Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)

An Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman, Yigal Palmour, has claimed that a request was never made by the Department of Foreign Affairs for the Minister to visit Gaza. On the other hand he is reported as saying that such a request was made. I wonder whether the Minister has a view in that regard.

When one is not in an area at the time something happens, it can be difficult to pass judgment on it. My view, however, is the claim that the attack on Gaza was to deal solely with Hamas is completely untrue. That is epitomised by the destruction of the American international school and the industrial areas on the periphery of Gaza in the last days of the actual conflict, where the industrial and intellectual bases of the territory were wiped out.

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