Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

I move:

That Seanad Éireann 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 including the use of white phosphorus in densely inhabited civilian areas, the use of DIME munitions and the shelling of the UN facilities, including schools, which were being used as places of sanctuary by Palestinian civilians as well as the question of collective punishment and to maintain discussions with the representatives of countries such as Belgium, Cyprus, Sweden and Portugal who have also supported this move and that the independent international investigation also investigate the indiscriminate rocket attacks on civilians perpetrated by Hamas and others, the alleged storage of munitions in civilian locations and the allegations of the shooting of innocent Palestinians by Hamas, the alleged use of civilians as human shields by any actor and the alleged firing of rockets from positions adjacent to UN facilities, to schools and hospitals, furthermore, that Seanad Éireann calls for a freeze on all settlement activity in line with international law, 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; 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 2 state solution; commends the initiative taken by Egypt to mediate a durable ceasefire between Israel and Hamas; and urges all sides to fully co-operate with UNRWA to facilitate the provision by it in Gaza of humanitarian relief.