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Wales Online
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Wales Online
Welsh activist recalls terrifying moment she was arrested abroad
Welsh activist recalls terrifying moment she was arrested abroad D. Murphy, a Swansea resident, was detained in Palestine of at the end of last month D. Murphy, a Swansea resident, was arrested by Israeli authorities while she was in a village in Palestine (Image: International Solidarity Movement ) A Swansea woman has recalled the moment she was arrested by Israeli police in an early-morning raid while volunteering in the occupied West Bank. D. Murphy, who is originally from Cork in Ireland, has lived in Swansea for more than 40 years and had been visiting the West Bank as a human rights observer with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) when she was arrested last month. She has been going to the West Bank, particularly the village Khalet Al-Daba'a in Masafer Yatta, for more than 20 years. Never miss a Swansea story by signing up to our newsletter here. Ms Murphy and fellow activist Susanne Björk, 48, a Swedish citizen, were arrested by Israeli police on May 31 after being accused of being in a closed military zone. She has since returned home to Wales after reportedly being detained for 10 days. Recounting her arrest Ms Murphy told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast: 'I've explained to you how the place was demolished. "But violent, despicable Israeli settlers, armed settlers, came and forced two families out. They're untouchable and they know it. Article continues below 'And just to see grown men and women and grandparents having to sit there and take it because if you raise a finger against a settler you're under arrest. We stayed the night.' Describing the moment she was arrested Ms Murphy said she got up to use the toilet and "heard from the bathroom shouting shouting, shouting, and glass being broken". She has been going to Palestine since 2004 (Image: International Solidarity Movement ) She added: 'So the soldier smashed the glass of the door and he was like: 'Get out' pointing guns at us, you know. 'Passports, passports', which we gave. "How would you not when someone's pointing a gun at you, like, a rifle at you? And then they said: 'You're detained until the police come'.' The duo faced deportation and though Ms Björk returned home Ms Murphy spent 10 days trying to fight the decision, according to ISM, which also alleged that she was initially denied legal counsel. However her lawyer was later able able to speak to speak to Ms Murphy who eventually made the decision to return as she said that communication was difficult from the prison. She said she felt "outrage combined with a kind of heartbreak" at the fact she had "walked away from my friends when they really needed us there." She added: 'I really wanted to [stay and fight the deportation] but things didn't work out for me. Article continues below "Communication was impossible so it didn't feel like it would have achieved anything. 'So,I made the very sad decision to leave of my own accord at the end of the day.'
Extra.ie
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Extra.ie
Palestinian activist from Cork is homeward bound
A 71-year-old Cork activist is set to return to her home after being deported from Israel for protesting the demolition of homes in the occupied West Bank. Cork woman Deirdre 'D' Murphy was arrested by Israeli authorities at the small village of Khalet al-Daba'a on May 31 and spent close to two weeks in prison. The long-standing member of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) for Palestine was arrested alongside a Swedish woman after being accused of being in a 'closed military zone'. Deirdre Murphy with her son Dale Ryan. Pic: Supplied The pensioner was served with a deportation order but decided to spend time in jail in order to appeal it. The ISM confirmed yesterday she was returning to her home in Wales. They claimed she was brought before a tribunal without legal representation, despite requests, and her lawyer was only allowed to visit her once while she was in custody. Dale Ryan, Ms Murphy's son, said: '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. From their treatment of the Palestinians over the past several decades, this was not something we had the most confidence in. My mother did not want to be detained or deported, she wanted to be in the Masafer Yatta region with her friends, helping in any way she could, but I know she would have been pleased her situation helped to draw some more eyes to the appalling treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank and the humanitarian crisis we are witnessing in Gaza.' Israel has accelerated plans to build settlements in the West Bank since the war with Hamas began, with 22 more approved just before Ms Murphy's arrest.
The Journal
11-06-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
70-year-old Irish woman deported from Israel after being denied legal representation in court
AN IRISH WOMAN has been deported from Israel this afternoon, ten days after she was arrested by Israeli forces for 'entering an active military zone' in the West Bank. 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. Advertisement 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. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Hindustan Times
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Greta Thunberg's Freedom Flotilla ‘attacked'? Crew claims drones dropped white substance on them
The Gaza Freedom Flotilla, carrying Greta Thunberg and 11 other activists, was allegedly attacked by drones that sprayed the vessel with a 'white paint-like substance. 'The 'Madleen' is currently under assault in international waters. Quadcopters are surrounding the ship, spraying it with a white paint-like substance. Communications are jammed, and disturbing sounds are being played over the radio,' the flotilla said in a post on Instagram. According to Al Jazeera, contact was lost with the Madleen after it was allegedly intercepted by Israeli commandos in international waters on Sunday. Huwaida Arraf, co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement, confirmed that they too have lost contact with the vessel.
