Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I very much welcome the motion that has been brought forward. We have 2.1 million people living as hostages in a small area of land with no escape, no support, no access to medical care, no housing and no food. A total of 50% of the population is under the age of 19. This is a huge challenge in a state of 2.1 million people. There are 25,000 dead, 10,000 of whom are children. We then look at the West Bank, where more than 355 people have been killed, the vast majority by Israeli soldiers.

I was there in 2009 after Israel used the opportunity in the changeover of the US President in 2008 and 2009.

In 22 days, 1,417 Palestinians were killed. There were 13 Israeli soldiers killed. It was 100 Palestinians for one Israeli. I am concerned that the same ratio will now be used. That seems to be what we are discussing. I condemn what occurred on 7 October, but this ratio would mean that there could be 120,000 people killed because no one, especially among the major powers, is shouting “Stop”. It is appalling that the arms trade is making megabucks from this conflict, which is coming from the major powers around the world because they are standing idly by and not intervening. I was in the food depots in 2009, where more than 900,000 people were receiving food in order to survive. Now, there is no access to food, so we will be dealing with starvation and disease. It is important that this conflict be stopped at the earliest opportunity.

I pay tribute to the Irish diplomatic corps, which is working tirelessly in Brussels and in the UN. It is only by bringing other countries on board with us that we can move together to stop what is occurring. This cannot continue. This is murder. There is no justification for what is occurring. Innocent people, including 10,000 children, have died. Of the people killed, 75% were women and children. It has to stop.

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