The use of an Irish airport for U.S. deportation flights carrying Palestinians to Israel has ignited a firestorm of condemnation, with Irish politicians labeling the practice as utterly 'reprehensible.'
A recent investigation by The Guardian has brought to light a deeply concerning detail: a private jet, owned by a prominent donor to former U.S. President Donald Trump, was chartered by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for two separate journeys. These flights transported detainees from the United States to Israel, with crucial refueling stops made at Shannon Airport in County Clare, Ireland.
The flights in question departed the U.S. on January 21st and February 1st. The aircraft in question belongs to Gil Dezer, a businessman whose family company has been involved in constructing Trump-branded residential towers in Miami. Dezer himself has publicly expressed a strong affinity for Donald Trump, claiming a friendship spanning two decades.
But here's where it gets particularly distressing: some individuals on board these flights have reported being shackled at the wrists and ankles for the entire duration of their journeys. Upon arrival in Tel Aviv, the detainees were reportedly then taken to the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
While the Irish government initially stated that these flights, which only stopped for refueling and did not pick up or drop off passengers, did not require prior approval from their transport department, the situation has since escalated. Opposition politicians in Ireland have voiced significant alarm.
Duncan Smith, the Labour party's spokesperson for foreign affairs, declared it "absolutely reprehensible" that any ICE deportation flights would be permitted to refuel at Shannon. He urged the Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister) and the Minister for Transport to step in and halt this practice, emphasizing that "Ireland cannot in any way be complicit in these ICE flights."
Roderic O'Gorman, leader of the Green party, echoed these sentiments, calling it "deeply disturbing" to learn that Shannon was being utilized to facilitate what he described as the "cruel actions of Donald Trump’s ICE."
Patricia Stephenson, foreign affairs spokesperson for the Social Democrats, demanded a government statement on whether these flights were knowingly facilitated. She expressed her belief that the human rights of those on board had been violated.
And this is the part most people miss: Dezer's aircraft was chartered through Journey Aviation, a Florida-based company frequently engaged by U.S. authorities for private jet charters. Journey Aviation declined to comment on these specific flights.
According to Human Rights First (HRF), an organization that monitors deportation flights, Dezer's jet – which he's referred to as his "favourite toy" – has been used for removal flights since last October. Before these recent trips to Israel, the plane had reportedly transported detainees to countries like Kenya, Liberia, Guinea, and Eswatini.
One passenger on the first flight, Maher Awad, a 24-year-old originally from the West Bank who had lived in the U.S. for nearly a decade and has family there, shared a harrowing account. He described being "dropped off like animals on the side of the road" and seeking help from locals.
In a statement to The Guardian, Gil Dezer claimed he was "never privy to the names" of passengers or the flight's purpose when his jet is privately chartered, only being notified of the dates of use. He did not elaborate further on his jet's use by the Trump administration for these deportations.
Industry estimates suggest these flights could have cost ICE between $400,000 and $500,000.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated, "If a judge finds an illegal alien has no right to be in this country, we are going to remove them. Period," without directly addressing the specific deportation flights to Israel.
What are your thoughts on a sovereign nation's airport being used as a transit point for deportations, especially when human rights concerns are raised? Do you believe the Irish government should have had a more active role in preventing these stops? Share your opinions below!