Metro
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Metro
'How do I know my mum isn't dead in a ditch after Israel arrested her?'
Seren Murphy, 43, was relaxing at home on a Saturday night when she got a message on the WhatsApp family group chat from her mum. She'd been arrested by Israel. Seren's mum, Máire Ní Mhurchú, 70, flew to the occupied West Bank in early May to do what she has done for 20 years – help Palestinians. But no one heard from the mum-of-three, grandmother-of-eight and great-grandmother-of-two for days after she was detained and threatened with deportation on Saturday, an order she is fighting in the courts. Seren, a librarian in Swansea, told Metro: 'How do I know she's not dead in a ditch somewhere? 'When you look at what's happening in Gaza, the fact that they have murdered aid workers and medical staff, what's to stop them from bumping off a little old lady?' As much as Seren's phone has been 'red-hot' recently from her frantically checking it, she knows her mum will be fine. She said: 'My mum is my hero. She's got the biggest heart of anybody I've ever met – Palestine is part of her life and soul.' Almost every autumn, Mhurchú, who goes by D Murphy, goes to the West Bank to help pick olives off the terraced hillsides. But the olives were unharvested when she landed last month. Seren said: 'The joy is disappearing. They're living in fear… Some of the villages she's been to have been bulldozed to the ground. Some people she knows are dead.' One village is Khalet Al-Daba'a in Masafer Yatt, home to 14 families before Israeli forces demolished 90% of the homes and infrastructure. Murphy, from Douglas in Cork, was joined by her friend Susanne Björk on May 28 to volunteer for the International Solidarity Movement (ISM). Björk, 48, told Metro Israeli settlers she filmed 'terrorising' Palestinian villagers stole her phone on May 30. She reported them to the police. But at 6.30am the next day, masked soldiers kicked down their door and gave them 10 seconds to get out. Israeli settlers serving as reservists reportedly told them to leave as they were in a 'military area' before police arrested them. Björk said: 'But the police and soldiers the day before had not mentioned this. How are we to know we were not supposed to be there?' To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Inside the station, they saw two Palestinian boys, aged about 13. Björk recalled: 'An officer told me: 'These are terrorists. If we don't zip-tie them, they'll run.' We were in the middle of an illegal settlement. There was nowhere for them to go.' Israel has classified the area as a military zone since the 1980s, complicating residents' ability to remain. Khalet Al-Daba'a is inactive, according to a 2022 map. At a Sunday hearing in Tel Aviv, the court accused them of being in a military zone and threatening soldiers and police. Björk said: 'Which is a ridiculous thing to say because these are heavily armed people and I'm a 48-year-old woman with a 70-year-old.' After agreeing to board the next available flight, Björk was deported. Murphy is in Givon Prison and was denied counsel on Wednesday, ISM said. Björk said: 'I fear for D. She's a 70-year-old woman in detention – we had to fight to use the toilet.' On Wednesday, Seren's aunt received a call – it was Murphy, saying she had not spoken with her lawyer since Monday. Seren said: 'I'm reassured knowing she's still alive. It's surreal to think that way about your mum. 'But alongside those feelings is also anger at the fact we're in this situation and what is happening every day in Palestine.' Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and taking 250 people hostage. Israel has killed nearly 54,700 Palestinians, mainly women and children. ISM told Metro: 'Israel labels indigenous Palestinians, their supporters and those who tell the truth about the genocide unfolding in occupied Palestine as criminals, uses force to silence and remove them from occupied Palestine.' More Trending Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade told Metro officials are providing consular assistance. It said: 'As with all consular cases, the Department does not comment on the details of individual cases.' The IDF, the Israel Police and Sweden's Ministry for Foreign Affairs have been approached for comment. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Ireland has a US border — it could help travellers nervous about Trump's America MORE: I spent 48 hours in Ireland's rebel city — it's in the midst of a revolution MORE: US suggests Palestinian state should be in the French Riviera
