Dáil debates

Thursday, 21 April 2011

4:00 pm

Photo of Richard Boyd BarrettRichard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Question 7: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will lend his support to the planned international peace flotilla to Gaza in which an Irish ship and Irish citizens will be participating; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8810/11]

Photo of Eamon GilmoreEamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Ireland's long-standing concern about the humanitarian situation in Gaza is well known. As I stated in my reply to the priority question on Gaza, the slight relaxation of the terms of the blockade in the last year has been completely insufficient. Along with our EU partners, we are continuing to press for a full opening up of the border crossings into Gaza to allow unimpeded flows of humanitarian aid, and normal commercial and human traffic.

I recognise the essentially humanitarian motivation which gave rise to last year's Gaza flotilla and also to the further flotilla now being planned. We will continue to press Israel to do all possible to facilitate those wishing to transport humanitarian goods to Gaza and, in particular, to avoid any repetition of the unacceptable use of force against last year's flotilla.

However, my Department's essential travel advice remains that people should not attempt to sail to Gaza at the present time and certainly should not attempt to break through a naval blockade of the kind which Israel has imposed on Gaza. I am deeply concerned that there is real potential for a similar disastrous outcome this year. The Deputy will understand that I cannot support a project which would involve Irish citizens engaging in actions which could lead them into real danger.

Photo of Richard Boyd BarrettRichard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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I ask the Tánaiste to reconsider this issue. The more widespread and prominent the support that is given to the flotilla, the greater chance it has of getting through and bringing aid and support to the besieged people of Gaza. If, for example, there was a Government representative on board one of those ships, it would make it far less likely that Israel would attack it. For that reason, the Tánaiste should reconsider and the Government should put representatives on one of those boats. The situation is intolerable for the people of Gaza, as the Tánaiste acknowledged and as most people understand.

In July of last year, Deputy Joe Costello and Mr. Proinsias De Rossa, Labour Party MEP, asked the previous Attorney General to exercise his duty under Irish legislation and the Geneva Convention to bring charges against those who were suspected of war crimes in regard to Operation Cast Lead, the Israeli assault on Gaza and the attack on the flotilla. Now that Deputy Gilmore is in Government, will he follow through on that and initiate such proceedings against Israel? Deputy Costello and Mr. De Rossa said it could be done unilaterally in this country so will the Tánaiste do it, as he should?

While no one wants to see bombs or bullets going in either direction, as the Tánaiste said, will he state clearly that there is no equivalence in this situation between one and the other? The basic problem is that Israel refused to accept the outcome of elections in Gaza in 2006 which were acknowledged to be democratic, free and fair. Its refusal to do that lies at the root of the problem and of the siege that followed. Will the Tánaiste state clearly that this is the root of the problem?

Photo of Eamon GilmoreEamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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My Department has a responsibility to provide travel advice to Irish citizens irrespective of where they are travelling. If somebody wants to travel somewhere, the Department of Foreign Affairs provides a service whereby travel advice is provided as to whether it is safe to travel. I want to make it absolutely clear that the Department's travel advice in respect of the proposed flotilla to Gaza is that it is not safe. We will not encourage Irish citizens to participate in a travel venture where there is a naval blockade and where, as we saw last year, people were killed in that exercise. We have to underline responsibly that it is our view that this is not a safe venture.

In respect of the question of the blockade, the Government's position is very clear. The blockade of Gaza should end. The flow of humanitarian aid, while it should not necessarily be brought in by sea, should be made available by opening up land border access to Gaza to ensure humanitarian aid and goods are enabled to be provided.

Photo of Pádraig Mac LochlainnPádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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It is an outrageous situation - I struggle to find words to do justice to it. The 1.5 million people of Gaza are living in an open-air prison. The international community has stood idly by, with the exception of some honourable people in the NGOs and the United Nations. The people of Gaza have been abandoned to a regime that borders on international terrorism in that Israel is almost a rogue state - that is the reality. Peace activists from around the world, in the absence of actions by their Governments, are trying to bring in vital assistance to these people in an inspirational fashion, despite ten of those activists being murdered in the last effort.

Despite that action, there has been a failure of the international community to respond and to be consistent in its approach to states that behave in this fashion. As Governments will not intervene, there is now a scenario whereby good peace activists, who try to do their bit peacefully, are prevented from doing so. What hope do they have if some Governments, first, will not stand up and condemn Israel solely for its actions, second, will not intervene in any shape or form, and, third, advise those good peace activists who want to do something about this that they should not intervene? They have been utterly abandoned.

How is it we cannot assist the beleaguered, imprisoned people of Gaza in some way? What hope can we give them? What leadership can be given by the Irish Government, which is respected internationally in regard to human rights? We must deal with this issue.

Photo of Richard Boyd BarrettRichard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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We need to do something; words are not enough. The Tánaiste did not indicate whether the Government will follow through on the call by his party colleagues, Deputy Costello and Proinsias De Rossa, MEP, to bring charges against Israel for its involvement in the brutal invasion of Gaza in 2006 and for its attack on the aid flotilla which was, by any standards, an illegal and immoral act of piracy by a rogue state trying to prevent badly needed aid and support from reaching the beleaguered and crucified people of Gaza. Will there be more than words? Will the Government condemn outright, forthrightly and unequivocally, Israel's brutal siege of the people of Gaza and its refusal to recognise free and fair elections? Whatever we may think of who is elected, must we not say that Israel is obliged to recognise the outcome of free and fair elections among the people of Palestine, Gaza or anywhere else?

Photo of Eamon GilmoreEamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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As I said in response to an earlier question, this issue is very much a priority for me and for the Government. I made clear at the European Union Foreign Affairs Council on 12 April that the Government and I want to see this issue addressed by the council.

Our view is that the blockade should not exist, that the situation in Gaza is absolutely intolerable, and that there is a necessity to allow humanitarian aid, building materials and so on into Gaza so that trade and other activities can continue. It should not be the case that humanitarian aid to Gaza must be delivered by sea. I have accepted and acknowledged the motivation of the people who are engaged in that, and I have made clear that the blockade should not apply. I assure Deputies that this is an issue to which we will return.

With regard to the comments made by Deputy Costello and Proinsias De Rossa, MEP, I will have my Department review them.