Israel attacks aid flotilla, Irish among those on board

From www.rte.ie/news

The Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that there are eight Irish nationals involved with the flotilla, which was travelling to Gaza.
Five were onboard the Irish-owned vessel, the Rachel Corrie, and all are safe. Three arrived at the port of Ashdod and are being processed by the Israeli authorities.
In addition, there are potentially another five people who hold dual citizenship.
There has been widespread condemnation of Israel's decision to storm one of the six ships trying to bring humanitarian aid to Gaza.
At least nine people were killed when Israeli commandos opened fire, although some reports put that figure as high as 19.
The Israelis maintain that their commandos were attacked when they boarded the Mavi Marmara vessel and that several of their commandos were wounded, two of them seriously.
Israel's Deputy Prime Minister also claimed that weapons had been found on the Turkish ship.
A spokesperson for Irish participants in the flotilla categorically denied the claim.
Israel's ambassador to Ireland Dr Zion Evrony met Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin his evening.
Dr Evrony said he would convey Minster Martin's view to the Israeli government and that he clarified Israel's position to Minister Martin during the meeting.
He expressed regret for the loss of life and said it was not Israeli's intention. It had hoped the incident would end peacefully.
Dr Evrony said the relationship with Ireland is strong and will continue to be so. He said he was neither ashamed nor embarrassed by what happened.
Sweden, Greece and Spain also summoned the Israeli ambassadors in their capitals.
Dr Evrony has also agreed to appear before a special meeting of the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday; the Palestinian representative in Ireland is also expected to attend.
EU ambassadors are to meet later today in Brussels to discuss the crisis.

Blockade
Israel said it was absolutely determined to maintain its blockade of the Palestinian territory of 1.5m people, citing fears that arms supplies could reach Hamas by sea.
It has previously halted activist ships, although some others have reached Gaza before.
The convoy set off in international waters off Cyprus yesterday in defiance of an Israeli-led blockade of Gaza and warnings that it would be intercepted.
The flotilla was organised, among others, by a Turkish human rights organisation.
Turkey had urged Israel to allow it safe passage and said the 10,000 tonnes of aid the convoy was carrying was humanitarian.
France24 television aired video of a woman in a Muslim headdress holding a stretcher with a large bloodstain on it. Below her lay a man, apparently injured, in a blanket.
CNN showed pictures of a commando apparently rappelling down a rope and clashing with a man wielding a stick.
Other television images showed what appeared to be rubber boarding launches.

Protests
The Ireland Palestine Campaign is organising a solidarity demonstration in Dublin this evening at 6pm.
Several hundred people have taken part in an anti-Israel demonstration in Belfast this evening.
Among those taking part in the protest were Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams and trade union representatives.
Elsewhere, several hundred people protested outside the British prime minister's Downing Street residence in London.
Chanting 'Free Palestine' and brandishing the Palestinian flag and banners condemning Israeli 'war crimes', activists blocked a major route through the capital as they staged an angry but peaceful demonstration.
In Baghdad, thousands of followers of an anti-US cleric took to the streets to protest the deaths.
The demonstrators, waving Iraqi and Palestinian flags and holding pictures of their leader Moqtada al-Sadr, chanted against Israel and its ally, the US.
Earlier, about 300 people rallied outside the Israeli consulate in Istanbul.
'Down with Zionist, Israeli imperialism,' protesters shouted as police backed by armoured vehicles and water cannon barred them from moving towards the building.