Dear TD/Senator, At this moment, two civilian vessels (one Irish and one Canadian) are sailing to the besieged Gaza strip in Palestine. They will sail from international waters directly to Gaza, and will not pass through Israeli territorial waters. The Gaza strip is one of the most densely populated places on earth. There are 1.5 million people living in an area just 20 miles long and 6 miles wide, literally surrounded by a military who regularly attacks with impunity. It is an open air prison. The people onboard the boats, the MV Saoirse and the Tahrir, are people of conscience who deserve our support and deserve the support of their respective government officials. Our Foreign Affairs minister, Eamon Gilmore T.D., in an address to the 66th Session of the UN General Assembly, called for an independent Palestinian State . Well then, let us actually back up our words with action and call for the unarmed civilian ships to be able to sail through Palestinian waters without being attacked by the Israeli military. Please take a public stand for Irish citizens who are risking their lives to help others, Mise le meas,