Irish president proud of sister arrested by Israel during Gaza flotilla

Irish President Catherine Connolly has shown her full support for her sister Margaret Connolly, arrested by the Israeli army while participating in a humanitarian flotilla en route to Gaza. A doctor in Ireland, the latter was one of the pro-Palestinian activists intercepted at sea by Israeli forces. From London, after a meeting with King Charles III, the Irish president said she was “very proud” of her sister and the other activists committed to Gaza. This declaration once again confirms the clear position of Ireland, which has become one of the strongest European voices against the genocide in the Palestinian enclave.

Dublin has stood out in recent months by recognizing the Palestinian state and openly denouncing the violence committed in Gaza. An attitude welcomed by many human rights defenders, while several European governments remain much more cautious towards Israel. The Israeli state tried to present this humanitarian flotilla as a “provocation”, an accusation considered absurd by the activists on board. For them, it was above all a civilian mission intended to denounce the blockade imposed on Gaza and the humanitarian catastrophe which has been hitting the Palestinian population for months.

Before her arrest, Margaret Connolly recorded a message affirming that “the Palestinian cause is the moral compass of our time”, denouncing a detention which she describes as illegal by Israeli forces.