Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Taoiseach for his response.

I wish to raise the issue of the intensification of attacks on Gaza by the Israeli army throughout last month. These attacks included the use of war planes with Israeli army offensives carried out almost daily from early August. In addition to the military attacks, Israel imposed further restrictions on the people of Gaza, which involved banning the entry of fuel for Gaza's only power plant. International media reported significant attacks on the Gaza Strip, resulting in ever-increasing and significant infrastructural damage. These attacks take place within a strip of land 41 km long and 10 km wide, with a population of some 2 million people. The psychological impact of these attacks on families and children is unimaginable and unconscionable.

The latest round of military attacks against Gaza took place in advance of the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, visiting Tel Aviv and the Middle East to shore up support for the United Arab Emirates' efforts to normalise relationships with Israel. Such efforts are deeply divisive and will serve to further destabilise the region.

Sinn Féin has welcomed the significant joint communiqué from the main Palestinian political forces in recent days, agreeing on the need to come together in their opposition to the normalisation of relationships between the Arab states and Israel and to the plans to annex Palestinian lands. Will the Taoiseach lend his support to this cross-party Palestinian initiative?

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