Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will move on to the issue of UNRWA funding. We are conscious of the 5 million Palestinian refugees that it supports. The USA's decision was disgraceful. The witnesses have outlined clearly how drastically the cuts will affect the communities with which they work. We support the EAPPI's call for Ireland and the EU to increase their funding to UNRWA. We will raise this issue with the Minister.

Does the EAPPI have volunteers working in Gaza? Israel's continuing illegal blockade of Gaza is another crime that must be punished by the international community, including Ireland. A report by the UN detailed exactly how living conditions in Gaza had significantly worsened in the ten years since the territory was blockaded by Israel. Due to the repeated military attacks on the densely populated strip of land, it is believed that Gaza will effectively be unlivable by 2020. It is incredible that the world continues to stand by and allow this to happen. Should Ireland do more to help Palestinians living in Gaza?

The witnesses will be well aware of Senator Black's occupied territories Bill and the call to recognise the state of Palestine. The EAPPI has been clear on that call and has supported it. Would the EAPPI support the Bill? We view it as an incredibly significant Bill, but it is important that the committee hear the EAPPI's position on same. The Palestinian President is visiting Ireland this weekend. Would it not be an opportune time for the Taoiseach to recognise the state of Palestine?

This week, 25 civil society organisations and coalitions, including Trócaire, wrote to the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, ICC, asking to have an investigation opened into the situation in Palestine. The situation is rapidly deteriorating and war crimes and crimes against humanity are frequently being committed to entrench Israeli control over Palestinian territory and the Palestinian people, yet Israel continues to act with impunity. The ICC is the only viable independent judicial body capable of ending impunity for crimes committed in the occupied Palestinian territory and deterring the commission of future crimes. Sinn Féin supports this call and believes that the ICC must immediately open an investigation. Is this something that the EAPPI would also support?