Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)

It is rather hard to know where to start on something that is so deeply felt and so emotional. Ms Hausdorff talked about people who truly care, and Rabbi Wieder correctly referenced the Jewish people's care for the people who are being slaughtered in this war. In being here and enacting this legislation, we are responding to an Irish people who truly care, who have been concerned about the continuation of the creation of settlements throughout the West Bank, people who compare those settlements with the plantations that happened centuries ago. If you are going to talk about history, why stop at 1948 or 1967 or whenever else? Let us go right back as far as we like, but there is that comparison in the hearts of the Irish people. As the Chair has said, we are to a man and woman, here and I am sure in Israel, Palestine and across the world - I was in France at the weekend and all that people could talk about was the horror of what is happening, which was described so accurately to us by Deputy Brian Brennan. It is the horror of the actions of Hamas and the horror being carried out under the instructions of Netanyahu. That is what revolts people. That is what goes beyond what we could consider normal in any set of circumstances. Okay, maybe this legislation is reactive. Maybe it is symbolic but maybe this small country of ours can only offer symbolism at this stage because we have a way to go yet before our practical peacemaking skills can come into play.

I will ask one question of all witnesses. There is food relief and medical aid rotting on the border of this land waiting to gain access. What do they say to the international agencies who have so far failed in their requirement to deliver that aid, and what do they say to the Netanyahu regime about that aid? Should it not be forthwith made available to the women, children and elderly men of Palestine so that they at least may see some future?