Tom Clonan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise the prospect of Israeli retaliation against the Islamic Republic of Iran. Three individuals - Yoav Gallant, Benny Gantz and Benjamin Netanyahu - have presided over genocidal retaliation against the people of Gaza for the reprehensible attack on 7 October in which more than 1,000 Israeli citizens - innocent men, women and children - were butchered by Hamas. Israel's response has been of such a scale and so disproportionate that it has murdered, and I use that word advisedly because its actions have been contrary to the laws of armed conflict and the Geneva Convention, over 30,000 men, women and children. This has quite rightly been condemned by the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach in recent weeks. They have shown considerable leadership in that regard. However, past behaviour is the best predictor of future behaviour. We are at a precipitous moment. I have no doubt that Netanyahu, Gallant and Gantz will sanction very heavy-handed retaliatory strikes against Iran, Lebanon, Iraq and Syria in the coming weeks, which will raise the prospect of regional escalation. They will carry out Cruise missile attacks and air assaults using their air force. With the opportunity we now have, I ask that the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach summon the Israeli ambassador to give an assurance that Irish troops will not be targeted in south Lebanon. I say this particularly in light of what I experienced when Israel previously declared south Lebanon a free-fire zone. I saw how hundreds of innocent Lebanese were slaughtered and how Irish troops came under direct fire from air strikes and artillery attacks. We should not allow this to happen. It is unacceptable. Our troops are there on UN service in good faith as peacekeepers. I wonder whether there would be an element of retaliation for our foreign policy position, which has been so explicitly stated. Before this catastrophic retaliation kicks off, can we take the opportunity to demand that Irish troops operating with UNIFIL are deemed not to be targets?