The state is facilitating an Israeli cargo plane using Irish-controlled airspace to pick up Israel Defense Forces (IDF) weaponry from the United States.
The aircraft has on multiple occasions over the past week passed through the airspace on its way to a US military base before returning to Israel, according to flight records seen by The Ditch.
Earlier this month the United States committed an additional $3.5 billion in military aid to Israel for use in its campaign in Gaza.
The plane has made daily trips between Israeli and US air bases since last Saturday and is currently travelling from the Dover military air base, Delaware, to Natavim air base.
Directly assisted by the state
On August 14, 2024, an Israeli cargo plane with the registration 4X-ICA left Nevatim air base, passing through Irish-controlled airspace en route to Travis Air Force Base in California. It returned to Nevatim the same day after stopping at Dover Air Force Base.
Two days later, on 16 August 2024, the Boeing 747-4EVERF followed a similar pattern, flying from Tel Aviv to Travis Air Force Base, passing through Irish-controlled airspace. It flew back to Nevatim that day after a stop at Dover.
Last October the Israeli ministry of defence boasted that this same plane had carried advanced weaponry from the US to Israel.
When both flights passed through the airspace last week on their way to collect US weaponry destined for Israel they were assisted by AirNav Ireland, the state-owned air traffic management service, who cleared them for entry into Irish-controlled airspace.
In May The Ditch reported that a US military cargo plane landing at Shannon Airport, often used for munitions transport, had passed through Shannon Airport. Irish authorities didn’t search the plane, which was bringing US general Erik Kurilla to meet with the IDF.
Israel faces genocide accusations at the International Court of Justice over its Gaza operations under a case brought by South Africa, which Ireland has supported. Under the Genocide Convention, ratified by Ireland, the state has an obligation to prevent and punish the crime of genocide.
Last week taoiseach Simon Harris said the world has failed the people of Gaza.
“Forty-thousand dead in Gaza is a milestone the world must be ashamed of. International diplomacy has failed to protect innocent children, some only days old,” Harris said, as reported by the Irish Examiner.
The Department of the Taoiseach, Department of Foreign Affairs, and AirNav have been contacted for comment.
