Results 1-10 of 10 for israel segment:2967504

Seanad: Middle East: Statements (18 Feb 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I am grateful to Senator Norris for sharing his time. I regret the shortness of this debate. I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I appreciate the Government's strong condemnation of the Israeli bombardment in Gaza. It has been important and good to see the Government standing up for the rights of the Palestinian people. It has been deeply distressing for all of us to witness...

Seanad: Middle East: Statements (18 Feb 2009)

Dan Boyle: Last week, I spoke at a debate in the Trinity Historical Society as a last minute substitute against the motion that Israel's actions were acceptable. I shared a platform with Steven Weinberg, a Nobel prize winning physicist. He is a nice man but he argued that Israel is a liberal sector democracy. Unfortunately, the effect of Israel's living in a constant state of siege and belligerence...

Seanad: Middle East: Statements (18 Feb 2009)

Maurice Cummins: ...community, should face the full rigours of international law. I do not believe in the zero-sum game where one side can justify its actions based on the wrongs done to it. It was wrong for Israeli citizens to face constant rocket attacks. Attacks on civilians are wrong and always wrong. However, what Israel experienced does not justify and can never justify the apparent use of white...

Seanad: Middle East: Statements (18 Feb 2009)

Ann Ormonde: Israel's invasion of Gaza and its disproportionate ground and air assaults have caused untold human misery, devastated local infrastructure and set back peace efforts, possibly by years. The devastation, tragedy and human misery brought by Israel's disproportionate response to rocket attacks on its own people have severely damaged the cause of peace. The bombing of United Nations facilities...

Seanad: Middle East: Statements (18 Feb 2009)

Dick Roche: The agenda for 2008 set at the Annapolis conference in December 2007 committed Israel and the Palestinian Authority to work together to reach an overall agreement within the year. Few were surprised this ambitious target was not achieved but if we are not ambitious we will never make progress. The Israeli Government and the President of the Palestinian Authority pursued direct negotiations...

Seanad: Middle East: Statements (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: I believe it was Israel.

Seanad: Middle East: Statements (18 Feb 2009)

Dick Roche: ...the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Martin, has raised questions about the legality under international law of some of these actions. It needs to be said that the firing of missiles on Israeli towns is, beyond doubt, a breach of international law. The breach of law by a terrorist group or a group that has been or is in the process of moving away from terrorism cannot be an excuse...

Seanad: Middle East: Statements (18 Feb 2009)

David Norris: .... We are trying a balancing act. It is a pity the Minister of State could not have attended the meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs last week to hear the distinguished Israeli historian, Professor Ilan Pappé, say we should avoid this attempt to be even-handed because it does violence to the real situation. We are always trying to balance and say on the one...

Seanad: Middle East: Statements (18 Feb 2009)

Dick Roche: ...the UN Secretary General must be respected. It does not matter what the outcome is, but there must be an investigation as this weaponry is just not acceptable. Senator Ormonde also asked about the Israeli elections. I fear that these elections will have an impact on the situation. Senator Norris rightly pointed out that the Israeli elections clearly had a significant impact on what we...

Seanad: Middle East: Statements (18 Feb 2009)

Dick Roche: ...from 1 to 5 February, travelling to Syria, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates. The Minister, Deputy Martin's, talks in Damascus and Beirut were in many ways a continuation of his visit to Egypt, Israel and the Occupied Territories in July 2008. In discussions with President Assad, Prime Minister Siniora and others, he heard their assessments of the prospects and obstacles to peace....