Dublin, 4 November, 2024
The Ditch is going to court.
We have written to FedEx informing it that its illegal munitions flights through Irish territory to Israel are subject to a legal challenge being taken by Ditch Media Ltd against the Irish state.
FedEx continues to bring munitions to Israel through Irish sovereign airspace illegally. The Israel Defense Forces has used these munitions in its ongoing onslaught against the people of Gaza – which has killed at least 131 media workers, the people on whom we rely to inform us of what is subject of an ongoing charge of genocide at the International Court of Justice.
The Ditch’s journalists don’t face such dangers. We aren’t at the front. What little we can do is extend some level of solidarity and challenge the Irish state in court to fulfil Ireland’s legal obligations and stop these flights. This is an act of neither radicalism nor rebellion but rather a simple request to respect the rule of law.
As journalists die in Gaza, illegal munitions flights continue over Ireland. The Ditch is seeking to compel the state to take whatever actions necessary to stop these flights. Solicitor Roman Shortall, on behalf of Ditch Media Ltd, has written a warning letter to taoiseach Simon Harris, minister Eamon Ryan, as well as their government colleagues, today and will instruct external counsel to draft the necessary legal pleadings. This is our contribution. We hope other states follow with contributions similar to those taken by their people.
Swords Stands with Palestine is protesting an Irish company involved with these FedEx flights, calling on staff to “make an historic difference”, said Karen Gearon. She’s a former Dunnes Stores worker who refused to handle South African goods in the 1980s’ campaign against apartheid. “We were young women at the time with little experience of politics. We started with the knowledge that we had truth and justice on our side,” she said.
On Friday night FedEx deleted evidence of its illegal munitions flights to Israel through Irish airspace. On Monday The Ditch wrote to FedEx.
We think truth and justice are on our side. We await the outcome of this action.
- Ditch Media Ltd directors Roman Shortall and Eoghan McNeill
