Veronica O'Keane expects to be intercepted by Israeli forces soon – a near certainty she says she’s ready for. When the retired psychiatrist spoke to The Ditch yesterday morning she was sailing across the Mediterranean towards Gaza on a ship carrying about 100 people – a mix of healthcare workers and members of the media. They’ve come from around the world: Ireland, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Spain and Palestine.
She says they’ll keep going. They say there’s no choice. Nation states won’t act. Someone needs to.
"The reason we’re on this flotilla is because governments aren’t taking responsibility to stop what is happening," she says. Last month a UN commission of inquiry joined human rights organisations like Amnesty International and B’Tselem in concluding Israel is committing genocide in Palestine.
Veronica and her comrades are on a “medics-media” boat on their way to join the Thousand Madleens flotilla launched from Sicily last month. She’s representing Irish Healthcare Workers for Palestine, a collective expressing solidarity with Palestinian healthcare providers. They’re also raising awareness about the atrocities taking place in Palestine. Figures released by the Palestinian Health Authority in September say at least 66,000 people have been killed since October 2023.
The Thousand Madleens flotilla follows the Global Sumud Flotilla, which Israeli forces intercepted in international waters this week, Sinn Féin Senator Chris Andrews among the Irish detainees. Andrews and over 400 others apprehended by Israel – including writer Naoise Dolan and comedian Tadgh Hickey – remain in custody.
The World Health Organization has “documented over 720 attacks on healthcare in Gaza, with at least 1,580 health workers killed and as yet unknown numbers arrested and detained by Israel”, say UN figures from August – numbers that have increased since.
News reached Veronica’s ship yesterday morning that Israeli forces in Gaza murdered Omar Hayek, a colleague and occupational therapist with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). Hayek, 42, is the 14th MSF worker killed in Gaza since 7 October, 2023. He was wearing an MSF vest identifying him as a medical humanitarian worker when he was killed at a bus stop on his way to work. The attack also seriously injured several other MSF staff and family members including a physiotherapist, orthopaedic surgeon, supply officer and finance assistant.
Veronica says her group, as well as doing whatever they can to oppose genocide, want to highlight the murder of Palestinian and international healthcare workers. “They are not collateral damage. They have been deliberately targeted and assassinated, abducted, tortured, kidnapped and killed," she says.
Veronica shares her fury with the 600-plus groups comprising Irish Healthcare Workers for Palestine across the country. Last month, 2,000 healthcare workers marched through Dublin city centre to support their colleagues in Gaza. "People are distressed. They're personally distressed and everybody wants to do something," she says.
She says the Irish government's response to the flotilla is consistent with its approach to Gaza – statements of concern coupled with a complete lack of material action. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have yet to impose a single sanction on Israel and have failed to enact the Occupied Territories Bill despite the legislation passing through both Dáil Éireann and the Seanad.
Government has spoken rhetoric to mollify the public. "The Irish government knows how dear this is to Irish people. So they appease us. But they're not actually doing anything," Veronica says. "They've almost said they're going to leave the Irish citizens on the flotilla to fend for themselves." This week taoiseach Micheál Martin told journalists that the activists should stop their journey.
“We do believe there’s danger there and we have said to people, to Irish citizens, that it’s not an area for safe travel. People shouldn’t in my view, shouldn’t progress farther,” he said, as reported by the Irish Times.
Veronica says other European governments have engaged in similar empty gestures as Ireland – naval escorts dispatched to accompany flotillas that were quietly withdrawn. Italy and Spain both sent ships to protect those onboard the Global Sumud Flotilla. "There was uncontained joy when Italy and Spain sent out boats," Veronica says. Both turned back before the exclusion zone.
The demand is straightforward: Israel must face consequences for its crimes. "We need a full sanction on Israel. We need a response from the Irish government that is consistent with international law," Veronica says.
She says she knows the Israeli navy will stop them, everyone does. The question isn't if, but when. Land routes are sealed. Flight isn't possible. The ocean is what remains. They'll keep sailing.
"The boats are going to continue coming. The sea is the only way to go for the moment. And we'll continue to do it. We're determined. And we'll come back. Everybody here will come back."
