70-year-old Irish woman deported from Israel after being denied legal representation in court
70-year-old great-grandmother Máire Ní Mhurchú, originally from Douglas, Co Cork, was detained by Israeli forces in the village of Khallet al-Dabaa in the Masafer Yatta region of southern West Bank on 1 June.
Murphy was arrested shortly after Israeli forces declared the village a 'closed military zone.'
According to Palestinian sources, residents and international solidarity activists were forcibly removed from the area.
The International Solidarity Movement (ISM), a Palestinian-led organisation that supports nonviolent resistance in the West Bank and Gaza, said Murphy had been complying with Israeli orders to leave when she was harassed by Israeli settlers.
Murphy was initially held at Ben Gurion Airport, before being transferred to Givon Prison in Ramla on Tuesday.
She appeared before court in Israel this week to appeal the deportation order given to her by Israeli authorities – though the ISM claim she was
denied legal representation and was unable to contact her lawyer
, despite her requests for them and multiple attempts by her lawyer to get in touch through the prison service.
Murphy was deported to the UK this afternoon.
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Her son, Dale Ryan, said that her family 'are all very relieved' to have her home.
'The past 10 days have been intense and we have had to trust that the Israeli authorities would treat my mother fairly and ensure her basic needs were met,' Ryan said.
'From their treatment of the Palestinians over the past several decades, this was not something we had the most confidence in.
He added that his mother wanted to remain in the West Bank 'helping them in any way she could', but conceded that Murphy 'would have been pleased that her situation helped to draw some more eyes to the appalling treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank'.
'I know after a day's rest my mother will be back gathering support for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and for the fair treatment of all Palestinians, after me and all her family give her a massive hug.'
According to the ISM, Israeli forces are now demolishing the houses and water systems left in Khalet Al-Dabaa, together with makeshift tents.
'These communities face an ongoing and escalating campaign of ethnic cleansing and forcible displacement being carried out by Israeli settlers with the full support of the Israeli state,' an ISM spokesperson said.
They added that they were disappointed in the 'shy response' from both the Irish and British governments.
'Murphy's case has served to remind us that the international community not only has an obligation to stop trade and relationships with Israel, but also to take decisive steps to bring the genocide and occupation of Palestine to an end,' the spokesperson added.
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