For the first time since 2006 the state has admitted it allowed munitions of war – onboard a US military plane authorised by Simon Harris to touch down at Shannon Airport – to travel through Irish territory on their way to Israel.
Transport minister Darragh O’Brien granted an exemption to the war plane carrying munitions from the US Department of War airbase to Nevatim Israel Defense Forces (IDF) base.
The Ditch reported on Tuesday that Simon Harris authorised the same flight to refuel at Shannon Airport last Sunday.
Since 7 October, 2023 government has refused to act on illegal munitions flights through Irish territory to Israel and has relied on carefully worded statements regarding state policy on the authorisation of weapons being transported through Ireland.
It’s been almost 20 years since government has acknowledged it’s allowed weapons through the country to Israel.
The reports follow opposition demands in the Dáil for answers from government about the plane’s stopover at the county Clare airport.
When pressed by The Ditch
The Omni Air aircraft, registration number N423AX, landed in Shannon on Sunday.
The US Department of War-chartered plane required diplomatic clearance from foreign affairs minister Simon Harris.
It was being used to transport soldiers or military cargo according to its callsign.
Hours after arriving at Shannon the plane left Clare for its final destination, Nevatim Israel Defense Forces airbase.
The Department of Transport has sought to downplay the aircraft’s presence in the state by referring to the flight’s brief stopover at Athens airport before it arrived at the IDF base.
“The flight referenced received an exemption to undertake a technical stop in Shannon Airport in the early hours of Sunday morning before departing to its stated destination, a point in Greece,” said a Department of Transport spokesperson.
When pressed by The Ditch for further details the department admitted that the “exemption was granted by the minister for transport in accordance with the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Orders 1973 and 1989”.
Nevatim airbase is home to the Israeli Air Force’s fleet of F-35 fighter jets used to bomb Gaza.
Harris has so far refused to comment on the controversy.
