Tom Clonan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I want to begin by wishing the Minister, Deputy Ryan, well after his decision not to run for re-election. I wish everybody who ran in the recent local and European elections well, those who were elected and who failed to be elected. It is such an important part of our democracy. One of the things the Minister spoke about yesterday was about some of the ill feeling and negativity that has crept into the online space. It is very reassuring to hear so many public representatives say that was not the case among the real people on the doorsteps during the campaigning, which is very reassuring to hear.

We have had a lot of drama over recent weeks but I want to raise the issue this morning in the House of a very grave situation that is developing in the Middle East. We have 120 or so Irish men and women who represent us and the international community in south Lebanon as peacekeepers with UNIFIL. Unfortunately, Benjamin Netanyahu has since 7 October threatened to invade south Lebanon to confront Hezbollah fully. In fact, he gave an order on 8 October that south Lebanon be invaded, one day after Hamas' appalling genocidal attack on Israel. That was vetoed by Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, two former chiefs of staff of the Israel Defense Forces. In the past week, both Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot have resiled and stepped back from Netanyahu's war cabinet, which now gives him free rein to invade south Lebanon, as he has repeatedly threatened to do. As we speak, the Golani Brigade and the Nahal Brigade are assembled and ready to go across the border. This day last week, Hezbollah fired more than 220 missiles into Galilee, setting place like Qiryat Shemona and places just north of Tiberias in Galilee on fire.

I ask that we think in the coming days and weeks of our fellow Irish men and women who are out there and who are basically human shields between Hezbollah on one side and Israel on the other. I am conscious that perhaps we in this jurisdiction do not pay enough attention to what our troops are doing overseas on our behalf and on behalf of the international community. We must also think of the people of south Lebanon. The last time the Israelis went in, they massacred Lebanese civilians indiscriminately all over Lebanon, particularly in Qana. They also murdered UN observers in Khiam. I would be concerned, especially in the context of the absolutely pejorative language that is being used by Israel with regard to our foreign policy position on Palestine, that it might view the Irish in a very negative light. We need to give them all of our support.