Israel / Palestine

Nobel Laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire Accuses Israel of "Slow Genocide"
Belfast Telegraph, June 8, 2010
"Irish Nobel peace prize winner, Mairead Corrigan Maguire, whose ship was blocked from delivering aid supplies to Gaza has accused the Israeli government of committing “slow genocide” against the Palestinian people. The Nobel Laureate was deported with fellow campaigners from the MV Rachel Corrie after the vessel was seized by the Israelis as it attempted to break the blockade of Gaza. After landing in Dublin with four other Irish crew members, Mrs. Corrigan Maguire pledged to return to the war-torn territory and renew her efforts to help those who live there. 'Gaza has been cut off from the world for over three years. The people of Gaza don't have enough basic things for their needs,' she said. 'It's Israeli policies that are causing this -- there is a slow genocide of the Palestinian people.'
There were emotional scenes at Dublin Airport as the group were reunited with family and friends. Mrs. Maguire said efforts to end the blockade must now be stepped up. 'US President Barack Obama has the power to say to the Israeli government, "enough is enough, your policy is not acceptable and you must choose peace."' Also returning home were former UN assistant secretary-general Denis Halliday, the ship's captain Derek Graham, his wife Jenny, and Dundalk film-maker Fiona Thompson. [...]"