Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

Like many colleagues in the House, I rise today with a heavy heart. The situation in the Middle East, particularly in Gaza and the West Bank, is an ongoing humanitarian disaster that demands our attention, our compassion and, critically, our action. Let me begin by recalling the horrific events of 7 October, the appalling attacks and murders of innocent people. I reiterate what the Taoiseach and Tánaiste have said: all hostages must be released unconditionally and without delay. Their prolonged captivity serves only to deepen suffering and delay peace but we must also recognise what has followed in the months since.

The military response in Gaza has gone far beyond self-defence. What we are witnessing now, day after day, is the collective punishment of a civilian population. It is a breach of international humanitarian law and is causing immeasurable suffering. Over 500 people have been killed while trying to access food. Hospitals and UN facilities have been bombed and children are starving. The Red Cross and Médecins sans Frontières speak of total collapse. The UN has described the situation as “weaponised hunger”. Pope Leo XIV echoed this, decrying the “weaponisation of food” in our time, describing it as a moral outrage and a betrayal of basic human decency.

I welcome the clear stance taken by the Government in calling for full and unimpeded humanitarian access. The Tánaiste has rightly insisted that the role of UN agencies, including UNRWA, must be protected and respected. This is not just a humanitarian issue; it is a test of whether international law means anything.

I am proud that Ireland is one of the few countries to have backed up our words with concrete action. Since January 2023, we have provided over €88 million in support to the Palestinian people, including core funding to UNRWA and emergency evacuations of sick children from Gaza for care in Irish hospitals. This is solidarity in action. I also strongly support the Government’s decision on the recognition of the Palestinian state in May. Recognition matters. It reaffirms our belief that peace must be built on the equal dignity of both peoples. However, recognition is not enough on its own. It must be part of a broader, co-ordinated effort to revive and implement the two-state solution, a vision that is being eroded every day by the current reality on the ground.

Let us be honest: the long-term viability of a two-state solution is hanging by a thread. The continued expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank, the deepening occupation and the violent displacement of communities are not just violations of international law. They are actions that make a future Palestinian state less and less feasible. The recent announcement by the Israeli Government of 22 new settlements in the West Bank is particularly alarming, and we are now seeing the single longest Israeli military operation in the West Bank in two decades. Combined with record levels of settler violence and movement restrictions, it is hard to avoid the conclusion that facts are being created on the ground to block any return to meaningful negotiations.

That is why I support the Government’s decision to advance the Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory (prohibition of importation of goods) Bill. This is not about boycotts; it is about the alignment of our trade policy with international law. The ICJ’s advisory opinion has made it clear: states have a duty not to aid or recognise illegal situations. The Bill gives that principle legal force. It is modest, practical and principled, and I hope colleagues from across the House will support it as it proceeds through the pre-legislative scrutiny stage.

We are not acting alone. Many other EU states share Ireland’s view that the EU’s trade relationship with Israel must be consistent with its own humanitarian rights commitment. I commend the Tánaiste and his counterparts who wrote to the High Representative calling for a full review of the EU-Israel association agreement under Article 2. That review is now under way and I hope it leads to real accountability.

Ireland’s role in the world has always been rooted in our own experience. We know what conflict looks like and we know how difficult peace can be. We also know that it is possible, if people are willing to engage, to compromise and to put human lives above political gain. There is no military solution to this conflict. Only a negotiated settlement can deliver peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike. That settlement must be based on a two-state solution, with full respect for international law and the right of both peoples to live in dignity and security.

Until that happens, as violence continues, suffering will deepen and the prospect of peace will fade further. That is why we in this House and those across the EU and the international community must keep the pressure on for an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages, full humanitarian access and a return to diplomacy. The stakes and the continued impact on civilians could not be higher. The time to act is now.

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