Barred by Israel, Irish FM enters Gaza via Egypt

Ma'an
Irish Foreign Minister Michael Martin arrived in Gaza on Thursday via the Egyptian controlled Rafah crossing after Israel denied him entry to the costal territory.

A Palestinian official at the Rafah crossing said Martin was joined by a 10-member delegation...

In a brief interview, Martin told Ma’an that he came to Gaza to “see for myself” what had transpired in the Strip, which was the target of a three-week military campaign by Israel last year.

....said Israel had given “no good reason” for denying him entry to the enclave.

He also criticized Israel’s eviction of Palestinians from their homes in Jerusalem, house demolition, and arbitrary detention. He also demanded a halt to the construction of Israeli settlements in the West Bank.

Martin arrived in Gaza amid a row between Ireland and Israel over allegation that Irish passports were used in a Mossad assassination of a senior Hamas figure in Dubai last month.

According to Dubai authorities, as many as 20 Irish passports were used in the killing of Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh, who was born in Gaza and exiled by Israel to Syria. Ireland summoned the Israeli ambassador in Dublin last week seeking answers in the matter.  Full story