I appreciate the Deputy raising the issue. We are a voice for peace. We will be a voice for peace. We have maintained contact with all of the states involved and all of the interlocutors involved in the Middle East process.

I am only weeks out of the Middle East, having been there for three days. I did not anticipate the horrors of what was to follow although we were fairly depressed coming out in the absence of any political momentum and in what was clearly a deteriorating situation. In our view, there has to be a political track developed to once and for all try and resolve these issues. There has to be a determined effort by significant major powers, both in Europe and elsewhere, to get this on a sustainable political path because the implications are horrific on the citizens of Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, but also all the neighbouring countries face huge challenges as a result of the violence that is unfolding right now.

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