Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We do not do sanctions on our own. We do sanctions with the European Union and United Nations. We pursue those sanctions. At UN Security Council level, we secured an important clause to ensure that, in any sanction regimes, there would be a provision for humanitarian corridors in situations of dire humanitarian need. Our best role in the European Union is to bring about influence on the collective EU position, which has been effective. In earlier replies, I addressed the basic principles that people feel should govern any post-war situation in Gaza. They include no depopulation of Gaza, a Palestinian authority in charge of administering services in Gaza, and ensuring the reconstruction of Gaza, which Europe will probably be one of the biggest contributors to, for the fourth time. It now looks like countries external to the Middle East will be rebuilding Gaza. It is a horrific situation but that is where we find ourselves. Europe has quadrupled its humanitarian aid to Gaza to the tune of €100 million.

See this speech in context