Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left) | Oireachtas source

I too wish the Minister well in his new post but his response has been wholly inadequate in the context of the unfolding crisis in Gaza. The idea that the rockets that have been launched could justify what the Minister deemed to be Israel’s response is well short of the mark. We need to be clear about this. What is being fired from Gaza is well off the mark, not hitting home and low-key compared to the firepower coming across from the other side. The evidence of that is in the body count. There is nothing on the Israeli side while there is a massive civilian loss on the side of the Palestinian people.

The point we are trying to make is that Ireland is a neutral country in the EU. The majority of EU countries bend the knee in slavish adherence to the United States and its colleagues in Israel for their own economic interests. We can be a beacon against that and be the voice of reasoned citizens across Europe declaring this should not continue. We need to do much more.

I agree with the point about the Israeli ambassador but we need to lead the way with an economic embargo of the settlements and the undermining of all illegal Israeli activity which is behind much of the present conflict.

See this speech in context