We will now deal with Deputy Costello's motion.
Situation in Gaza: Motion.
I move:
That this Committee,
Considering the continuing occupation of Gaza by the Israeli army, the killing of hundreds of innocent civilians and the flagrant breaches of international law and UN resolutions;
Considering the assertion by Amnesty International that there is "prima facie evidence of war crimes";
Considering that the United Nation's senior human rights body the U.N. Human Rights Council, has condemned the Israeli offensive for "massive violations of the human rights of the Palestinian people and systematic destruction of the Palestinian infrastructure";
Considering the call by Human Rights Watch for the United Nations Security Council to set up a commission of inquiry into alleged war crimes;
Considering the bombing of the H.Q. of the United Nations Relief Agency (UNRWA) in Gaza City today 15th January 2009 while UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon is holding peace talks with Israeli leaders;
Considering the indiscriminate and unacceptable rocket attacks by Hamas on Southern Israel;
Welcoming the strong condemnation by the Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the military incursion into Gaza and the collective punishment of the people of Gaza for the actions of Hamas;
Calls for an immediate ceasefire, the withdrawal of all troops from Gaza and a reopening of the border crossings;
Calls on the Irish Government at the General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting on the 26th January to ensure E.U. suspension of the proposed upgrading of Israel's status under the European Neighbourhood Policy;
Calls on the General Affairs and External Relations Council to conduct an immediate review of the existing E.U./ Israeli Trade Agreement in terms of its required compliance with human rights, democratic principles and international law;
Calls on the Irish Government to strongly exhort the E.U. to play a more central and robust role in seeing a resolution to the Middle East crisis based on the rights of the Israeli and Palestinian peoples to co-exist in separate States; and
Calls on the Irish Government to request that the Israeli Ambassador return home immediately, to inform the Israeli Government of these matters of life and death which are of such serious concern to the Irish people.
I will not make a speech but it is important that we move a motion in this committee that reflects to a degree what is happening in Gaza, and the experience of the major international organisations that have a human rights responsibility in that area and are on the ground there. That is the point of the first part of my motion.
We should also condemn those responsible and propose a way forward. The motion we have agreed to refers to one area that has been a bone of contention and on which we have long sought clarification. My motion considers a couple of other issues in approximately the same area, the relationship with the Israeli Government in the context of the work of this committee through the General Affairs and External Relations Council which holds monthly meetings with the Minister for Foreign Affairs. That council has a significant role in Middle East policy.
I also propose that the European Union be more centrally involved in brokering a deal than it has been in the past. Despite having Tony Blair there as its envoy the Union seems to have been sidelined. It is important to emphasise this.
The final point is the controversial one, that the ambassador of Israel would convey these points to the homeland and having done so return here and report to us. I do not wish to suggest that this is one-way traffic or that the ambassador be expelled.
Is the motion seconded?
I second the motion.
Is Deputy Costello prepared to delete the last paragraph?
Would the Deputy consider deleting from the words "return home immediately to" so that it reads "to request that the Israeli Ambassador inform the Israeli Government of these matters of life and death which are of such serious concern to the Irish people" ? It should be left to the ambassador to decide how to communicate that message, whether by e-mail or fax or by flying home.
I will rephrase the paragraph to delete the words "Calls on the Irish Government to request that the Israeli Ambassador return home immediately, to inform the Israeli Government of these matters of life and death which are of such serious concern to the Irish people." and replace them with "Calls on the Irish Government to request that the Israeli Ambassador convey to the Israeli Government the serious concerns of the Irish people on these matters of life and death in the Middle East."
Is that agreed? Agreed.
I admire much of the sentiment in Deputy Costello's motion but it is not balanced and would do nothing to assist in alleviating the difficulty there. I hope, notwithstanding that objection, that the members of the Government parties in this committee will use their influence with the Minister for Foreign Affairs to ensure that much of the sentiment in the motion is adopted as Government policy. I am not in a position to agree with this motion because I do not think it will help the problem but would give rise to more division.
Does the Deputy oppose Deputy Costello's motion, as amended?
Yes.
I have to put the question.
I do not agree with the motion that has been proposed. I am against it.
I am prepared to include an additional phrase in my motion if that would help Deputy Timmins. We are bending over backwards to assist him in this matter. After the reference to "Considering the bombing of the HQ of the United Nations Relief Agency (UNRWA) in Gaza City today 15th January 2009 while UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon is holding peace talks with Israeli leaders", I am prepared to include a reference to "Considering the indiscriminate and unacceptable rocket attacks by Hamas on Southern Israel".
I would welcome such a reference. I would not be in a position to accept the motion as a whole, however, as I feel it would be too divisive.
All right. I will put the motion.
I make it clear that the earlier suggestion by Deputy Costello is now part of the motion.
Can Deputy Costello remind us of the wording of the latest proposal?
Perhaps he will repeat the proposal?
I propose after paragraph 5, to insert "Considering the indiscriminate and unacceptable rocket attacks by Hamas on Southern Israel".
That is fine.
Is that agreed? Agreed.
Is Deputy Costello's motion, as amended, agreed?
It is not agreed.
Motion, as amended, put and declared carried.