Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Before the start of the Ireland-New Zealand rugby match last Saturday night, there was a minute's silence in the Stade de France. The crowd and the players stood for a minute's silence as a gesture of respect for all those who died. It became the norm across the rugby World Cup and carried with it much symbolism. It was for everyone and it was a condition that it was unconditional. It took place in a stadium in the centre of Paris, a city that has the memory of the Second World War Holocaust of the Jewish people on its streets, the deportations on trains that left that city, alongside the resistance of Parisians to the Nazis.

This week, hundreds of thousands of people across the world marched for peace in Palestine and Israel. It is important for people in that part of the world to know that beyond their borders, in the midst of the cacophony of a deadly war, there are people just like them who are thinking about them and protesting to end the war. Those who believe in peace cannot and will not stay silent. War crimes are happening before our eyes - the deliberate targeting and killing of civilians, the bombing of hospitals, the taking of hostages and collective punishment. These are heinous crimes that have no justification. In the midst of such horror, we need voices for de-escalation and peace but the majority of political leaders around the world lack either the courage or the humanity to do this. Instead, our leaders have, through their words, action and inaction, failed to give voice to the upholding of the most basic principles of international law.

In the absence of leadership elsewhere, Ireland must be a strong voice for all those who suffer as this war rages. However, we must not only help in word but also in deed. I welcome the aid that Ireland is sending. I also welcome the decision of the EU to launch an EU humanitarian aid bridge to Gaza via Egypt. This aid will ease the humanitarian crisis that over 2 million people in Gaza are facing. An end to the Israeli Government's decision to cut off electricity, water and food to the people of Gaza is urgently needed. What is also urgently needed is a ceasefire in the area between the Israeli Government and Hamas. Without such, the inevitable escalation of the conflict will only nullify the effect of any promised aid from ourselves or anyone else. However, the long-term solution to the suffering of countless people in Palestine and Israel does not lie in international aid. We need a route out of this tragic cycle of violence. There is no military solution to the conflict but there is a political solution. The deliberate killing of civilians is unacceptable. It would help immensely if the Irish Government was to recognise the Palestinian state at this point, as agreed by the Dáil, the representatives of our people, many years ago.

I want to conclude my remarks by quoting from an email sent to Members of the Oireachtas by 11-year old Rian Tighe. It reads thus:

Hello my name is Rian and I am a 11 year old boy who is living in Portugal but is Irish and I just want to inform you about the war between Gaza and israel. It is a huge problem at the moment with bombs and thousands of kids dying without anyone doing anything but we can not let this continue. I would love it if you can pressure the government of Israel to agree to a ceasefire with both the countries. Most of the dreams of tiny kids are rapidly decreasing because of this war. There are tiny kids who would love to see people like Messi but all they are doing is looking outside at bombs and tragedy. They should be worried about football, not war. This is an outrage and needs to be fixed.

Wise words from someone so young. Senator O'Sullivan made a point previously regarding rainbow flags being flown at Palestinian protests. There are people in every country and community across the world who are struggling for sexual freedom and freedom from sexual violence, and our solidarity should lie with them. I also want to put on record that the State of Israel has blackmailed queer Palestinian refugees and that is reported as well.