John Gerard Hanafin (Fianna Fail)

I share the views of Senators calling for a debate on the Middle East situation. Iran is fighting a proxy war with Israel by supplying Hamas with missiles that have the capacity to reach into the state of Israel in the knowledge that there will be retaliation. Sadly, this has escalated to the point that an Israeli minister has, as mentioned by Senator Norris, used the term "Shoah", an entirely inappropriate word. It is saddening that any Israeli minister could say that this could be visited on another nation. It is entirely appropriate that we all hope such a means of destroying people is never again visited upon the world. Israel's response to the rocket attacks, murdering so many people, is entirely inappropriate, as are the rocket attacks.

Notwithstanding this, I am a strong supporter of Israel in its right to exist, survive and thrive.