Use of Irish airport for US deportation flights to Israel called 'reprehensible'

[cbabe]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/07/use-of-irish-shannon-airport-for-us-deportation-flights-to-israel-called-reprehensible

Use of Irish airport for US deportation flights to Israel called ‘reprehensible’

Irish politicians condemn use of Shannon airport by private jet en route to Israel, owned by Trump donor Gil Dezer

Geraldine McKelvie
Sat 7 Feb 2026 10.38 EST

Politicians in Ireland have said the use of an airport in County Clare by planes deporting Palestinians from the US to Israel is “reprehensible”.

A private jet owned by the Donald Trump donor Gil Dezer was chartered by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for two separate flights that took detainees to Israel, a Guardian investigation revealed this week.

The flights left the US on 21 January and 1 February. Both made refuelling stops at Shannon airport in the west of Ireland.

Dezer’s family property company has built a series of Trump-branded residential towers in Miami. He recently spoke of his “love” for the US president, with whom he claims to have had a 20-year friendship.

Some of those onboard the flights on Dezer’s jet said they had their wrists and ankles shackled for the duration of the journey. After arriving in Tel Aviv, they appear to have been taken to the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

The Irish government said in a statement that as the flights stopped in the country for “non-traffic purposes” and were “not picking up or setting down passengers” they did not require prior approval from its transport department.

However, on Friday, opposition politicians expressed concern to the Irish Times about the practice.

Duncan Smith, foreign affairs spokesperson for the Labour party in Ireland, said: “It is absolutely reprehensible that any ICE deportation flights would be allowed stop and refuel in Shannon. The taoiseach and minister for transport must intervene and ensure this ends.” He added: “Ireland cannot in any way be complicit in these ICE flights.”

… more …

[moniss]

1. Maybe this Dezer guy

should be checked to see if he is in the Epstein files.