Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

While I welcome that the Taoiseach condemned the actions of Hamas, as do I, he spoke yet again about how the Israeli response needs to be proportionate. That ship has truly sailed. Cutting off electricity and leaving babies in a neonatal intensive care unit to die before they can even get a chance to live is not proportionate. Genocide is not proportionate. Breaking international human rights law is not proportionate. The images of the absolute brutality and inhumanity the innocent children in particular are facing are not proportionate. Around 40 Irish citizens were not on the evacuation list from Gaza on two occasions, which is incredibly serious. Did the Taoiseach engage with European colleagues to seek support for smaller nations like Ireland that have been repeatedly left off the list?

Three weeks ago, I called on the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs to summon the Israeli ambassador. Instead, I have been approached by constituents who pointed out that the ambassador had a front-row seat at the recent Fianna Fáil Ard-Fheis. That really is one for Ireland's Own. I also called for sanctions against Israel and was told we had ceded that competency to Europe. I would like to know whether the Taoiseach has raised the need for economic sanctions. We have seen in various media interviews that Israel does not seem to be bothered about morals and does not seem to care about international law. Maybe it would care if we hit it in the pocket. The motto of the EU is "United in diversity". After its recent showing, perhaps it should be changed to "United in complicity", "United in sitting back" or "United watching a genocide unfold".

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