Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. In the context of this debate, it is important, as many have done in this House, to express our strong solidarity with the people of Israel and the people of Palestine who are going through untold horrors at present. The approach as outlined by the Tánaiste has been correct and measured. It is key to avoiding further escalation that we look for a ceasefire and that international law would be followed. I agree with Senator Moynihan. There was much hope when the Oslo Accords were originally signed that this would be a signpost towards attaining peace in the Middle East. This State has always supported the concept of a two-state solution, recognising the right of Palestine to its own statehood but also, very importantly, recognising the State of Israel. It is important that we maintain strong diplomatic relations with both and that we do whatever we can as a small nation both on our own and, indeed, as part of multilateral organisations such as the European Union and United Nations to support peace in that area.

In supporting solidarity with the Palestinians and noting very clearly their oppression, which there has been by Israel and that needs to be called out, I must also say that they have also been oppressed by Hamas. Hamas is no friend of the Palestinian people. Even in the context of a fully independent Palestine, and this is something to look at in the future, how can we ensure that the Palestinian people will be able to fulfil their full potential? They certainly will not do it under the influence of Hamas or Islamic Jihad.

The question needs to be asked as to why Hamas chose to attack as it did most brutally, the horrors of which were outlined by my colleagues, including Senator Clifford-Lee. Part of the reason that Hamas chose to attack right now was because of moves by Israel to normalise relations with other Arab countries. Hamas did not want to see Israel and Saudi Arabia have more normalised relations. That was very clear. Hamas's objective - its end game is very clear - is that it wants to wipe out the State of Israel. Hamas will not be satisfied until it destroys not just the State of Israel but every single person who is living in Israel. The brutality of its attacks on 7 October very clearly show that.

In seeking a ceasefire, and the humanitarian passage that has opened at the Rafah crossing is correct and to be welcomed, we also have to ensure that it is not just Israel that stops. While I strongly encourage the Israeli Government to stop any of its military action, we must also ensure that Hamas stops and will not continue to fire rockets into Israel and equally, that it releases the 200 hostages it is holding. These hostages are not just adults. As Senator Clifford-Lee said, there are young children who are being held hostage. Those who ally with Hamas need to know exactly who it is they are allying with. If we demand a ceasefire, which we do in order that peace talks can resume, we need to be able to ensure that Hamas will be forced to honour that ceasefire.

I will make one other point that is vitally important. In this time of difficulty, we are seeing in this country and around Europe the rise of antisemitism and Islamophobia; an intolerance of people because of who they are and what they believe. That is dangerous. It is being whipped up by people on the extremes. It is critical that as part of our education process, we talk about the importance of people being able to live together and work as closely as possible. I agree with some of Senator Mullen's suggestions in terms of safe passage to people here, but we also need to look at ways of capacity-building among ordinary Israelis and Palestinians to get them to work together to understand the homeland they share.Much of our peace process, which was, as many people have said, not perfect, was done by ordinary citizens and civic society from the different traditions coming together and working together.