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Dearey commends Rachel Corrie crew on ‘courage and commitment
Following the lethal attack by Israeli forces on the flotilla last Monday Senator Dearey said: "The crew on the Rachel Corrie have rightly earned the respect of us all for the way in which they continued their mission in a completely non-violent way.
"That commitment to truly non-violent action throws into sharp relief the collective punishment that Israel has imposed on all the people of Gaza. I said in the Foreign affairs committee on Thursday that Derek Graham and his crew understood that their vulnerability is their strength. Knowing it is one thing. Applying it is quite another. It is deeply moving to have been able to follow events to the point now, where we welcomed the crew members back to Irish soil yesterday.
Senator Dearey continued: "There are many legal and diplomatic issues to be addressed following the events of last week but I hope these events will mark the beginning by Israel, of a complete review and withdrawal of its blockade. The blockade is enriching Hamas and has made almost everyone else destitute. Israel of course has the right to legitimate self defence and is faced with a terror threat from within Gaza which demands a response. But radicalizing the population through blockade is not a long term solution. If lifted, it can be followed by constructive engagement between Israel, the US, the EU and surrounding Arab states, to progress towards a genuine two state solution."