Michael McDowell (Independent)

I agree completely with what Senator Fitzpatrick said about what is happening in Gaza. In the past 24 hours, the Palestinian town of Kafr Malik in the West Bank was attacked by illegal Israeli settlers, who burned property. The Israeli army intervened, arrested five of the settlers and killed three Palestinians who were defending their own property. In the past fortnight, while the Iran crisis was brewing, hundreds of Palestinians have been killed in Gaza. They were people simply seeking food supplies, which are being choked off and channelled through centres where those who come seeking food get gunned down. This cannot continue. The Irish Government has to ensure that the EU, which made a milk and watery statement about what is happening to the Palestinian people, to be honest, mans up, or something else as we cannot use that phrase anymore - stands up - for decency.

Although you might think that some people might share the horror of what is going on, President Trump said on Truth Social said, "I was shocked to hear that the State of Israel, which has just had one of its Greatest Moments in History, and is strongly led by Bibi Netanyahu, is continuing its ridiculous Witch Hunt against their Great War time Prime Minister! Bibi and I just went through HELL together.". Does President Trump know what hell is, sitting in his war room, as he calls it, with his MAGA cap on him while people are being pulverised in Gaza? He goes on to say Netanyahu is the greatest warrior in Israeli history, that the trial against him for corruption should be discontinued, and that the United States should make sure it is discontinued. I do not know too much about the trial for corruption except that I believe it would not have commenced if there was no basis for it. There are pending war crime charges against Benjamin Netanyahu at the International Court of Justice. I want us all to understand that while what has happened over the past fortnight with Iran has been proceeding, the absolutely indescribable series of continuing war crimes against the people of Gaza and the West Bank have continued unabated and uncriticised by the United States. In fact, the President of the United States is actively encouraging their continuation.