Helen McEntee and Micheál Martin "appalled" by video of detained Irish activists in Israel

Minister for Foreign Affairs Helen McEntee and Taoiseach Micheál Martin have condemned a video shared by Israeli forces of detained activists. This follows the interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla, during which around 430 activists, including 15 Irish citizens, were brought to Israel.

The video, shared by Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and captioned “Welcome to Israel”, shows dozens of activists kneeling on the deck of a military vessel with their hands bound while the Israeli national anthem plays in the background.

ככה אנחנו מקבלים את תומכי הטרור

Welcome to Israel 🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/7Hf8cAg7fC

— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) May 20, 2026

McEntee issued an official government statement, saying she was “appalled and shocked by the video footage circulated by Israel’s National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, in which illegally detained participants of the Global Sumud Flotilla, including Irish citizens, are not in any way being treated with appropriate dignity or respect.”

“At my instruction, Ireland’s Ambassador to Israel has demanded immediate assurances that the welfare and wellbeing of all Irish citizens is safeguarded and that they are afforded all the protections that they are entitled to under international law. I have also demanded their immediate release.”

Full statement: https://t.co/F4yOucMhNR pic.twitter.com/n7sMCt83Pv

— Helen McEntee TD (@HMcEntee) May 20, 2026

Micheál Martin also responded via social media, stating: “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.”

Following the interception, Martin wrote to the President of the European Council calling for the suspension of the EU–Israel Association Agreement.

Several representatives from other countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy and Canada, also expressed outrage over the video. Among them were UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

The Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign condemned the footage as “disgusting” and praised activist Catriona Graham, the Irish women being abused at the start of the video.

“Our Government cannot continue to stand by as apartheid Israel kidnaps, assaults and incarcerates its citizens. It must impose sanctions immediately.", they said.

Amnesty International Ireland wrote on their social media: “The courage of Catriona Graham in the face of Israeli outrages puts our leadership to shame.”

On Thursday morning, lawyer Suhad Bishara told RTÉ that the activists had been released and would return to their home countries via Turkey, including all of the Irish citizens on board. Those released include Margaret Connolly, sister of President Catherine Connolly.