The proposal to have a motion on the situation in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories taken without debate is not acceptable. We have had a tradition in the Dáil of working collectively and in a collegiate fashion to arrive at consensus positions when it comes to Palestine. I believe that we should maintain that. There is enough common ground, some of which the Taoiseach recited, such as condemnation of the attacks and the taking of Israeli hostages, condemnation of breaches of international law by Israel, including collective punishment and forced transfer of population, and, above all else, a call for a ceasefire. We can build common ground on these things but, unfortunately, the Government has not seen fit to do so. I appeal for that to be the approach we take and maintain, which has always been the case on this issue since I was elected. We should not break that tradition at a time of such peril.

I too take issue with the Order of Business so that a Government-crafted motion on Palestine and Israel would be taken tomorrow without debate, a motion we have only just seen. It was supplied to us, I think, just half an hour ago. I agree that we should have been able to come to a consensual position on a cross-party basis, which would have been a far preferable way to approach this issue. We all share an outright condemnation of the brutality of Hamas. However, we also share an outright condemnation of the escalation in violence over the past week by Israel and the war crimes being committed now by Israel against the civilian population in Gaza. We are seeing children buried under rubble, families forced to flee hospitals without essential supplies and utter devastation and horror unfolding. It is appropriate that we come together in this House and speak with a powerful united voice as passionate advocates for peace and for an agreed resolution of this horrific violence. We should be able to do this. We in the Labour Party would be very happy, as I think would other Opposition parties, to work with the Government to ensure we have a cross-party motion before this House that we could debate and on which we could come together to ensure that Ireland remains a powerful voice for peace at European level.

On the same issue, it is wrong that the Government should table a motion to be taken without debate tomorrow on the Palestinian situation. In particular, such a motion as has been put on the agenda is very sad. It was only circulated in the past hour to us. I could see why, when I read it. That is what is wrong; this motion should have been done by agreement with all parties in this House. It would have been possible if the Government wanted to but obviously it does not. It is the wrong way if we go down this road. An horrific situation is developing and to put such a one-sided motion on the agenda of this House tomorrow, and for it not to be debated and then passed is completely wrong. It is an insult to the rest of the Members of this House.