With Gaza on the brink of mass starvation in the middle of relentless Israel Defense Forces (IDF) bombing, Irish state authorities yesterday assisted a FedEx flight carrying 13 shipments of F-35 fighter jet parts to Israel as it illegally flew through Irish territory.
Foreign affairs minister Simon Harris doesn’t “believe” these illegal munitions flights to Israel are passing through Irish sovereign airspace.
The Ditch first reported more than seven months ago that FedEx uses its Memphis-Cologne cargo route to transport parts for the IDF’s F-35 combat jets used by Israel to drop 900 kilogramme bombs on Gazans.
The carriage of munitions of war through Irish airspace without ministerial authorisation is a criminal offence punishable by up to three years' imprisonment. This hasn’t deterred state navigation service AirNav Ireland, which continues to hep these illegal flights as they pass over Ireland.
Earlier this month Paul Murphy walked across the floor of the Dáil to hand tánaiste Simon Harris emails – emails The Ditch sent Harris in October and November.
These emails gave Harris advance notice five FedEx flights from Memphis to Cologne – the same route as yesterday’s flight – would illegally pass through Irish airspace with munitions of war for Israel.
The five flights were still permitted through Irish territory. The state has since failed to take action against FedEx.
Yesterday’s FedEx flight from Memphis to Cologne passed through the state’s airspace near the northwest coast just before 4pm.
Most of the 13 packages of F-35 fighter jet parts onboard identified by The Ditch were on their way to the Nevatim IDF base and are expected to arrive later this week. Some were sent from US Air Force bases.
Darragh O’Brien’s Department of Transport has been contacted for comment.
