Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I second the motion and move amendment No. 12:

To delete all words after “That Seanad Éireann:” and substitute the following:

- unreservedly condemns the brutal attack by Hamas in Israel on Saturday, 7th October 2023 last, indiscriminately, and systematically targeting civilians, and resulting in over 1,400 deaths; - utterly condemns the hospital bombing that occurred last evening;

- echoes the call of the UN Secretary General for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to meet the urgent humanitarian needs of all civilians in Gaza, who are suffering the appalling consequences of violence;

- calls for immediate and unimpeded humanitarian access to meet the urgent needs of all civilians in Gaza, through humanitarian corridors or any other means necessary;

- emphasises that the deliberate taking of hostages, including children and the elderly, is unconscionable and calls for their immediate and unconditional release;

- expresses its alarm and deep concern at the rising death toll and displacement of civilians and acute humanitarian needs in Gaza, with over 3,000 deaths to date, of whom 1,000 are children, and hundreds of thousands displaced underlines that, under international law, Israel has responsibilities in respect of the basic needs of the population of Gaza, including food, water, medical and energy supplies, and calls for these supplies to be urgently restored;

- emphasises that Israel’s right to defend itself from attack, must be in line with international law; - stresses the universal applicability of international law and international humanitarian law, including the prohibition on the targeting of civilians, the principle of proportionality, the prohibition on collective punishment, the prohibition on the use of ‘human shields’ and the prohibition on indiscriminate attacks, to all in armed conflict;

- emphasises the obligation on parties to take all precautions to protect the civilian population and civilian objects under its control against the effects of attacks; and calls on all those involved to abide by their obligations in this regard;

- recalls that abiding by international humanitarian law is not optional and that it is an obligation that is binding on all parties, in all conflicts, state actors and non-state actors alike;

- calls on all involved to abide by their obligations in this regard, and unreservedly condemns all violations of international humanitarian law;

- extends its heartfelt condolences to the families of all of the victims who have been killed, injured, and taken hostage;

- in line with the call by the United Nations (UN), strongly urges Israel to rescind the order for civilians in Gaza to move south of the Wadi Gaza line and reiterates in the strongest terms that this is causing a humanitarian catastrophe;

- expresses its deep concern at the increase in violence in the West Bank, which has resulted in the deaths of dozens of Palestinians and left a further 1,100 injured to date and furthered the forced displacement of Palestinian communities;

- emphasises the grave risks of a continued escalation of violence in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, as well as in the wider region, and calls for immediate de-escalation, through regional and international diplomacy;

- in line with UN Security Council Resolutions, notes that lasting peace can only be based on an enduring commitment to mutual recognition, freedom from violence, incitement, and terror, and the two-state solution; re-affirms the Government’s firm support for these principles; and calls on all members of Seanad Éireann to unambiguously commit to these principles;

- emphasises the vital need for continued and uninterrupted development and humanitarian aid to be provided to the Palestinian people, including through established channels with the Palestinian Authority;

- notes the statement of Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, rejecting the killing and abuse of civilians, and reiterating the commitment to a peaceful path towards Palestinian self-determination;

- expresses its deep concern at the rise in the circulation of disinformation and hate speech, in particular on social media, and reminds relevant companies of their legal obligations in this regard;

- emphasises the urgency of intensifying diplomatic efforts, bilaterally, through the European Union and the UN, to contribute to de-escalation; and recalls the moral and political obligation of all members of the international community to develop a pathway back towards a political horizon;

- affirms that building a just and sustainable peace, in any conflict, requires addressing poverty, inequality, injustice and all the root causes of violence, and meaningful accountability for breaches of international law, in the context of the Middle East Peace Process and in all contexts; and

- calls for decisive international action to formulate an effective roadmap and a negotiations process, operating within the framework of international law, which can deliver a lasting and just peace; and recalling the successive resolutions of the UN, expresses its conviction and commitment to achieving a two-state solution that meets Israeli and Palestinian security needs and Palestinian aspirations for statehood and sovereignty, ends the occupation that began in 1967, and resolves all permanent status issues in order to end the conflict.

The amendment reflects our revulsion at the incident that happened at a hospital last night.A hospital should never be a target.

The motion is a balanced one. It reflects our desire for peace in the Middle East and our solidarity with the people of Israel and Palestine. It is most certainly not with Hamas, a death cult that is a proxy for Iran. People need to think about and remember what happened in Israel on 7 October, when Hamas went in, went door to door, slaughtered 1,400 men, women and children and kidnapped 199 people. There are still 199 kidnap victims being held by Hamas in Gaza. All of us need to support international efforts to seek a ceasefire in the region. There can be no more bombing or loss of innocent life. As part of a ceasefire, Hamas and those who can influence Hamas must ensure the 199 individuals, not all of whom are from Israel, are released. Holding innocent people hostage in such circumstances is appalling. These people were taken from their homes, as well as young people attending a music festival. They are completely innocent people and we should never lose sight of those events.

As to the actions of Israel, I commend Senator McDowell on his article today. Israel should not be drawn by the actions of Hamas. Hamas deliberately wants to provoke Israel into taking certain actions. I hope Israel does not do that. We must support multilateral efforts to ensure a ceasefire.