Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for the opportunity to speak on this really difficult international situation. I had the opportunity many years ago to spend six months in Israel on a kibbutz. It was very close to the Gaza Strip; it was about six miles from there. I had the opportunity to see how partnership could work when people want it to.There were a number of Palestinians working on the kibbutz, whom I got to know very well. I got to visit their families in Gaza. That was an exceptional situation, whereby the particular kibbutz had a very good and respectful relationship with Palestinians, who went there and were paid to work. It genuinely was a respectful situation. Sadly, having taken the opportunity to travel around Israel and learn more about it, and having followed the situation ever since, I now know my experience was more the exception than the rule.

I read Colum McCann's book, Apeirogon, two years ago, which I recommend to everybody. It deals with the conflict from the point of view of two dads, one on either side. The daughter of one was blown up by Palestinians, while the daughter of the other was killed by the Israelis. It is a factual story about shared grief and two bereaved fathers trying to put out the message, which we have learned about from our own conflict in Northern Ireland, about people coming together and trying to ensure there are no more killings. Sadly, we talk and talk about this issue but the violence and the taking of life continue. The escalation that has happened, even this year alone, including the incursions by the Israeli security forces into Jenin last week, is deeply regrettable. We must be hugely concerned about the level of violence there. Operations such as happened in Jenin are increasingly involving live fire and resulting in significant civilian casualties, including children. This can never be acceptable and we must shout loudly about it. Protection of civilians is of paramount importance and it is the responsibility of Israel as the occupying power.

I commend the fact Ireland stands ready to support all efforts to achieve a just and lasting two-state solution based on international law and internationally agreed parameters. That represents the only sustainable prospect of enabling Palestinians and Israelis to live in peace. The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs continues to discuss this situation on a regular basis with international counterparts. It was Fianna Fáil in government, with Brian Lenihan Sr. as Minister for Foreign Affairs, that led Ireland in 1980 to become the first EU member state to declare that a solution to the conflict in the Middle East had to be based on a fully sovereign state of Palestine, independent of and co-existing with Israel. That was 43 years ago and here we are, still having more or less the same debates. The escalation over the past two years, which has led to a dramatic increase in the loss of life, is absolutely shocking. Israel has a legal as well as moral responsibility to protect all civilians in the occupied Palestinian territory.

Ireland is known within the EU and the UN as one of the strongest countries in consistently raising the violation of international law and the UN charter on Palestine. It is hugely important that while there are other like-minded countries with strong views, we work to persuade more within the EU towards the need for justice and to create a credible pathway to a two-state solution. We need a stronger collective voice within Europe, involving a number of significant EU member states and others. If we were to join forces and recognise collectively the state of Palestine, it would be far more impactful than one country going it alone. That is the strong and important message we can give to the Minister of State from this Chamber. We must ensure all negotiations and conversations with all other EU countries and all countries outside the EU lead to a united voice seeking to bring peace and to support the Palestinian people.