The barbaric slaughter that Israel is visiting on the people of Gaza and its publicly stated intention to ethnically cleanse 1 million Palestinians from northern Gaza under the threat of massive aerial bombardment are war crimes. Does the Taoiseach acknowledge that his constant references to Israel defending itself are completely inappropriate in the face of Israeli war crimes publicly declared against the people of Gaza, that he should stop using that language, and that he should in fact now impose sanctions on the Israeli regime by expelling the Israeli ambassador and calling publicly with his European counterparts and internationally for the Israeli Government and military officials responsible for those war crimes to be referred to the International Criminal Court for violations of international law and war crimes against the people of Gaza?

I think any state has the right to defend itself against terrorism. This State had to defend itself against terrorism for a prolonged period but it has to be done within the rules of international humanitarian law. We have been very clear about that from day one.