Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The ability of Irish people to not be misinformed or misdirected on the position of the European Council, including the President of the European Commission, is important because there is enough misinformation out there at the moment. We need to see an immediate ceasefire and we need to see practical actions to help bring that about. What I have said on behalf of Ireland at the European Council, what I have said this morning, what I will say this evening, what I will say everywhere and in every forum, as will the Government, is that we must now use every lever at our disposal to bring about that environment. It is not enough to just call for a ceasefire. We have to see what can be done to put pressure on to make that a reality. That is why it has been the position of Ireland since March that the association agreement, the trade benefit agreement, should be reviewed. I am pleased to see others join us in that call. That needs to happen because I am not ready to stand idly by and wait for Netanyahu’s apology for the tragic mistake of June, as he continually does now when particular horrors emerge on our television screens and radio stations. This is an extraordinarily, horrifically difficult situation and I do not even think that the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe is fully understood. I want the people of this country to know that the Government is doing everything it possibly can to voice its concerns and its views in every forum. We are taking a very practical step in recognising the State of Palestine today to give hope to the Palestinian people at their darkest hour. I know that is really appreciated and means a lot to people in Palestine today.

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