Maurice Cummins (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State. As he stated, the Middle East has long been one of the world's most unstable regions. As with Ireland, the communities in the Middle East have long memories and wage war and challenge each other based on previous conflicts. What saddens me most, however, is how often yesterday's victims become today's oppressors, making so many of the mistakes that they in the past were victims of. So we come to the situation in Gaza, where old mistakes were reheated and played out as they have been for decades.

My party has been highly critical of the events in the recent Gaza war. We have called for the independent verification of all allegations of war crimes and illegal behaviour, and those who committed war crimes, whoever they are and from whichever 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 phosphorus in Gaza. I say apparent not because I have any doubts as to whether it was used — the evidence is overwhelming — but the implications of its use are so serious we need cast-iron evidence. I feel this evidence is available and verified.

In that regard, I applaud the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs on its resolution passed in recent weeks. It is important that this resolution is read into the record of the House. It states:

That the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs urges the Irish Government to continue its support for moves to establish an independent international investigation into alleged violations of international humanitarian law during Israel's military action in Gaza. These include: the use of white phosphorus in densely inhabited civilian areas; the use of dime munitions; the shelling of the UN facilities, including schools which were being used as places of sanctuary by Palestinian civilians; and the question of collective punishment. The motion also urges that discussions with the representatives of countries such as Belgium, Cyprus, Sweden and Portugal who have also supported this move be maintained. That the independent international investigation also investigates: the indiscriminate rocket attacks on civilians perpetrated by Hamas and others; the alleged storage of munitions in civilian locations; the allegations of the shooting of innocent Palestinians by Hamas; the alleged use of civilians as human shields by any actor; the alleged firing of rockets from positions adjacent to UN facilities, to schools and hospitals. Furthermore, that the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with the objective of the State of Israel and an independent Palestinian State living side by side in peace and security and urges the Government to continue to fully support such resolution of the conflict and to take all appropriate steps in the UN, at EU level and in its bilateral international relations to promote and achieve such resolution. It also supports the International Quartet (EU, USA, Russia and the UN) in its work, and other initiatives to resolve the conflict; welcomes the appointment by President Obama of George Mitchell as his Middle East peace envoy; calls on Iran to end its opposition to a two-state solution; and commends the initiative taken by Egypt to mediate a durable ceasefire.

It is a comprehensive motion which was agreed by all sides and it should be acted upon.

We should not mince our words in our criticism of all wrongs. This means criticising the conduct of Israel in Gaza and also criticising Hamas for its attacks on Israel. The tragedy in the Middle East is that there is not one conflict but many. The risks of a conflict between Lebanon and Israel are real.

Another problem is the attempt by Iran to develop nuclear technology and the insistence of Israel that it will do all it can to stop that from occurring, which adds another complication. We must also consider the situation in Iraq and the growing Islamic fundamentalism in other states. As with other countries in the West, we face difficult dilemmas in dealing with these cases.

The Middle East has been an unstable region for centuries. Much of the instability was caused by outside interference from the great empires of the day. These interventions and regional rivalries have left a legacy of bitterness and distrust that haunt the region to this day. I hope that the peoples of the Middle East and those tempted to intervene from outside learn the lessons of history, rather than repeat the mistakes.

Like the Minister of State, Deputy Roche, I praise Mr. John Ging for his efforts. He has carried out trojan work in the region. There will be a new Government soon following the elections in Israel. I hope that the disastrous foreign policy of President Bush will be replaced by that of President Obama and the new Secretary of State, Senator Hillary Clinton. I hope the change will breathe new hope into the peace process, because if ever we needed hope, now is the time. The events in Gaza, which is such a small region, should never again be allowed to take place. That is the responsibility of all international actors in the scene. As we are short on time I will conclude.