Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)

I am a poor stand-in but I will do my best. To follow on from where Senator O'Reilly left off, all of us will agree there is a need for a long-term solution in relation to the Middle East. An awful lot of us would consider what the Palestinian people have been through as nothing short of genocide. We need to see some sort of route map through to freedom and justice for the Palestinians. I would also say the American Administration has a significant opportunity now, as it always has had, to improve circumstances. I do not think anyone could say it has played a particularly fair role as regards the Palestinians over a considerable period, but particularly in the recent past. As regards the occupied territories Bill, does Mr. Sweetman accept that the territories are not an integral part of what people would call "Israel proper" and that the proposed legislation does not propose a blockade on trade with Israel? It it is very specific to the occupied territories, which are illegally held.