Boarding party troops in deadly flotilla raid confiscated cards and spent on them, claim campaigners who were on board

One of the ships impounded by Israel when it raided the flotilla of aid vessels off Gaza. Photograph: Jim Hollander/EPA

Haroon Siddique, guardian.co.uk, 18 June 2010

Israeli troops have been accused of stealing from activists arrested in the assault on the Gaza flotilla after confiscated debit cards belonging to activists were subsequently used.

In their raid of 31 May, the Israeli army stormed the boats on the flotilla and, as well as money and goods destined for the Palestinian relief effort in Gaza, the bulk of which have yet to be returned, took away most of the personal possessions of the activists when taking them into custody.

Individual soldiers appear to have used confiscated debit cards to buy items such as iPod accessories, while mobile phones seized from activists have also been used for calls.

[Read the report]

91177info — 19 June 2010

A ship with Lebanese women humanitarians has been renamed Mariam after the Virgin Mary and is about to sail to Gaza! “Gaza-bound Lebanese women pray for Mary’s blessing“

Gaza: Post Operation Cast Lead from ICCL Human Rights Film Awards on Vimeo.

ELAINE EDWARDS and MARY MINIHAN

The Government has confirmed it is to ask Israel to withdraw a member of staff at its embassy in Dublin following a report into the use of Irish passport numbers by suspects in the murder of a Hamas official.

The recommendation that the official be expelled arose following the consideration of two reports – one from the Garda and the other from the Department of Foreign Affairs passport service.

Eight fake Irish passports were among a number used by those allegedly responsible for assassinating Mahmoud Al Mabhouh in Dubai on January 19th.

[Read the report]