WATCH: Tipperary TD calls for urgent action after flotilla detentions and Gaza crisis

A Tipperary TD has called for an emergency sitting of the Oireachtas in response to both the detention of a Sinn Féin senator and other Irish citizens by Israeli authorities and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Seamus Healy described the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters as “effectively piracy and kidnapping” and said it comes amid Israel’s “deliberate” campaign of violence and starvation against the Palestinian people. He urged the government to impose sanctions on Israel, pass the Occupied Territories Bill, and halt all military flights through Shannon Airport.

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“For almost two years, we have seen the Israeli state deliberately attempting to exterminate the Palestinian people by bomb, bullet and starvation. Gaza is now one big concentration camp and 2.3 million people are facing annihilation and starvation. Some 65,000 people have been murdered, included 25,000 children."

"Every international agency of note has condemned Israel, including the international courts. Last week, the United Nations deemed what is going on in Gaza as genocide. The prime minister of Israel is subject to an arrest warrant. The latest outrage last night is piracy and the kidnapping in international waters of Irish citizens, including a Member of the Oireachtas. This is absolutely outrageous,” Mr Healy said.

He added that Ireland’s historical experiences, from colonialism to the Great Famine, create a particular bond with the Palestinian people. “It is time that the Government called an emergency session of this Oireachtas to impose sanctions, to pass the Occupied Territories Bill and to stop military planes going through Shannon,” he said.

Simon Harris, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, said that the Irish government is taking the situation very seriously. He highlighted that the parliament has already devoted significant time to the Middle East crisis, including lengthy debates on the flotilla and an all-party motion.

The government has temporarily suspended normal parliamentary procedures to focus on the matter. Harris emphasized that the government will work with the opposition to quickly pass any legislation concerning the occupied Palestinian territories and noted that sanctions or trade measures could be implemented at the EU level without requiring new domestic legislation.

Mr Harris confirmed that 16 Irish citizens remain in detention after attempting to deliver aid. Tensions in the Dáil have intensified, with opposition parties criticising the government for its perceived inaction. People Before Profit said: “In Ireland, the Irish government has had words of condemnation, but has refused to act. They haven't passed the Occupied Territories Bill, the illegal overflights of kidnapped Irish citizens and now Israel has kidnapped Irish citizens from international waters.”

Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have condemned the interception of the aid boats in international waters as unlawful. The episode has spotlighted Ireland’s potential to take a leading role in shaping European sanctions and humanitarian measures, even as debate continues at home over the country’s response.

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