Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

I will make it brief. When Mr. John Ging stood alongside Ban Ki-moon in front of burning humanitarian aid in the UN compound, the UN Secretary General's request was that those responsible be brought to account. Nothing I have heard suggests that they will ever be brought to account. While I would welcome the Minister's strong position, an admission that the EU will not bring such people to account would be helpful. In that light, its credibility in respect of international humanitarian law would be damaged.

I have visited Gaza and travelled through the crossings as late as 2005. How is humanitarian relief to be brought into Gaza while the discussion continues if the crossings are closed? This shows the absolute nonsense of events at the General Affairs and External Relations Council, GAERC. It is time to expose the military members of the EU who will not condemn outright the actions that are in breach of international law. In the case of the British, they are afraid of such condemnation being invoked against themselves in some of their military actions elsewhere. These are facts.

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