Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)

I ask the Tánaiste to reconsider this issue. The more widespread and prominent the support that is given to the flotilla, the greater chance it has of getting through and bringing aid and support to the besieged people of Gaza. If, for example, there was a Government representative on board one of those ships, it would make it far less likely that Israel would attack it. For that reason, the Tánaiste should reconsider and the Government should put representatives on one of those boats. The situation is intolerable for the people of Gaza, as the Tánaiste acknowledged and as most people understand.

In July of last year, Deputy Joe Costello and Mr. Proinsias De Rossa, Labour Party MEP, asked the previous Attorney General to exercise his duty under Irish legislation and the Geneva Convention to bring charges against those who were suspected of war crimes in regard to Operation Cast Lead, the Israeli assault on Gaza and the attack on the flotilla. Now that Deputy Gilmore is in Government, will he follow through on that and initiate such proceedings against Israel? Deputy Costello and Mr. De Rossa said it could be done unilaterally in this country so will the Tánaiste do it, as he should?

While no one wants to see bombs or bullets going in either direction, as the Tánaiste said, will he state clearly that there is no equivalence in this situation between one and the other? The basic problem is that Israel refused to accept the outcome of elections in Gaza in 2006 which were acknowledged to be democratic, free and fair. Its refusal to do that lies at the root of the problem and of the siege that followed. Will the Tánaiste state clearly that this is the root of the problem?

See this speech in context