Martin Daly (Roscommon-Galway, Fianna Fail)

I want to put on record my horror at the actions of Israel against the Palestinian people in Gaza. It has been a totally disproportionate reaction to the 7 October attacks. Those were despicable but the killing of 54,000 people and deliberately targeting by hunger and total war a whole population of people is inexplicable and unforgivable.

We have to use our best influence through the European Union because this dial will not shift until the big countries of Europe and the United States force Israel to change this course of action. Ireland has been to the fore by bringing the Israeli Government to the International Court of Justice, recognising the State of Palestine and also advocating within Europe for a change in trade policy. It appears there is a shift of opinion in Europe and now Germany itself is questioning the strategy of this war. It has a particular psychological issue relating to its support for Israel, which was blind until now. We need to push that opening and force Europe to take action against Israel as a collective. We cannot have the stain of genocide on our side without speaking out. While Ireland has done its bit, it needs to do more through that bigger bloc of the European Union. I implore the Minister of State to use all of our influence to bring change to this war and change Israel’s course of action against the Palestinian people.

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