Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I condemn utterly the killing yesterday by Israeli forces of dozens of protestors. Children have been killed and thousands of people have been injured by sniper fire and exposure to tear gas. Ambulances and emergency medical personnel have come under fire and medics have sustained injuries. The excessive and brutal use of force will scar communities for generations, as we know well from our own history and it achieves nothing for the long-term security of the region.

The decision of President Trump to move the US Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem has provoked huge anger and we have seen the consequences of that. The shocking assertion by President Trump that it was "a great day for Israel" and similar remarks by the Israeli Prime Minister that it was "a glorious day" have left most right-thinking people absolutely sickened. This reckless move has set back the possibility of a long-term peace. We can ask who benefits. It has tipped the balance of power in the Middle East in a way that will lead to further instability and violence. It is incumbent on us in Ireland and on all EU member states to take concrete action now to redress the imbalances that have occurred.

We welcome the Government's public condemnation of what has happened but I have seen nothing however in the Minister's speech to shed some light on the Israeli ambassador's response to the Minister's expression of the Government's "horror", to use his own word, which these events have caused among the Irish people. When the Minister summoned the Israeli ambassador he was representing the Irish people and the people would like to know exactly what his response was when the Minister expressed such horror.

The people are absolutely outraged by this and we demand answers and a global response. Every effort must be made at the United Nations to achieve a full investigation and ensure those responsible will be held to account. The Government should also urge the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Ms Mogherini, to prepare a collective response condemning the killings on behalf of all members of the European Union.

As we have said before, we welcome the firm commitment of European leaders to a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine. We also welcome the fact that the EU position on Jerusalem remains unchanged. The recent call made by the Israeli Prime Minister for Ireland to move its embassy to Jerusalem shows utter contempt for international efforts over decades to broker a solution that recognises the importance of Jerusalem to both Israelis and Palestinians.

It would be a terrible mistake to regard the situation in Palestine as stalemate or deadlock which we are powerless to break. On the contrary, the situation is fluid, ever changing and clearly worsening in recent days. The vacuum caused by the absence of a fully functioning Palestinian state gives greater scope for those who promote violence and reject the idea of a two-state solution to the conflict. Three years ago the Dáil unanimously voted to recognise the state of Palestine. What is delaying the Government in declaring its recognition of Palestine as a state? It should now move to deliver on that commitment. The injustice of the current situation feeds into a growing radicalisation of Palestinians, including among those who are citizens of Israel. The conflict is being reproduced and reinforced through every means, including the education system. Violence is being presented to children and young people as the only answer. Such radicalisation can only lead to further instability and violence. Recognition of the Palestinian state by the Government would provide global leadership at this crucial juncture and put the focus, rightly, on the governance of Palestine and its future development. That is why we are calling on the Government to tell us when and how it will go about recognising the state of Palestine.

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