Irish Parliamentarian Protests to Israeli Embassy

Posted on the FGM website on:Wednesday, 19 November 2008 17:39
Written by Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD

His Excellency Mr. Mark Sofer,
Ambassador of Israel,
Carisbrook House
122 Pembroke Rd,
Ballsbridge
Dublin 4,

Céadaoin 19 Samhain 2008

Dear Mr Sofer,

I wish to protest in the strongest terms at the arrest by your country’s navy of three fishing boats operating out of Gaza along with their crews and three international observers onboard.

I would ask that you, convey this protest to your government and ask when will the confiscated boats be returned to their rightful owners; when will the 3 international observers, Victor Arrigoni from Italy, Andrew Muncie from Scotland and Darlene Wallach from the USA, be released back to Gaza; when will all three have access to legal representation?

I would remind you that the Israeli Navy have no business operating in Palestinian waters, least of all arresting boats and their crews, since the Oslo Agreement of 1994 established a 20-mile limit. The boats in question were fishing seven miles off the coast of Deir Al Balah, clearly in Gaza fishing waters, when they were intercepted by the Israeli Navy.

Hopefully, your government will react positively to this letter of protest and release the three observers and return the boats intact to their owners.

Is mise

Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD

Palestinian fishermen still being held by Israeli authorities, three internationals fighting deportation with at least one engaging in a hunger-strike

Posted on the ISM webpage on: November 18, 2008

18th November - British politicians, MP Clare Short and Baronness Jenny Tonge, both issue statements regarding the arrests made by Israeli forces today

The fifteen Palestinian fishermen abducted from Palestinian waters this morning (10am 18th November) are still being held by Israeli authorities in Ashdod, while their boats have been confiscated. Legal proceedings were initiated today that petition for their immediate release.

The three international Human Rights Observers who were arrested while accompanying the fishermen have been taken to Ben Gurion detention facility as Israeli authorities starting deportation proceedings. Andrew Muncie, a British citizen who was one of the three internationals arrested has made it clear that he will non-violently resist any attempt to deport him and that he is engaging a hunger-strike until all fifteen of the Palestinian fishermen are released.

The status and plans of the other two international Human Rights Observers arrested, American citizen Darlene Wallach and Italian citizen Vittorio Arrigoni, are not yet known.

This action comes after international journalists have been denied access into Gaza due to the current siege.

British MP Clare Short has made this statement in regards to today:

” If there is to be any hope of peace in the Middle East, international law must be upheld. This means that the siege of Gaza must be lifted and the constant attacks by the Israeli navy on Gazan fishermen halted. Those who have been arrested must be released and the UK must insist that these illegal attacks on Gazans, fishing peacefully within their own water must cease”

Baroness Jenny Tonge said:

“The time has come for the international community, and especially the European Union to take action against Israel’s consistent breaking of international law. The EU-Israel Association Agreement should be suspended until Israel complies with this law.

It was only last week that I personally met with the fishermen whose boats are illegally water-cannoned and fired upon by Israeli gunboats as they peacefully fish in Gaza waters. The fishermen and human rights observers who were today taken unlawfully by Israel should be released immediately.”

MSP asks Israeli embassy to investigate Israeli Defence Force “misinformation”

PRESS RELEASE

12 November 2008

For Immediate Use

Dr Bill Wilson, SNP MSP for the West of Scotland, today announced that he had suggested the Israeli Embassy in London launch an inquiry into the “misinformation” he implied it was being fed by the Israeli Defence Force (IDF).

The suggestion was made in a letter he sent today to Ms Ronit Ben Dor, the Embassy’s Head of Public Affairs, and follows correspondence on the subject of the IDF’s alleged aggressive interactions with Palestinian fishermen and international peace activists in waters under the authority
of Gaza.

Dr Wilson commented, “I originally wrote to the Embassy to protest against the IDF shooting in the direction of Gazan fishermen and the peace
activists trying to help them pursue their livelihood in waters in which they are entitled to fish, waters in which they have long been prevented from fishing by the IDF.

“Reliable reports suggest the Israelis are continuing to attack fishermen and protestors — by shooting, by the direct ramming of boats and by the
use of chemicals. This is in waters over which Israel has no jurisdiction. If the head of Public Affairs does not know this, as suggested by her claim that it is the activists who chose (and, by implication, are continuing to choose) to confront the IDF and that the IDF fired into the air (and, by implication, are continuing to fire into the air) — then she is being lied to by the IDF and she should investigate immediately.

“As I said in my letter, preventing fishermen from feeding themselves and their families does nothing to make Israelis safer.”

Contact

Dr Bill Wilson MSP
Tel +44 (0) 131 3486805
Fax +44 (0) 131 3486806
E-mail Bill.Wilson.msp@scottish.parliament.uk

Notes to Editors

1. The full text of Dr Wilson’s letter

http://www.billwilsonmsp.org/images//to_ronit_ben_dor_re_shooting_at_fishermen_121108.pdf

2. Further information on the interaction between elements of the Israeli
Defence Force, Palestinian fishermen and peace activists

http://www.freegaza.org

http://www.palsolidarity.org/main/2008/11/05/israeli-navy-spray-chemical-substance-at-gazan-fishermen/