Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail)

I compliment the Minister of State on his speech which was exceptionally well crafted and balanced and very much in keeping with the excellent service provided by our diplomatic service. We have an exceptionally proud record in that regard. I also compliment the Labour Party group for using its Private Members' time to afford the opportunity for this important debate. It is certainly an improvement on having to depend on mere soundbites on the Order of Business. My contributions in that regard have been to the effect that the young Israeli soldier should be returned to his unit and his family. If Hamas had any involvement in this — of which we are not certain — and if it had any control over it, the correct action was to show magnanimity. It is interesting that one small human act can often unlock much compassion and co-operation.

I would like to believe Israel will also respond and release the hundreds of prisoners it has kidnapped during its many incursions into the Gaza territory. By so doing, it too might contribute to a new momentum. I recall that President George Bush, in speaking of the Middle East conflict, asked people to turn their backs on violence and embrace the democratic process. Hamas did so but the last votes were hardly counted before the spokespersons for Washington made it clear they would not deal with the people who had responded to the President's call to embrace democracy.

What form might this debate have taken if, for instance, the Hamas Government had kidnapped or captured 12 Israeli parliamentarians? I have no doubt that there would be an absolute outcry and rightly so. Such behaviour is against all ethics where war is concerned, if such ethics exist. Given that it was the other way around, however, we seem to have a different reaction. My fear in this regard is that we might tie ourselves into a particular world order. If one looks back on the history of the United States, in every place in which it intervened to in some way dislodge, dismantle or undermine a democratically elected Government, it always failed and left chaos.

I have seldom seen sanctions work in the manner in which they are being employed in this case. They ultimately harden attitudes. I heard Palestinian mothers interviewed on television recently and, even though they were suffering deprivation as a result of the current situation, their first reaction was to refer to their sons and daughters who had been killed.

When one uses a weighing scales in measuring human lives the battle is lost. No solution can be found by asking how many the Palestinians killed and how many the Israelis killed. Equally, no solution can be found if we do not recognise a democratically elected government. Even at the worst times during the conflict in Northern Ireland, no matter how tempted the British may have been, elected representatives were not arrested. This was because every dispute in the world must, ultimately, be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy. The vehicles for dialogue and diplomacy are those given a mandate by their people. The moment one undermines that system it goes out of control.

I accept that the Government's amendment is probably the best we can have. However, I see little difference between the Labour Party motion and the proposed amendment. I agree with Senator Lydon in hoping that, on some occasion, on an issue of this kind when we all wish to demonstrate that we are both democrats and humanitarians we should try to be united.

I compliment RTE fully on the job it is doing on this issue. We depend on the media for coverage of this complex issue and we should not be upset because people put forward different points of view. On the contrary, I would prefer to have dialogue in this Chamber, under the rules that govern this Chamber as an arm of Parliament than to depend on outside lobby groups with specific agendas. I am pleased to hear different views expressed this evening. The Government has served an exceptionally important role in bringing, as Senator O'Meara said, a balanced approach. If we leave this House this evening with a united approach we will have helped both the Palestinian and Israeli peoples.