Latest news with #DaleRyan
BBC News
2 hours ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Pro-Palestine activist from Swansea detained in West Bank
The son of a Pro-Palestinian activist has said he "remains in the dark" after she was detained in the occupied West Murphy, who lives in Swansea, has been held in custody since 31 May when she was arrested in a southern part of the 70-year-old, originally from Cork, Ireland, had been volunteering with the pro-Palestinian activist group International Solidary Movement (ISM) at the time of her arrest. The Israeli government has been approached for Bell, Labour MP for Swansea West, said he would do everything he can "to support a swift and just resolution" after raising concerns about Ms Murphy's access to legal representation. The West Bank - the land between the eastern edge of Israel and the western side of the River Jordan - is home to an estimated three million Palestinians. Israel has occupied the West Bank since the Six Day War of 1967 and is continuing to build settlements which Palestinians want as part of any future state. These are regarded as illegal under international law although Israel rejects this Israel has military control of the West Bank, the Oslo Accords of 1995 gave the Palestinian Authority some administrative and security control over certain Murphy's son Dale Ryan told Radio Wales Breakfast his mother was "doing OK" but he remained "in the dark" about when he would see her was arrested last Saturday before being taken to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, according to her son. He said she was then moved to Givon Prison in Ramla where she has been held since 3 June."She was detained after being accused of being in a military zone," said Mr Ryan."Her and another woman, Susanne Björk, who are there with the ISM, were being questioned by the army." According to Irish broadcaster RTÉ, the pair were complying with the order before Israeli settlers, wearing military uniforms, called the Ryan, who lives on the Gower peninsula, said his mother was brought to a hearing on Wednesday "without any representation.""There is a lawyer acting on her behalf. Because it's not a trial, they would have been there more as a witness, but she was denied access to her lawyer." said Mr Ryan said he had not "personally" spoken to his mothers since the arrest - instead receiving updates from her lawyer and ISM. "My mother is quite a resilient person," he said."But as the days go on, she is becoming fatigued, and probably a bit anxious about the whole situation."Mr Ryan said his mother has some chest problems, which is "concerning for us", and he is desperate to "know she is in good health."According to an ISM press release, Ms Murphy has been involved as an activist in the region for over two decades and has been based in Swansea since the 1980s."She went to Palestine in 2004 after setting up a fundraiser where we walked around the Gower in four days," according to Mr said she wanted to "contribute" to the aid and facilities that were being developed at the time."In the last few years she has spent a lot of time in Masafer Yatta," he added, which according to the press release, is where she got arrested. Ms Murphy's lawyer, Noa Dagoni told the BBC that the handling of the case has been "deeply troubling"."Since her detention at Givon prison, Ms. Murphy has been unable to contact me, despite multiple requests on my part and efforts from her side – the reasons for that remain unclear," she said Ms Murphy had requested legal counsel for "the detention review tribunal hearing as well as representation during the hearing itself".But Ms Dagoni said that apparently "no actual access" had been granted which would "constitute a serious and unlawful violation" of Ms Murphy's rights. Ms Murphy's local MP Bell said "hundreds of constituents" had contacted him with their concerns."I've been in touch with Deirdre's family and am liaising with both the Irish government, who are providing consular support, and the UK Foreign Office, who have offered their assistance and stand ready to help further."He said he was "particularly concerned" that Ms Murphy may not have legal representation."We all want to see Deirdre released as soon as possible," he Irish Embassy Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was "aware of the case and is providing consular assistance."It added that "the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade does not comment on the details of individual cases."The Foreign Office said: "We have not been approached for consular assistance, but our staff stand ready to support British Nationals overseas 24/7." Additional reporting by Shazia Ali
Irish Times
4 days ago
- General
- Irish Times
Irish woman detained by Israel in the West Bank
An Irish woman has been detained by Israel in the West Bank , according to an activist group. Máire ní Mhurchú, known as D Murphy (70), was detained by Israeli police on Saturday in Masafer Yatta in the occupied West Bank, according to the International Solidarity Movement, the Palestinian anti-occupation group with which the Irish woman has been volunteering since May. Originally from Cork but living in Swansea, Wales, Ms Murphy was arrested alongside Swedish activist Susanne Björk (48) in Khalet al-Daba'a, a small Palestinian village that was largely demolished by Israeli forces in early May. After Israeli soldiers ordered the activists to leave, the women activists were reportedly stopped while leaving the village by Israeli settlers serving as reservists with the military. READ MORE The Israeli police were called and subsequently detained Ms Murphy and Ms Björk for being in a closed military zone. According to the International Solidarity Movement, Ms Björk is now due to be deported while Ms Murphy is fighting a deportation order and facing imprisonment. The Department of Foreign Affairs said it is aware of the case and is providing consular assistance. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has been contacted for comment. Ms Murphy is a founding member of Swansea Palestine Community Link and was previously detained in Israel in 2011, when she travelled to the Jewish state with the Welsh pro-Palestine group. Her son, Dale Ryan, said: 'As far as I can see her only crime was observing crimes against Palestinian people. D has always had a strong sense of justice and I know she could not sit at home while she knew her friends in Masafer Yatta and all of Palestine were suffering unnecessarily. 'I am very proud of my mother for sticking up for the basic human rights of her friends and trying to raise awareness of the injustices the Palestinian people are experiencing.' The 120-person community at Khalet al-Daba'a is one of a dozen Palestinian hamlets in Masafer Yatta inside an area that the Israeli authorities designated as a military firing zone in the 1980s. After a long legal battle, Israel's supreme court approved the eviction of 1,000 residents from the villages in the occupied West Bank in 2022. Amnesty International says ongoing settler attacks and demolitions place communities in Masafer Yatta at risk of forcible transfer. International law prohibits both the expropriation of occupied land for purposes that do not benefit the people living there and their forcible transfer. In 2024, the far-right Israeli security minister Itamar Ben Gvir established a special task force within Israel's West Bank police unit to target left-wing activists in the West Bank including foreign nationals and supporters of the Boycott, Sanctions and Divestment movement. According to the Israeli outlet Haaretz, at least 16 foreign activists working with Palestinians in the West Bank have been detained and deported from Israel since October 2023. Activists often accompany Palestinian shepherds and farmers who are at risk of forced displacement, as well as violence from the IDF and local settlers while they work. In 2024, the UN recorded 4,250 Palestinians who were displaced, 1,760 structures that were destroyed and about 1,400 violent incidents involving Israeli settlers across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
