Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Government was extremely surprised by the Israeli reaction to the tweet the Deputy referenced. We have to say that. Our approach, including the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and everybody else who has spoken on this issue, has been very firm. If the entire content of the overall statement that was issued is considered, as well as other statements we have consistently issued, we believe our view and where we stand on these issues is very well known internationally. What was said in a couple of words in a single one-line tweet should not be taken in the way it was. The ambassador, Ms McGuinness, presented a full statement by the Taoiseach in the Israeli foreign ministry yesterday following the hostage release. The Israelis' views on that were definitely made known and have been conveyed back to the Government. Overall, we believe that if anybody is fair and reasonable, to use that phrase, in looking at the comments by the Taoiseach on this issue, both in the full press statement in question and in previous statements, that person would think that, in the round, everything he has said so far has been very reasonable.