The President of Ireland’s sister is one of 12 Irish citizens to have been arrested by the Israeli military for being aboard an aid flotilla bound for Gaza.
Margaret Connolly, a GP on board the ship of activists bringing aid by sea to the Gaza Strip, was among those detained on Monday in an incident expected to raise existing tension between Ireland and Israel.
On Tuesday, Irish premier Micheal Martin said it was “wrong and unacceptable” that Irish citizens have been detained. He vowed to raise the issue with the European Union and condemned what he described as an abduction.
“We have condemned that, as we have before, where Israel intervenes in international waters, and detains and essentially abducts people from the ships, and that’s unacceptable and the international rule of law has to apply,” he said.
The flotilla’s organisers said on Tuesday that Israeli forces had intercepted 41 of their boats in the Eastern Mediterranean, with 10 vessels still sailing towards the Palestinian enclave.
Catherine Connolly said she was “proud” of her sister but did not yet have the details of her detention. “I’m very proud of my sister but I’m also very worried about her,” she said after her meeting with King Charles III on Monday.
“I’ve been very busy today … I haven’t really had a chance to get details in relation to my sister and indeed, equally importantly, her colleagues on the boat.”
The Israeli military has said it has the right to arrest people attempting to breach its blockade of the Gaza Strip by sea.
Israel closed its embassy in Dublin in 2024 in response to Ireland recognising Palestinian statehood and accusing the Israeli military of committing genocide in Gaza.
Ireland’s deputy premier Simon Harris said the arrests on board were “illegal” and that his thoughts are with the President and other families whose loved ones had been detained.
Mr Harris said on Tuesday: “I was very struck by the President’s comments yesterday because, on a purely personal level, of course you’d be worried and my heart goes out to President Connolly and her family, and indeed all of the families of those detained.
Asked whether the Irish government should engage with Israel on the detention of the President’s sister, Mr Harris said: “We’re at this long enough to know that Israel doesn’t really care very much for people’s words, does it?”
He said members of government, opposition and others have criticised Israel’s actions in Gaza but “unfortunately Israel seems to ignore the condemnation of the international world”.
“That’s why I think it’s important that we look at the actions that can be taken,” he said, referring to the Occupied Territories Bill and potential EU intervention.
