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

I thank the Deputy for raising this extremely important issue. The carnage and the slaughter of innocent children, women and men across the Middle East is to be condemned and I have condemned it consistently. The action of Hamas on 7 October 2023 was horrific and heinous, but the Israeli response to that murderous attack by Hamas has been absolutely disproportional, has resulted in the levelling of Gaza, near famine conditions in Gaza and the killing of more than 40,000 people. In my view, that is reprehensible. Likewise, I have condemned the escalation into Lebanon, where the intensity of that bombardment is such that again innocent men, women and children are being killed. At every international forum and again this week in New York, where I have just come back from, I have focused particularly on the Middle East question. I attended the International Peace Institute dinner on Monday evening with all the Arab partners and other interested partners in respect of endeavouring to get the Middle East on a pathway to a two-state solution and the resolution of this.

Yesterday, I met with the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority. He was very grateful to Ireland and very appreciative of Ireland's consistent stance in support of international humanitarian law and the Palestinian right to self-determination. I met with the Jordanian Foreign Minister yesterday as well, and he again reiterated, as he has done on numerous occasions, his appreciation for Ireland standing up for Palestinian self-determination and a two-state solution. It was similar with the Egyptian Foreign Minister yesterday too.

I will say to the Deputy generally that I have noticed a tendency on his behalf to sort of create a division or almost to suggest that the Government parties are not fully committed to either the two-state solution and Palestinian self-determination or to calling out blatant violations of international humanitarian law. The view outside Ireland is that we have been one of the leading countries in actually standing up for what is right. That is the view externally. I think it is regrettable that, at times, the Deputy has sought to sow the seeds of division or almost drive a wedge in this regard or create a sort of politically advantageous position on this issue vis-à-vis the Government parties. The issue is far too serious for that.

One significant development in recent months has been the conclusions of the International Court of Justice in respect of its advisory opinion on the occupation of Palestinian territories. This is a very serious conclusion by the court. It must be remembered that Ireland supported the resolution that led to that advisory opinion. The Attorney General made submissions on behalf of the country in this regard. During yesterday's discussions with the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, the debate focused on how we can use that finding, the advisory opinion, in respect of the illegality of the occupation and in respect of how member states and those who have signed up to the ICJ, because this is the very apex of international humanitarian law and observations, can now progress it. We focused on a timeline to seeing what we can do in this regard.

As the Deputy knows, Ireland, in conjunction with Spain, wrote to the European Commission calling for a review of the EU-Israel association agreement. Josep Borrell, the High Representative, has now sought legal advice on the ICJ opinion.

In respect of the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, I spoke to him before I came in this morning.

He is clear that he did not make any such phone call. His published diary does not record any such phone call. It speaks to people rushing to judgment before ascertaining the full facts. He is very clear and I think Deputy Carthy should perhaps withdraw the assertions in his earlier public statements in that regard.

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