Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

We should all accept there is no such thing as one-sided war and no one side is ever on its own. We should also acknowledge today that Ireland has significant interest in what goes on in the Middle East and has troops on the ground out there on all sides. My thoughts are with them.

As far as I am concerned, Hamas is a terrorist group in the worst sense of the word insofar as it will throw anybody and anything in front of its desire for a victory in whatever part of the world it wishes to exist at any time. I have absolutely no time for Hamas and what it does. I ask the UN Security Council where Hamas is getting its weapons. There are images of Palestine in bits and these people have tens of millions of euro in weapons for use against Israel.

I also state at this time that Ireland has now re-established what I would call good old-fashioned relationships with the United States so we are in a better position than we ever have been. In Ireland, we lived with terrorism for 40 years and my own family suffered threats from terrorism. I served in two armies and I know what it is like to be on the ground.

No war against terrorism can be won in the air and the likes of Hamas cannot be fought in the air. Hamas is fully aware of the fact that when Israel sends rockets and jets to fire missiles in order to take out Hamas, civilians will also be taken out. I am looking at reports now of 69 people killed, 17 of whom were children, and 390 people wounded, 86 of whom were children and 39 of whom were women. No one side is responsible for this and no matter how much we might want, on either side of the argument, to clap ourselves on the back and say "it was not our fault", it is everybody's fault.

The ambassador is the most honourable man I have met in this country and his desire to represent his state is commendable. I ask him if he is willing to go back to Israel and remind his government that the Irish people are his friends. The Irish people have learned that one cannot win a terrorist war so one must work for peace. It would be the most noble act for Israel to withdraw now from conflict; one side can call a truce and step back from the brink. I ask that Israel does that.

The representations today were robust and I understand that willingness to defend the actions of people that we care for. Deputy Brady showed some photographs of children and they should never be the victims in war. I abhor war and hate everything about it. I ask the witnesses to use their good offices to negotiate for peace at all levels. I understand the annoyance and frustration felt by the witnesses when they hear Palestine represented in Ireland, as it is like no other side exists sometimes. The Hamas group must be taken out.

Israel has one of the best-trained armies in the world and it should be possible to be far more focused in taking out those who threaten its country. The people of Palestine have suffered but as has been pointed out in the submissions, I cannot imagine what it would be like to go to bed in Tel Aviv or some part of Israel tonight knowing that rockets are being fired indiscriminately into places of safety. A home should be a safe place.

I am not taking sides but I understand both sides and the fear of people living in Israel with the threat of terrorism hanging over them. I wish the people of Palestine would see that issue with Hamas.