Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

As the Taoiseach knows, last year an aid flotilla was attacked and several innocents were massacred. In Leaders' Questions just one year ago, the current Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade bluntly demanded safe passage for the Rachel Corrie, which was at that time making its way to Gaza. Yesterday, however, when Deputy Boyd Barrett and I called on the Taoiseach to publicly demand unhindered passage for the flotilla, he failed to do so. Why is the Taoiseach so pathetically weak in demanding of the Israeli Government that it allow this critical aid to pass unhindered? Has the Government been lobbied in any way by the Israeli Government? Is he afraid to displease the American Government, whose Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, made a disgusting statement alleging that the humanitarian mission was "merely to provoke Israel into using its right to defend itself"?

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