NORTHERN REACTION:STORMONT DEPUTY First Minister Martin McGuinness has called on Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin to organise a "strong response" to the seizure by Israeli defence forces of an Irish aid ship bound for Gaza.
Catholic Primate of All-Ireland Dr Seán Brady has called for the Israeli blockade of Gaza to be lifted, claiming its citizens were “trapped”.
Mr McGuinness accused Israel of carrying out a "raid" on Irish vessel the MV Rachel Corrie, claiming it was "a completely unacceptable and unjustified use of force".
He added: "The Rachel Corrieshould have been allowed to proceed to Gaza without Israeli aggression. This is an attack on an Irish-flagged vessel and it demands a strong response by the Irish Government." Cardinal Brady said he regretted the loss of life when Israeli forces stormed a Turkish aid ship attempting to breach the blockade last week.
In his strongest comments on the issue to date he said: “I pray for the families and loved ones of those who were killed and for all those hurt or injured. It is clear that it is now time to lift the blockade on Gaza.”
Their comments follow fresh protests in Belfast at the weekend and a special sitting of the Assembly on Friday to discuss the events off the Gaza coast. However, the debate was dominated by unionist assertions that the debate was a publicity stunt and that the issue ought to be addressed at Westminster which has jurisdiction over foreign affairs.
The vessel was the final ship in an international aid flotilla bound for Gaza. In addition to its crew, the Rachel Corriehad 11 passengers, mostly Irish and Malaysians. They include Nobel laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire, former Irish UN asst secretary general Denis Halliday, and member of the Malaysian parliament Mohd Nizar Zakaria. The other Irish on board are Fiona Thompson, a film-maker from Dundalk, Co Louth and Derek and Jenny Graham, both members of Free Gaza Ireland, from Co Mayo.
They are due to return to Dublin airport this morning.
According to the Irish Palestine Solidarity Campaign there will be a welcoming committee to meet them and press conference to follow at 3pm in the Central Hotel in Dublin. Freda Hughes of the campaign said: "We are relieved that the prisoners from the MV Rachel Corrie[are safe] but we must remember that they were illegally kidnapped and taken against their will to Israel."