Mairead Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am very concerned about the escalating conflict in the Red Sea and the risk this could spill into a wider regional war. Every time we turn on the global news, we hear inflammatory rhetoric, with some political or military figure telling the audience we need to prepare for war with whoever is considered to be the supervillain at that time. Truthfully at this point, we have to ask ourselves whatever happened to diplomacy. Where is the EU in trying to promote dialogue and de-escalation? I cannot understand how the US and Britain can find the resolve to bomb Yemen but not to call for a ceasefire and an end to the genocide that is unfolding in Gaza. The Houthis say their actions were a response to the genocide in Gaza, so if we stop the genocide, perhaps we can also stop the blockade of the Red Sea, allow shipping routes to be opened, conflict to be decreased and the loss of more innocent lives in Palestine to be prevented.

To most people, this seems absolutely elementary, but the British Prime Minister, Sunak, has said the UK will always stand up for freedom of navigation and the free flow of trade. It would be welcome if it took a stand for international law and the freedom of the Palestinian people but, unfortunately, it seems to be another case of the strong doing as they wish and the weak suffering as they must.

I again raise the issue of Julian Assange, something I have raised numerous times with the Minister of State pre- and post European Council meetings. What is happening to Julian Assange is an attack on journalism and the free press and I urge the Minister of State to raise this at the European Council meeting.

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