People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy is set to join the Global Sumud Flotilla to break the siege of Gaza. This is the largest ever flotilla, with more than 50 boats with participants from 44 countries, including Greta Thunberg and Susan Sarandon, as well as ten other Irish participants, set to sail. The first wave of boats departs from Barcelona on 31 August, another leaves from Sicily on 4 September, while Paul Murphy will join a wave leaving from Tunisia on 4 September. The boats will converge in the Mediterranean and sail towards Gaza.
Paul Murphy TD commented:
“I am joining the flotilla because the horror in Gaza is deepening day by day. A man made famine is killing children, while Israel bombs hospitals and assassinates journalists to prevent the truth from getting out. On a daily basis people are slaughtered while queueing for food. The siege must be broken and food and medical supplies must get through.
“An incredible 28,000 people applied to join this flotilla because they want to do whatever they can to help. That determination of ordinary people, seen in the millions globally protesting for Palestine, contrasts sharply with the complicity of the world’s leaders. While they now mouth mild criticism of Israel, they continue to arm, fund and enable the genocide they are perpetrating.
“In Ireland, we have a government that correctly names this genocide, but refuses to act in line with that characterisation. Instead of doing everything possible to pressure Israel and their backers to end it, they want to water down the Occupied Territories Bill, have done nothing to stop the illegal overflight of thousands of tons of munitions through our skies to Israel and have opposed efforts to end the Central Bank’s authorisation of the sale of Israeli war bonds in the EU. The people are acting because the governments are complicit.”