Irish state authorities last month assisted three FedEx flights through Irish territory as they illegally carried F-35 combat jet parts to an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) airbase.
State air navigation service AirNav Ireland helped the three flights on their journeys through Irish sovereign airspace despite taoiseach Micheál Martin last month calling for an end to the “killing of children” in Gaza.
The Ditch, Palestinian doctor Ahmed El Mokhallalati and Uplift launched legal proceedings against the government in July this year over its failure to prevent airlines, including FedEx, from illegally using Irish territory to transport munitions of war to Israel.
On August 11, 13, and 14, three FedEx flights from Memphis to Cologne were given clearance to fly through Irish sovereign airspace over Donegal – even though each was carrying multiple F-35 components to Nevatim IDF base in Israel.
The carriage of munitions of war through Irish airspace without permission from transport minister Darragh O’Brien is a criminal offence punishable by up to three years' imprisonment.
The IDF uses F-35 fighter jets to drop 900-kilogramme bombs on Gaza.
The Irish government has been repeatedly warned since October 2024 that FedEx uses the Memphis-to-Cologne route to transport munitions of war to Israel.
The Department of Transport has been contacted for comment.
