Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 November 2023
13. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Taoiseach the extent to which he continues to have discussions with leaders throughout Europe and elsewhere in regard to the ongoing crisis, and potential crises, in the Middle East. [46709/23]
View answer14. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his participation in the extraordinary European Council meeting on 17 October 2023. [46717/23]
View answer15. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his participation in the extraordinary European Council meeting on 17 October 2023. [47665/23]
View answer16. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Taoiseach to report on any meetings or communication he has with the Israeli Government. [48577/23]
View answer17. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his participation in the European Council meeting on 26 and 27 October. [47699/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 13 to 17, inclusive, together.
I took part in an extraordinary meeting of EU leaders by video-conference on 17 October, convened by President Michel following Hamas’ attack on Israel on 7 October.
At the meeting, we reaffirmed our statement of 15 October: condemning Hamas for its brutal and indiscriminate attack; acknowledging Israel’s right to defend itself, while reiterating the importance of ensuring the protection of civilians at all times in line with international humanitarian law; calling on Hamas to release all hostages without precondition; and expressing our commitment to a lasting and sustainable peace based on a two-state solution.
At the meeting, I called for a humanitarian pause to hostilities to enable the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza and to facilitate EU citizens who wish to leave to do so safely.
The situation in the Middle East was also discussed at the meeting of the European Council in Brussels on 26 and 27 October.
Reaffirming our statement of 15 October, leaders also expressed our grave concern at the deteriorating situation in Gaza and called for continued, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian access though all necessary measures, including humanitarian corridors and pauses. We reviewed the state of play and different strands of EU action, including efforts to assist EU citizens caught up in the conflict. We also stressed the need to avoid escalation in the region and the importance of engaging with partners in this regard, including the Palestinian Authority.
Leaders also emphasised the need to redouble efforts on restarting the peace process based on a two-state solution and welcomed diplomatic initiatives and the holding of an international peace conference.
I welcome the UN General Assembly resolution adopted on 27 October, for which Ireland voted, calling on all parties to respect international humanitarian law in all circumstances, to ensure urgent unimpeded access for humanitarian assistance in Gaza, and calling for de-escalation.
The Government will continue to work with EU and international partners to seek to bring about an early ceasefire so that essential supplies can reach people in Gaza and so that Irish citizens who wish to leave can do so safely.
At the European Council meeting on 26 and 27 October, we reiterated our unwavering solidarity with Ukraine and its people in the face of Russian aggression.
EU and member state assistance made available to Ukraine is now more than €82 billion.
Leaders welcomed the extension of the temporary protection for displaced persons from Ukraine until March 2025 and expressed their full commitment to Ukraine’s recovery and its reconstruction.
In addition, we held in-depth discussions on the proposed review of the European Union’s multi-annual financial framework or budget; participated in a Euro summit; held a strategic discussion on migration; and considered important external relations issues, including COP 28, the normalisation of Kosovo-Serbia relations, efforts to advance a lasting peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the situation in the Sahel.
What is happening now in Gaza following the brutal attacks by Hamas a month ago is truly shocking. Daily Israeli bombardments have resulted in the deaths of thousands of civilians, including many children, which is clearly a breach of international law. It is a humanitarian catastrophe and we must do everything possible to bring it to an end. The European Council struggled to agree a compromise wording on the situation. Ireland was right to look for a ceasefire but the final statement included a call for a humanitarian pause. There is now talk internationally of humanitarian pauses and corridors and we need to push strongly for this. We need to get vital aid and supplies into Gaza.
I refer to the Spanish proposal at the summit for an international peace conference to be established within six months. In my view, the international community has neglected its responsibility to bring about a just and lasting two-state solution in the region. It has tolerated, normalised and managed the status quo for far too long. Needless to say, any final solution would have to be acceptable to both sides. Is the Council's call for a peace conference something Ireland will actively promote?
The war in Ukraine is becoming more protracted. As we enter another winter, Russian air strikes are hitting Ukraine's critical energy infrastructure. EU leaders rightly pledged to continue to provide strong financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support to Ukraine and its people for as long as it lasts. This is despite the contrary view put forward by the populist Prime Ministers of Hungary and Slovakia.
In this context, I welcome the announcement by the European Commission today regarding the opening of formal membership talks with Ukraine. Is the Taoiseach hopeful the December European Council meeting will sign off on this recommendation by the Commission in respect of Ukraine's application to join the EU?
I call Deputy Barry, who has two questions in this grouping.
I will fit them into one minute.
That is very positive.
Reports are emerging from Gaza of medics having to perform amputations of limbs without anaesthetic. Yesterday, the Taoiseach disagreed with my proposal that the Israeli ambassador be expelled. That is not an issue that will go away. It will come up again and again as this situation worsens. I will leave it aside for today, however. In his response to me yesterday, the Taoiseach failed to say what alternative action or actions he might intend to take. We have heard a lot of words in the past days and weeks but, surely, given what we are all seeing on our screens every night, it is clear the time has come not just for words, but for actions. What alternative actions does the Taoiseach propose to take to send a clear message and put pressure on the Israeli state at this time?
The Taoiseach has indicated there may be war crimes being committed by Israel in Gaza. Most people have no doubt they are being committed because they are happening right in front of us and, critically, Israel is not hiding it. Leading ministers and military personnel have publicly declared their intention to commit war crimes - to starve the entire population of water, food, gas and electricity. That is a war crime and they have said it. They have described Palestinians as human animals and said there will only be destruction and that they are all responsible. They have declared their intention to target the entire population and then they have committed those war crimes. There is no doubt.
