THE IRISH GOVERNMENT has been accused of 'gaslighting' the public on Palestine as 11 activists with the Global Sumud Flotilla returned home following their detention by Israel.
Richard Boyd Barrett of People Before Profit was speaking after the Dáil this week voted against the party's bill to impose sanctions on Israel.
This was despite Taoiseach Micheál Martin joining condemnation of Israel's treatment of the activists following the flotilla's interception on Monday while trying to bring aid to Gaza.
The fleet of more than 50 boats was detained in international waters near Cyprus more than 450km from Gaza.
Several hundred people greeted the activists — which included President Catherine Connolly's sister Dr Margaret Connolly — when they arrived at Dublin Airport on Saturday.
'Duplicity'
Ahead of their return, Mr Boyd Barrett criticised the coalition government for what he described as its 'cynical gaslighting of the Irish public — feigning outrage at Israel's actions'.
"There is a very cynical and duplicitous game being played by the Irish Government," he said.
"Listening to the statements today and yesterday from the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister McEntee, you would think the government is intending to impose meaningful sanctions against the Israeli regime.
Dr Margaret Connolly, sister of Ireland's President Catherine Connolly, was among the flotilla members (Image: Justin Farrelly / RollingNews.ie)"Yet directly after making statements condemning Israel's brutal treatment of the flotilla activists yesterday, the same Irish Government trooped into the Dáil and defeated the Sanctions on Israel Bill that the flotilla activists had asked them to support.
"The government are trying to ride out the current outrage over the brutal treatment of the flotilla activists with words of condemnation and more promises about sanctions sometime in the future.
"Yet in real time, they vote to defeat a Bill sanctioning Israel and in actuality continue billions worth of trade with a state engaged in genocide, ethnic cleansing and the most egregious violations of international law and human rights.
"This duplicity by the Irish Government and the EU amounts to de facto complicity with Israel's crimes and emboldens Israel to continue its barbaric crimes against the Palestinian people."
Activist Helena Kearns pictured at Dublin Airport (Image: Justin Farrelly / RollingNews.ie)Before the Bill was defeated on Wednesday, the Taoiseach tweeted to say he was 'appalled at the shocking behaviour of Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir towards illegally detained members of the Sumud Flotilla'.
"The Israeli Government's actions are in breach of international law and I intend to raise this issue at EU level," he added.
Mr Ben-Gvir, Israel's Minister for National Security, posted a video of himself goading some of the more than 430 detained activists as they were knelt down with their heads bowed and their hands bound behind their backs.
"Welcome to Israel, we are the landlords," he proclaimed while waving an Israeli flag.
The Irish activists were taken to Turkey before being flown to Ireland.
'Fair game'
Speaking at Dublin Airport upon her return, activist Helena Kearns echoed Mr Boyd Barrett's condemnation of the Irish Government and accused Israel of torture.
"At the same time that we were being tortured by Israel on a prison ship, the Irish Government were voting not to sanction them," she said.
She added: "Everybody needs to get on to their TDs and MLAs and we need to put pressure that it ends now because Israel now has two floating torture chambers around the Mediterranean and you all could be next.
"Anywhere in the Mediterranean, you're fair game because everyone is letting them do everything.
"Think of the 10,000 Palestinian prisoners, 400 children that they torture on a daily basis and please think of them as your own.
"We need to do more and we need to do more now."
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