Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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53. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the latest worrying statements by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on Israel Defense Forces, IDF, action in Rafah will speed up Ireland’s recognition of the state of Palestine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20882/24]

Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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I ask the Tánaiste whether the latest worrying statements by the Israeli Prime Minister, Mr. Netanyahu, on IDF action in Rafah will speed up Ireland's recognition of the state of Palestine. I note that there has been some movement in that regard and I ask him to provide some chink of light to the tortured and beleaguered people of Gaza.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I am extremely concerned by the start of Israel's ground offensive and military operation in Rafah. The international community has been clear that the humanitarian consequences of a large-scale offensive in Rafah would be catastrophic. I urge the parties to make every effort to come to an immediate ceasefire deal.

All hostages must be released and further civilian casualties must be avoided.

The question of recognition is one that has been the subject of ongoing consideration in line with the programme for Government. As I have previously stated, it is my intention to bring a formal proposal on recognition to the Government following the completion of discussions with international partners. We have had advanced discussions in the past number of weeks with a number of countries, including members of the Arab contact group. Specifically, I discussed the issue with the Jordanian and Egyptian foreign ministers and with a number of like-minded countries within Europe. We will continue those discussions this week with some other member states and non-member states. The specific timeline is near but fluid. The number of countries that may join is also fluid. Other countries will make decisions in accordance with their own timelines.

The entire context was around what we can do to support regional efforts to return things to a political pathway and create peace. We have worked with Arab members, including Jordan, Egypt, the Palestinian Authority, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, in terms of the Arab peace initiative, particularly around the question of recognition. We had hoped for a ceasefire and the publication of that initiative. Given the consistent efforts to undermine the two-state solution, it is now timely to deal with the recognition question. A recent meeting convened in Riyadh by Saudi Arabia and Norway, which was attended by Ireland, underlined the importance of taking concrete steps towards the realisation of a Palestinian state in the context of the two-state solution.

Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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When I put forward this question last week, I hoped we would not find ourselves in a position where Israel had already closed off Rafah. While the real ground offensive has not yet started, Israel certainly has moved in the tanks. The reason the full ground offensive has not started is that the United States is withholding arms and bombs. Today, 9 May, is Europe Day. We in Europe really are at a critical place. When I am out canvassing at the doors for my party's European candidates, a large number of people raise with me the direction in which Europe is going. They are not at all happy about it.

The Tánaiste mentioned that other countries might come on board with an initiative. The date mentioned on the 9 o'clock news last night was 21 May. Sharon Ní Bheoláin could not contain a sigh when she was talking about what is going on in Gaza. Our timeline should not be affected by whether other countries are coming on board. We should go ahead with the date that was mentioned. It was reported last night that Israel has closed a maternity hospital. It is no longer taking admissions. Babies do not wait. I hope to God we do not wait while other countries decide whether to come on board.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland and Spain have a very clear direction of travel on this matter. I have said consistently over the past number of months and, indeed, since the Government was formed that, in line with the programme for Government, co-ordination with others and getting as many member states as possible on board is important for Palestinians' right to self-determination and their right to their own state because it has impact internationally. On Friday, there is an important vote at the United Nations General Assembly, which we will support, on a proposal seeking admission of Palestine to the United Nations and to the enjoyment of the rights that apply there. This follows the Security Council's failure and the decision by the US to veto action. Unfortunately, there are legislative issues in the US in terms of tied aid and the provision of humanitarian supports. We are very clearly supporting this initiative. We believe there could be a very significant vote at the UN General Assembly in favour of admission. That is on Friday. Following that, working with Spain and potentially others, I will bring proposals to the Government in terms of the recognition of a Palestinian state.

Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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I take this opportunity to salute the students at Trinity College for protesting and for rejecting the genocide that is going on in Gaza. This type of protest is really worrying governments, as well it might. It should worry the professors as well who are giving out about the students. It is the students who are giving a bit of learning to the professors. They hit Trinity College where it hurt. They hit it in the purse by blocking people from getting to see the Book of Kells. That is where we should be hitting Israel as well. Will the Tánaiste indicate in his supplementary answer what is happening with the Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill? The students have given us a lesson in how to do it. In less than a week, they managed to get Trinity College to divest its Israeli investments. We should be divesting from Israel as well. The success of the Trinity College students really exposed the privileged naysayers who said we cannot act quickly. We can do so. The students won for humanity, for Palestine and for Europe as well. We are in a new political situation. The Tánaiste mentioned the hostages. We know Netanyahu does not care and never cared about the hostages. He is an opportunist. We should take the opportunity now to make sure we hit Israel where it hurts.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I would appreciate more clarity on the timeframe for recognition. Last night, several media outlets reported 21 May as the date being set. They did not make that up; they got it from the Tánaiste's office. There is nowhere else from which they could have got it. In essence, it is confirmation that Ireland is working with other states to come to the point of recognition. That will be a welcome position. I really hope it happens. One of the reasons so many of us have been frustrated with the delay in coming to the point of officially recognising the state of Palestine is that it is an important first step. However, it is only a first step. It was never the end point.

Recognition is crucial to set the context for the real work that needs to happen. At the moment, there is virtually no Palestine to recognise because of the impact of illegal settlements in the West Bank and the annihilation of Gaza. If and when we recognise the state of Palestine, we will have an obligation to ensure such a state is viable. That means, in the first place, taking action against the other state, Israel, that is engaged in war crimes, to prevent that state from further such action. It also means continuing our ongoing work of supporting Palestinian relief agencies and supporting the movement of Palestine from being an occupied state, operating under severe oppression, to a viable and independent state for a sovereign people.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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We should have long ago recognised the Palestinian state. We might not be in this horrific situation had the world acted sooner on the crimes of Israel against the Palestinian people. Let us be clear. In the face of the genocidal assault and massacre taking place in Gaza, belated state recognition will not stop the horror. Recognition is welcome but it is not going to stop the horror. The question the students in Trinity College are asking is the same one Palestinians and others are asking. I handed letters to the Taoiseach yesterday from medical workers and Mothers Against Genocide. Palestinians are asking for sanctions to prevent the commission of further massacres and genocide by the apartheid state of Israel. Another question for the Tánaiste is about what Palestinian state we are recognising. Should that recognition not accompany the derecognition of the apartheid State of Israel, which is built on the ethnic cleansing and apartheid system inflicted on the people of Palestine?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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What is happening in Rafah and Gaza is absolutely shocking and unacceptable.

In our view, it represents a clear violation of international humanitarian law. We have made that clear. Ireland has made submissions to the International Criminal Court, and was one of the few countries to make a strong oral presentation. We had made a written submission long before this war started. We have been strongly supportive of the UN agencies, in particular UNRWA. Our recent intervention in Israel's allegations against UNRWA were particularly effective and impactful in turning the tide back towards UNRWA, with countries removing their suspensions and providing aid to the agency once again. Ireland's advocacy has been well appreciated in that regard.

On the issue of recognition, Deputy Carthy is wrong. The date did not come from my office. Our understanding is that RTÉ's EU correspondent approached GIS and the Taoiseach's Department and mine and stated that the media in Slovenian circles had picked up that date. From my understanding, that is the origin of the story. That RTÉ correspondent is particularly resourceful in terms of his contacts and so on. That specific request was made to us.

Our view is that co-ordination matters. I disagree with Deputy Boyd Barrett, as a number of countries doing it together is far more impactful.

Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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The Government cannot delay it either.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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We never said it was just one strand. It is interesting that Deputy Boyd Barrett argued trenchantly for this for a long time but, once there was the prospect of it happening, he dismissed it, said it was not really that significant and asked whether we could move on now. His asserted solution fails to understand the complexity of the situation, for example, the Arab population within Israel itself.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Exactly. The two-state solution will never work because of the Arab population.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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We have to work in the real world. I respectfully suggest that the Deputy keeps shifting the goalposts.