Yesterday, the Minister and his Government shamefully voted against Sinn Féin's motion to refer Israel to the International Criminal Court for the war crimes and crimes against humanity and genocide that we are seeing in Gaza over the past month. This is as the bombs continue to rain down on the people of Gaza. This is as we continue to see infants, babies, dying in hospitals in Gaza as Israel targets schools, hospitals and places of worship.

The Minister may be aware that the President of South Africa, Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa, has announced that his country will refer Israel to the International Criminal Court, ICC, for war crimes in Gaza. We must use every single tool at our disposal to hold Israel to account for its crimes. Last year, the Government rightly joined with those of other countries in referring Russia to the ICC for war crimes. Palestinian lives are just as worthy of our attention as Ukrainian lives. In the pursuit of justice and accountability for the Palestinian people, will the Government change direction now and join with South Africa in referring Israel to the ICC for the war crimes that the Minister has said are difficult to watch on the news and that we see before our eyes every single day?

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The Government's position on this has been consistent and clear. The prosecutor of the ICC, Mr. Karim Khan, has reaffirmed that the investigation that is currently under way covers the current and ongoing conflict, including all events on and from 7 October this year. He is on record as saying that, so that is the position.

In relation to Ukraine, there is a distinction because the situation was fundamentally different. Ireland did refer Russia to the ICC prosecutor because Ukraine was not a party to the ICC statute and the prosecutor could not, therefore, begin an immediate investigation-----

That is not true.

-----without a states party referral.

It is true.

The inquiry was announced before that.

Allow the Minister, without interruption.

This is double standards. Absolute double standards.

The position is clear. In the case of Palestine and Israel, the investigation is already under way.

That is not true.

I said without interruption.

On a point of order, what the Minister has said is not true.

Sorry, Deputy. Resume your seat.

It is not true. A Palestinian life is just as worthy of our attention as a Ukrainian life.

Resume your seat, Deputy.

It is not true.

Deputy Doherty, will you stop disrupting the House, please?

The Minister is misleading the Dáil. With respect-----

He is not.

-----what he said is not true. The inquiry in Ukraine began before the referral of this State.

Talk to me afterwards about that matter.

It is shameful that the Government will not stand up-----

Please do not further disrupt the House.

I gave the facts.

They are not the facts.

Deputy Doherty may not like them but they are the facts.

Deputy Duncan Smith is next.

They are not the facts.

They are the facts.

The war crimes are happening before the Minister's eyes. He says he cannot even watch the news. It is war crimes that are happening and the Government will not stand up-----

Please, Deputies.

Actions, not words.

The Deputy did not even raise the matter on Leaders' Questions. He had the option of raising it during Leaders' Questions but he chose not to.

I voted for it last night.

No.

I voted for it last night.

You chose not to raise it on Leaders' Questions.

The Minister voted against it.

Please, this is pure hectoring.

The Minister is misleading the House.

He is not.

Please. Deputy Duncan Smith is next.