Lisa Chambers (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank all Members who raised issues on what is also budget 2024 day. Remarkably, and rightly so, the main topic for discussion was Israel and Palestine and what happened at the weekend. Almost every Member who spoke this morning or this afternoon raised this issue and asked for statements. I have already requested that the Tánaiste come to the House next week and I am awaiting a reply. We all echo our utter condemnation for what happened on Saturday and over the weekend, and the indiscriminate murder of people and the shooting, killing and kidnapping. I saw some footage of a mother and her two-year-old and five-year-old being taken hostage and their father watching the video. It does not bear thinking about. Innocent civilians both in Israel and in Palestine are at the heart of this. It is important to draw a distinction between Hamas and the Palestinian people. Hamas is a terrorist organisation. It is important for Members of both Houses and our MEPs to reflect on some of their commentary over the weekend and over the past number of days when they raise a flag to one nation over the other. They are not helping to solve the situation and they are not supporting the stated position of this Government which is a two-state solution of peace between Israel and Palestine.