Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 October 2023
71. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement of solidarity with people of Gaza and Palestine during this terrible time for them and to condemn the illegal actions of Israel in its continuing regime of occupation, land theft, apartheid and collective punishment which has led to nearly one million Gazan children being without food, water and power. [45755/23]
View answerI am deeply alarmed by what is happening in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory.
The brutal attack by Hamas in Israel on 7 October was appalling. Under international law, Israel has a right to defend itself from attack, but this must be done within the parameters of international humanitarian law. I am also concerned about rising violence and deaths in the West Bank, including increased incidents of settler violence and displacement of Palestinian communities.
We are in contact with the UN and other partners on an ongoing basis in relation to the urgent need to create humanitarian corridors from Egypt, to get vital supplies to people in need in Gaza, such as food, water and power. I am fully committed to continuing Ireland’s own development and humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people. The programme is designed to support the maintenance of space for a two-state solution and reflects our long-standing commitment to the peaceful development of a viable Palestinian state.
I refer the Deputy to the statement I issued on 15 October. The rules of war exist to help preserve humanity in its darkest moments, and they desperately need to be followed today.
We have a moral and political obligation to chart a way towards a future in which these events cannot be repeated. This requires us to put protection of civilians at the heart of our objectives and to strive towards an international effort that can deliver a just and sustainable peace.
