Latest news with #Deirdre'D'Murphy
Extra.ie
3 days ago
- Politics
- Extra.ie
70-year-old Irish woman arrested by Israelis in West Bank
A 70-year-old Irish woman has been arrested in the occupied West Bank and is detained in Israel, fighting a deportation order. Deirdre 'D' Murphy is volunteering with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), an activist group helping Palestinian residents in the occupied West Bank. ISM said Ms Murphy, who is originally from Cork, was arrested in the village of Khalet AlDaba'a in Masafer Yatta in the southern part of the occupied West Bank. West Bank. Pic: Nedal Eshtayah/Anadolu via Getty Images) She and another volunteer, Susanne Björk, 48, were ordered to leave the village by the Israeli military on Saturday. She said as they were complying with the order they were arrested by Israeli settlers, who were wearing military uniform as they are reservists, who then called police and detained Ms Murphy and Ms Björk. They were interrogated in a police station, accused of being in a military zone, as parts of Masafer Yatta have been designated a closed military zone since the 1980s. Irish Woman Deirdre 'D' Murphy. Pic: File ISM's website quoted Ms Murphy as saying: 'When most governments all around the world are ignoring the genocide in Gaza and the ethnic cleansing of the West Bank, ordinary people like me are answering the Palestinians' call to come and be a witness to these events being carried out by the Zionist Israeli entity. It's not about politics, it's about justice and freedom for all people.' Her son, Dale Ryan, said: 'I am writing this as my mother is being detained by the Israeli authorities. 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. 'Of course, I want her home safe with her family who love her, but I know a piece of her heart is in Palestine and she needs to be there, doing what she can.' The Department of Foreign Affairs said it 'is aware of the case and is providing consular assistance', it said it does not comment on 'the details of individual cases'. It comes as Micheál Martin and Simon Harris both said in the Dáil last week that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. Mr Martin said: 'The focus must be relentlessly on the policies of Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Israeli Government, which is made up of extreme far-right elements, who are committing genocide in Gaza right now.'
Belfast Telegraph
3 days ago
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
Irish pensioner ‘facing deportation' from Israel
The International Solidarity Movement said Deirdre 'D' Murphy, 70, was detained along with a Swedish citizen by the Israeli authorities on June 1 in the village of Khalet Al-Daba'a in Masafer Yatta on the West Bank. The group, which supports Palestinian residents in the West Bank, said Ms Murphy is 'fighting the unjust deportation order and is facing time in jail', after being arrested, adding: 'We demand action now.' A spokesperson for Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said they are aware of the case and providing consular assistance. 'As with all consular cases, the department does not comment on the details of individual cases,' they added.
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Irish woman facing deportation after being arrested by Israeli police in Palestine as son tells of his pride
AN IRISH woman has been detained by Israel in the West Bank, according to an activist group. Deirdre 'D' Murphy, 70, was arrested by Advertisement 2 Israeli security forces block the entrance to the village of al-Tuwani in the Masafer Yatta area in Occupied West Bank on June 2, 2025 Credit: AFP Originally from Douglas in After Israeli soldiers ordered the activists to leave, the female activists were reportedly stopped while leaving the village by Israeli settlers serving as reservists with the military. The Israeli police were called and subsequently detained Murphy and Björk for being in a closed military zone. According to the International Solidarity Movement, Björk is now due to be deported while Murphy is fighting a deportation order while detained at Ben Gurion Advertisement Read more in News 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. The 120-person community at Khalet al-Daba'a is one of a dozen Palestinian hamlets in Masafer Yatta located inside an area which 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. Advertisement Most read in Irish News International law prohibits both the expropriation of occupied land for purposes that do not benefit the people living there, and their forcible transfer. Murphy's son, Dale Ryan, said: 'As far as I can see her only Israeli military says it began extensive ground operations in northern and southern Gaza '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.' Advertisement The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed it is aware of the case and is providing consular assistance. 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 (BDS) 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. Advertisement In 2024, the 2 Deirdre 'D' Murphy, 70, was arrested by Israeli police on Saturday in Masafer Yatta in the occupied region
Leader Live
3 days ago
- Politics
- Leader Live
Irish pensioner ‘facing deportation' from Israel
The International Solidarity Movement said Deirdre 'D' Murphy, 70, was detained along with a Swedish citizen by the Israeli authorities on June 1 in the village of Khalet Al-Daba'a in Masafer Yatta on the West Bank. The group, which supports Palestinian residents in the West Bank, said Ms Murphy is 'fighting the unjust deportation order and is facing time in jail', after being arrested, adding: 'We demand action now.' A spokesperson for Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said they are aware of the case and providing consular assistance. 'As with all consular cases, the department does not comment on the details of individual cases,' they added.
Powys County Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Powys County Times
Irish pensioner ‘facing deportation' from Israel
An Irish pensioner is facing deportation from Israel, a group has said. The International Solidarity Movement said Deirdre 'D' Murphy, 70, was detained along with a Swedish citizen by the Israeli authorities on June 1 in the village of Khalet Al-Daba'a in Masafer Yatta on the West Bank. The group, which supports Palestinian residents in the West Bank, said Ms Murphy is 'fighting the unjust deportation order and is facing time in jail', after being arrested, adding: 'We demand action now.' A spokesperson for Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said they are aware of the case and providing consular assistance. 'As with all consular cases, the department does not comment on the details of individual cases,' they added.