The point is that if we were in any way facilitating the commission of those war crimes, we would also be liable for war crimes. Is the Taoiseach ensuring Shannon Airport is not being used to transport weapons to Israel to commit war crimes? We should remember that in 2006, in the context of a previous Israeli murderous assault on Gaza - of course, the history of this did not begin on 7 October, although some people want to pretend it did - munitions were being transported through Shannon to Israel and the Government of the day, under pressure from protests, made a decision that should end.
Are we checking the airplanes going through Shannon to ensure there are no weapons being transported to Israel? As we also know, the United States Government, including officers who were involved in the US massacres in Fallujah in Iraq, is giving military advice to Israel on how to conduct the attack on Gaza. How shocking is that? Can we also be sure no weapons or military assistance from the United States is going through Shannon Airport to assist Israel at a time when it is committing war crimes in Gaza?
Yesterday, the Taoiseach spoke about the need for the International Criminal Court, ICC, to have a proper investigation into the alleged war crimes which we think are very clearly, openly and brazenly being committed by Israel in Gaza. I asked the Taoiseach about it earlier in Leaders' Questions. I suggested that the Government should use the power that it has under Article 14 of the Rome Statute to make a referral to the ICC so that an investigation will immediately take place. The Taoiseach suggested there is no need for that and that he will look into it. I have looked into it further and I will explain to the Taoiseach what the benefit of the State making an Article 14 referral is. I will do so in the words of the former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Coveney. He said the benefit of an Article 14 State Referral is that it enables the prosecutor to "immediately begin his investigation into alleged crimes currently unfolding there and will promote justice and accountability...". The former Minister for foreign Affairs, Deputy Coveney, was speaking after the Irish State made a referral under Article 14 of the Rome Statute on what is happening in terms of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Irish State did this recently so that there could be an immediate investigation. Will the Irish State and the Government do the same in terms of what Israel is doing in Gaza? Will the Irish State make a referral under Article 14 so that there can immediately be an investigation of the war crimes being committed?
The Tánaiste stated that allowing the Israeli ambassador to remain in Ireland allows Ireland to become an interlocutor for peace in this shocking conflict. Ireland is a small country but we are seen as an honest broker internationally. We can show leadership in terms of peace because we have massive experience in conflict resolution. What evidence is there that the Government has made any material effort at all to provide this country as an interlocutor, mediator and facilitator of peace in the Israeli-Palestinian war? I ask the Taoiseach to be specific and not to be general. Has the Irish Government made any offer at all internationally to be a facilitator in relation to peace?
The Taoiseach mentioned the European Union. The leaders of the EU-27 have called for an international peace conference, but despite the mounting death tolls, European Union dithering has meant there is still no detail, location or timescale in relation to the process of an international peace conference. I actually think that exclusively pooling our foreign policy with the EU is a mistake. The EU is at sixes and sevens. It is useless right now in terms of this conflict. What specific actions have been taken by this Government to offer our internationally understood experience to this conflict to see if we can possibly bring the international peace conference to Ireland or if we can offer to become a facilitator in some way?
The Taoiseach has said himself that what we are seeing in Gaza from Israel is more revenge than it is any element of defence. We have seen an absolute abject failure from a security point of view from Israel in what they dreadfully term "mowing the grass". There has been much in the public domain in the sense of Benjamin Netanyahu at times having seen Hamas as an asset in dealing with a split Palestinian leadership and facilitating what has happened in the West Bank and what has made it nearly impossible to deliver the two-state solution. What interventions does the Irish Government propose to take with whatever international friends we have from a point of view of calling out what is genocide and ethnic cleansing, and some form of intervention that can bring us or at least produce some roadmap to justice and self-determination for the Palestinian people? That is the only thing that can secure even Israeli security.
I thank the Deputies for their contributions. I thank Deputy Haughey, in particular, for his remarks, and concur with the general spirit of them. The proposal for a peace conference was an issue made by President Sánchez of Spain, but has now been adopted as a European objective. Ireland will support and assist that in any way we can. That offer to do so has been made openly.
In relation to Ukraine, I am hopeful that at our December meeting we will be able to agree to open discussions on accession both with Ukraine and Moldova.
Deputies Barry and Ó Murchú asked about actions and interventions. The actions and interventions that we are taking at the moment are both practical and political. They are practical in terms of the humanitarian aid being provided the UN in Gaza in particular, and also in the efforts we are making to seek safe passage for people and our citizens who are held in Gaza and want to leave. We are also using our voice and influence at the EU and UN, with the US and also with middle-eastern countries.
That is not action.
I think we have sent a very clear message in this regard and will continue to do so. Whether that message is heard or not, of course, is not something under our control.
We do not have any evidence that Shannon Airport is being used to transport weapons to Israel, and we have a system for approving and refusing the transport of weapons.
In terms of the matter that Deputy Murphy-----
No searches.
-----has raised, he has had a chance to look at things. I have been in the Chamber so the answer that I gave him is the same because I have not left the Chamber in the last couple of hours, but I will get advice on the matter. It may be the case that a referral has already been made and that an investigation is already under way. I honestly do not know and will have to check up on those things.
In response to Deputy Tóibín, the fact that there is no evidence of progress yet does not mean that you give up.
My question was about effort by the Government.
At some point there will have to be peace talks.
I asked about the effort by the Government to act as interlocutor.
In relation to a peace intervention specifically, the truth is that there is no appetite for that at the moment-----
Has there been any effort?
-----from the protagonists, but I think that has to come at some point.
No effort.
There has never been any appetite by Israel - ever.
