'I've heard nothing' - husband of Margaret Connolly outraged over her 'abduction' by Israelis

"Margaret Connolly is currently being detained at the Israeli ​port, Ashdod, before being ​taken to prison, an Israeli rights group and the flotilla's organisers said today. Israeli rights group Adalah said in ​a statement the activists had been "detained at Ashdod port" and "taken ‌into Israel against their will as Adalah attorneys enter for legal consultations." The flotilla's organisers said in a statement the activists would be taken to Ketziot prison in Israel's ​southern Negev desert."

"Speaking to the Sligo Champion, Mr Bree said it is "outrageous that the Israeli regime can illegally abduct" his wife and 11 other Irish citizens aboard the aid flotilla. Mr Bree said he had a brief call from his wife on Monday morning before the interception. "Margaret told me Israeli military ships were approaching the flotilla. However, within minutes the phone signal dropped. "I expect that was due to the Israelis jamming all communications from the flotilla. In keeping with protocol, she would have thrown her phone overboard before the Israelis boarded her boat."

""Since then, I have had no communication from Margaret. I presume that she and her colleagues were transferred to an Israeli military prison ship. "The boat on which my wife was sailing was unarmed, its mission peaceful. Yet it was boarded with force by the Israeli military, its crew of international volunteers abducted, and its cargo confiscated.""

"The Global Sumud Flotilla said that 10 boats in a 60-vessel flotilla were intercepted in international waters and boarded by Israel"

Israeli forces boarded a boat carrying aid to Gaza in international waters, where Dr Margaret Connolly and 11 other Irish citizens were traveling. Her husband reported a brief call on Monday morning before the interception, after which the phone signal dropped. He expected communications were jammed and said she likely threw her phone overboard before boarding. Since then, he has had no communication. Dr Connolly is being detained at Ashdod port before being taken to prison, according to Israeli rights group Adalah and the flotilla organisers. The organisers said the activists will be transferred to Ketziot prison in Israel’s southern Negev desert. The Global Sumud Flotilla reported multiple boats were intercepted and boarded by Israel.

Read at Irish Independent