Cork TD: Blocking of Madleen ship a ‘brazen violation’
The blocking of a ship with humanitarian supplies for Gaza has been described as a horrific act and another violation of international law.
In the early hours of Monday, Israeli forces intercepted, boarded and seized the Madleen in international waters, preventing it from reaching the Gaza. Among those on the ship were Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian Member of European Parliament, as well as others from countries like France, Germany and Spain.
Sinn Féin spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire TD, condemned Israel for intercepting a ship of humanitarian supplies from travelling to Gaza.
The Cork TD said: “The aid ship Madleen was stopped and boarded by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) while carrying vital supplies for the people of Gaza. The IDF seized the Madleen and its crew of activists by force. It was a civilian vessel, sailing in international waters with the aim of delivering humanitarian aid to a people inflicted with genocide and mass starvation.
“This brazen violation of international law highlights again the impunity gifted to Israel by the powerful. The activists must be released immediately and the siege of Gaza must be lifted now. It’s clear that Israel has weaponised starvation and deprivation in their campaign of genocide. They must be held accountable for this.”
He continued: “This act of piracy adds to Israel’s slaughter of 60,000 Palestinian men, women and children in their 20-month bombardment of the besieged Gaza region of Palestine, the genocidal campaign against an entrapped population and the withholding of basic necessities of life, food, water, medical aid, housing in their attempt to starve a people out of existence as yet another reason why the EU-Israel Euro-Mediterranean Association Agreement must be suspended immediately.”
Deputy Ó Laoghaire concluded: “These are the actions of a rogue state and they must be held accountable. Israel’s impunity must end. All nations have a responsibility to ensure that food is not weaponised and that children are not allowed to be starved and murdered by a genocidal state. Until Israel is held to account, all nations are failing in their responsibility to uphold international law.”
Following the Israeli interception, the Israeli Foreign Ministry posted on X (formerly Twitter): “All the passengers of the ‘selfie yacht’ are safe and unharmed. They were provided with sandwiches and water. The show is over.”