I also refer to the commitment in the programme for Government on the recognition of the Palestinian state. The response of the Taoiseach indicates that it is entirely meaningless and that he has no intention of doing it within the timeframe of the Government, despite the Dáil voting to recognise the Palestinian state. It was just something to give to some of the Independent members of the Government to let them say they had received it, but the Taoiseach does not intend to do anything about it. Earlier he made the point that if we expelled the Israeli ambassador, we would not be able to get the message across to the Israelis that we were opposed to what they were doing. It is precisely by expelling the Israeli ambassador that we would get the message across. By recalling the Irish ambassador from Tel Aviv we would send a message around the world that we were absolutely appalled by the slaughter of innocent Palestinians by Israeli state forces, that we were opposed to the European Union's complicity in the slaughter through the EU-Israel association agreement and the hundreds of millions of euro of public funds that ended up with Israeli armaments companies, that we were opposed to the ongoing use by the State of Israeli defence companies, including in buying drones from them, and that we stood in solidarity with the Palestinian people. That is how the Government would send a message, rather than saying a few cross words to the Israeli ambassador. What more powerful way of doing so is there than by passing a resolution and the Government actually recognising the Palestinian state?

Our view is that we do not solve problems by way of one-off messages. In a few weeks' time I will have an opportunity to meet the Israeli Prime Minister in Jerusalem for the fourth time in about nine months. I suspect it will be a very straight conversation. In my view, the idea that we assist Palestinians by cutting off all diplomatic ties with Israel is fundamentally flawed. What Ireland needs to do is challenge, propose solutions and be part of them, as opposed to setting itself up as some kind of protest organisation. That is why we have chosen engagement over isolation on this issue and why I-----

The Government will not engage with Hamas.

The Deputies are practising student politics.

We have engaged and continue to engage with the Palestinian Authority. We have been and continue to be supportive of the ongoing reconciliation process and have supported Egypt in those efforts. What I am serious about trying to do on behalf of the Government and the country is to offer real criticism when necessary, as we have done today very directly with the Israeli Government. We will continue to do so, but we will also try to work on a way forward, as opposed to what others seem to be offering.