Catherine Callaghan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

To echo what all the speakers have stated today, the ongoing genocide in the Middle East is abhorrent. Innocent civilians are being starved to death. Parents have no baby formula for their infants. This is happening in our world today. While I acknowledge the Government's work so far, we need to keep the pressure on. I hear from concerned people every day across counties Carlow and Kilkenny who are, quite rightly, horrified by what is happening in Gaza. They are urging us, as a country and a Government, to do more, to push harder and to pass the occupied territories Bill - now called the Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill - and include services in it, which I am not opposed to. What is paramount is that we ensure this Bill is enforceable and the most effective legislation it can be. Adherence to any advice from the Attorney General is of critical importance. We are the only country in Europe to draft legislation of this type, and I am hopeful, once it is passed into law, that other countries across Europe will be inspired to do the same. I support the Taoiseach's call on all parties in this House to work with their equivalent parties across Europe and encourage them to speak with their governments to do as we have done and enact domestic legislation to place sanctions on Israel in response to the genocidal acts it is committing.

We need to keep making our voice heard in Europe so that our European counterparts can add their voice to ours and ensure we are heard and that we as a group of European countries together call on Israel to immediately lift its blockade of humanitarian and commercial supplies for Gaza and allow the resumption of unimpeded humanitarian aid. I share the UN's concerns that Israel's new model for delivering aid into Gaza through private contractors - the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation - is not operating in accordance with humanitarian principles. Hundreds of people have been killed while trying to collect food. UNRWA has described the model as degrading and humiliating and said it is putting lives in danger. We need European countries to join us and urge them to act to call out what is happening in Gaza for what it is - genocide.

I cannot speak about the Middle East without talking about the fragile security situation in southern Lebanon, including ongoing Hezbollah activity and the continuing Israeli strikes and infringements of Lebanon's airspace in defiance of UN Security Council Resolution 1701. All sides must meet their commitments under the ceasefire agreement. Ongoing Israeli attacks in Lebanon also undermine the legitimacy of President Aoun and Prime Minister Salam as they continue to assert the primacy of the Lebanese State. It is important to commend the Lebanese Government on its efforts to deploy the Lebanese armed forces into the south and exert a monopoly of force throughout the country. Israel's continued occupation of parts of Lebanon breaches international law. It is important that Ireland encourages the steps being taken by the Lebanese Government to reform Lebanon's economy and to continue the reconstruction of Lebanon. I am glad to see that Ireland and the EU are committed to supporting this work.

I am deeply concerned about the safety of our troops in the region. Speculation about UNIFIL's mandate renewal is not helpful and potentially endangers our troops, particularly in the context of heightened tension in the region. While it is true that in May, the Irish Government approved the continued participation of the Irish Defence Forces in UNIFIL for a further period of 12 months, if UNIFIL's UN mandate is not renewed when it expires on 31 August, which is by no means guaranteed as the US has a veto it could use if it so wishes, as Irish law stands, our Irish troops will have to immediately depart the UNIFIL mission. This is solely due to the requirement for Ireland to request permission from the US, the UK, France, Russia and China regarding where our peacekeeping troops are deployed. Meanwhile, the other troops that are part of the UNIFIL mission can continue. They may decide to continue and remain in a different capacity as peacekeepers in Lebanon with the consent of the host nation of Lebanon. Their presence will continue to provide the much-needed stability that is required in that very fragile security situation in southern Lebanon.

Bilaterally and at a multilateral level, Ireland has repeatedly called on Israel to comply with international law, stressing the universal applicability of international law, including international humanitarian law. In that way, the deliberate targeting of UNIFIL personnel or installations is a violation of international humanitarian law.

Ireland, the EU and our international partners have been clear that there can be no forced displacement of the civilian population in Gaza or occupation of the strip by Israel. We need to keep pushing. We need to hold firm and work together as a House and in the European Union to demand a lasting ceasefire, the flow of humanitarian aid, the return of hostages and the passing of the most effective occupied territories Bill and that we work towards a two-state solution.

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