Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)

The Government and I have made it clear that, as far as we are concerned, Israel is committing a war crime in terms of the weaponisation of humanitarian aid going into Gaza, the blockade and the prevention of the basic necessities of life going into Gaza.

We have been proactive from the very beginning. We were the first country in the EU to call for a ceasefire, the release of all hostages and a surge in humanitarian aid into Gaza. We were instrumental in persuading the European Union not to take aid away from UNRWA or rather to increase support for it. We effectively and successfully enabled that to happen. We intervened in the South African case under the Genocide Convention in a comprehensive, impactful way, as opposed to any political showboating of the type people might have advocated for earlier.

3 o’clock

We were also key in supporting the motions at the United Nations in respect of the advisory opinion that led to the ICJ judgment. Ireland has been very proactive, but in terms of the Bill that is before us,-----

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