Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

I thank Senator Dardis for sharing time with me. I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Treacy, and commend him on the quality of his speech. I also welcome the Palestinian envoy to Dublin, Dr. Hikmat Ajjuri, who is present in the Distinguished Visitors Gallery.

I wish to express my appreciation to the Labour Party for tabling this motion, which I regard as well-crafted, in its Private Members' time. Irrespective of the different wording in the Government amendment which was written by officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs who are there to provide back-up, it would be worthwhile if we were to produce an agreed statement at the end of the debate. This would be more helpful in the circumstances in which we are trying to achieve a reconciliation between two different countries.

This crisis began with the killing of approximately 34 civilians by the Israeli Government in the Gaza area. One family was wiped out on the beach there. This was a horrific act by the Israeli State against the oppressed people of Palestine and Gaza. The reaction by the group that took the young soldier, Gilad Shalit, has been most unproductive. In the circumstances, the group should have been conscious that taking such an action would create an opportunity for the Israeli Government to hit back with extreme force, which has been the case. I commend the father of the young corporal for his approach. He is a most noble man. In what is clearly a most difficult hour for him, he has called on the Israeli Government and other parties not to take any action. He just wants his son returned. The only way his son will be returned to the family is with the assistance of the Israelis in terms of the action they take.

In bombing the power station, the Israelis have inflicted the most serious damage on the Gaza region. We cannot even comprehend what the effect of that will be. It appears that the Israelis will neither rebuild the plant or allow this to be done. Our representative in the region, Mr.Holohan, is doing tremendous work on behalf of the Government there. I commend him and his assistants for their work.

This is an intensely worrying situation as the crisis is deepening. I appeal to both parties to return to the negotiating table. There is no alternative to negotiation. Parliamentarians who are Ministers in the Hamas Government have been arrested and are currently in custody. Hamas was elected as the legitimate Government of the Palestinian people and we must accept this fact. The president has been a great man of peace and a solution will be found if he is allowed to work with the Israeli Government. I commend the amendment to the motion and thank the Minister of State, Deputy Treacy, for his excellent contribution to the debate. We should all co-operate in this regard.