Aid boat damaged on Gaza trip

Aid boat damaged on trip to Gaza


Michael Duffy

‘DIGNITY’, the boat operated by the Free Gaza Movement which attempted to bring medical supplies to the Gaza Strip last week, failed in its attempt after coming under attack from the Israeli Navy last Tuesday.
Derek Graham, from Hill Street in Ballina, a director of the movement, said last week that serious damage had been done to the boat and it was now in the Lebanon, where it was expected to take at least one or two months to repair the damage.
Alan Lonergan, also from Ballina, said he had spoken to his first cousin Mr Graham, who is currently in Lebanon, and he detailed to him what happened.
“The Dignity was surrounded by at least half-a-dozen Israeli war ships. They fired live ammunition and one of the war ships then rammed the civilian craft causing an unknown amount of damage. Fortunately, no one aboard the ship has yet been seriously injured,” said Mr Lonergan, who added that the ship ‘limped’ up the coast and into Lebanon waters, where the group was greeted by the Lebanese Navy and the Lebanese President.
Mr Lonergan said Mr Graham, who is also a member of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC), and his colleagues in the IPSC had, before the Israel attacks, tried to organised a meeting with Foreign Minister, Michéal Martin, about the volatile situation in Gaza, and they now hoped to push ahead and have this meeting.
“Fianna Fáil TD Chris Andrews has this week called on the Taoiseach to make a forthright condemnation of the attacks and suspend the Israeli ambassador. Derek hopes to secure a meeting with Minister Martin to let him know the exact reality of the awful situation in Gaza,” said Mr Lonergan.