Ireland asks Israel to allow Irish-owned humanitarian aid ship to Gaza

[Better Believe It]

Ireland asks Israel to allow ship to Gaza
June 2, 2010

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Ireland has asked Israel to allow an Irish-owned ship to break the blockade of Gaza.

The Rachel Corrie, named for the American pro-Palestinian activist who was run over by an Israeli bulldozer in Gaza in 2003, left Malta on Monday with 15 activists and humanitarian aid aboard.

Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen told his parliament Wednesday that his government formally requested of Israel to allow the ship "to complete its journey unimpeded and discharge its humanitarian cargo in Gaza," according to reports.

Activists on the ship include Northern Irish Nobel Peace laureate Mairead Corrigan-Maguire; Denis Halliday, an Irish former senior United Nations diplomat; and several other Irish citizens.

http://www.jta.org/news/article/2010/06/02/2739412/ireland-asks-israel-to-allow-ship-to-gaza



(Dundalk, Ireland, April 20, 2010) The 1200-ton cargo ship had been abandoned in July 2009, off the coast of Ireland. She was then impounded after an inspection by the International Transport Federation (ITF) discovered her owners had exploited their Lithuanian crewmembers – not paying their wages and subjecting them to humiliating treatment, and they had been left with just one day of food.

The 42-year-old MV Linda languished for nine months, waiting in the port of Dundalk for just the right buyer to rescue her.
ITF Inspector and Union organizer Ken Fleming was ecstatic: “We are pleased to announce that this vessel which was used to subject workers to modern day slavery, will now be used to promote human rights for the people of Palestine”.

[liberalhistorian]

1. Good for them, and I'm very

proud of my Irish blood right now. Not that I haven't always been proud, but I'm especially so with this. Unlike our own nation's leadership, Ireland can see right through Israel's bullshit and spin and can see that they literally murdered aid workers and they have the guts to confront them over it. I'm not holding my breath over any positive response from Israel, however.

[LakeSamish706]

2. I seriously hope that a military vessel accompanies them, Turkish or otherwise. n/t

[Better Believe It]

3. The U.S. navy could provide safe passage.

[liberalhistorian]

4. And take the chance of hurting poor Israel's

widdle feelings? Fat. Fucking. Chance. Our unqualified support of Israel, and our media and leadership's constant spin in its favor, no matter WHAT it does, will not, unfortunately, ever change.