens detained by Israeli soldiers when their flotilla was intercepted and boarded in international waters have returned home.
A loud cheer rang out as the 11 made their way through the arrival gates at Dublin’s Airport Terminal 1 today.
A crowd of more than 400 supporters, some singing pro-Palestinian chants and waving flags and banners, along with family, friends and the waiting media were there to meet them, after their flight from Istanbul landed at lunchtime today.
The Irish citizens were among 430 detained members of the Global Sumud Flotilla, which set out to break the blockade of the Palestinian territory and deliver aid to Gazans. They were deported from Israel to Turkey yesterday.
Thomas Deasy from Belfast told RTÉ News: “The idea was to bring humanitarian aid to a starving nation caused by the illegal blockade of Israel for almost 20 years. Unfortunately, we were met by force by the IDF”.
He said the activists had known there was a good chance this would happen, but that the force used by the Israeli forces was “more than we ever, ever imagined.”
Louise McCormack said she had been choked and had lost consciousness when thrown to the ground
Louise McCormack, a student from Galway, said she had briefly lost consciousness during her ordeal.
She said: “They pointed guns at us. We looked them in the eye, and for no reason other than looking at them without fear, they beat us.
“I was taken off the high-speed ship directly onto a war prison ship. I was grabbed and tied with my hands behind my back. I was choked.”
Referring to the President’s sister, Dr Margaret Connolly, a GP from Sligo, Ms McCormack said that the doctor thought she had already lost consciousness by the time her head hit the ground at full force.
“But I remember the crack and the speed of my body being launched, landing my full body on my forehead. I lost consciousness, and I walked, waking to everyone gone. I threw up.”
She said Dr Connolly had been among those to stand up and ask for toilet access and toilet paper for the group.
She added: “Israel believes that if they punish people enough, people will give up. They believe if they punish the Palestinians enough, the Palestinians will give up.
“I think at this stage it has been proven that they will not give up. As a country raised on songs and stories of our own occupation, we feel that resistance.”
Dr Margaret Connolly (C) said the the care the activists showed to each other had got them through the experience
Margaret Connolly said she had promised her children that she would come back safely
She said the care the activists showed each other had got them through and she called for the current Israeli regime to be disbanded.
The GP said her “heart was breaking” thinking of the Palestinian people who were in Israeli detention.
“They wanted us to suffer,” she said, adding: “None of them could look us in the eye. What a dehumanising thing to do to men and women from aged 22 up to 75.”
Dr Connolly said the current “Israeli regime has to be disbanded” as she called for land to be “given back to the Palestinian people”.
“They cannot, cannot, cannot continue with this genocide.”
Another activist, Adam Fitzhenry from Wexford said: “What the Israelis have done to us, knowing that this would be coming back out into the world …
“Every injury, every bit of abuse, every bit of torture, they knew would be reported back to our government.
“They knew we would be able to talk to all these cameras, so just imagine what is happening to the Palestinians every day.
“The reason why we were out there is for the Palestinians to always bring it back to the people of Gaza. That is why we set sail.”
A large crowd awaited the arrival of the Irish members of the flotilla
Footage of the Israeli authorities’ treatment of flotilla protesters was posted online by Israel’s far right National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, who appeared to be mocking the detainees.
It showed people kneeling on the ground in tightly packed groups with their hands tied behind their backs.
The video and the detention of the flotilla participants has been condemned by senior Irish Government figures and across the European Union.
France today announced it had banned Mr Ben-Gvir from entering its territory.
Aileen Weinmann, a sister of flotilla member Colm Byrne, said: “It was a tough week, I have to say.
“Just when we saw the clips that were coming out, absolutely horrified. When I did get to speak to Colm, he had a short phone call, and he just said it was tough. It was very, very tough.
“I think he said he had a lump on the back of his head, but he didn’t say any more. I suppose he didn’t want to worry me or whatever, and he just said ‘All is good, all is good’.”
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Speaking on RTÉ’s Drivetime yesterday, one of the Irish flotilla members, Dr Margaret Connolly, said that she and the other activists were “kidnapped and abducted” by Israeli forces and that some of the group had been subjected to physical or sexual assaults.
“My colleagues experienced 35 fractures, five head injuries,” she said.
“There was 15 sexual assaults, eye injuries, ear injuries. A huge number of laser injuries. People experienced broken feet. There was bullets shot at people’s feet.”
Another Irish flotilla member, Tom Deasy, said that he had a rifle “bashed into my back” and that he had been punched in the head.
Mr Deasy claimed that only 10 people said they had not been beaten.
Prosecutors in Rome are investigating the possible crimes of kidnapping, torture and sexual assault and will hear testimony from activists who have returned to Italy over the coming days, an Italian legal source said.
“The allegations raised are false and entirely without factual basis,” an Israeli prison service spokesperson said in a statement.
“The allegations raised are false and entirely without factual basis,” an Israeli prison service spokesperson said in a statement.
“All prisoners and detainees are held in accordance with the law, with full regard for their basic rights and under the supervision of professional and trained prison staff,” it said.
“Medical care is provided according to professional medical judgment and in accordance with Ministry of Health guidelines.”