Yesterday's arrest by Israel of those aboard the Madleen freedom flotilla ship while in international waters was a flagrant breach of international law. Those taken by Israeli forces are brave activists, bringing symbolic aid to a people who have been abandoned by the world. The activists hold EU citizenship and one is an MEP. I hope the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste will raise this kidnapping of activists at international level.

I also ask that the Government do more at international level to ensure Israel is subject to some consequence and some sanction for its continued brutal and genocidal bombardment of Palestinian civilians. I am really concerned to see reports that representatives of Israel will be in attendance on 23 June at an EU southern neighbourhood ministerial meeting. This is a concern at a time when we should be able to see Israel being isolated by the international community for its actions in Gaza, a genocide before our eyes. I know Ireland has been strong on this at international level, but we must do more.

At the weekend, I was in Nice for the United Nations Ocean Conference and took the opportunity to meet with a number of people in respect of this issue. The crew of the Madleen deserve our recognition. I pay tribute to their bravery and courage for profiling and keeping in the public and international spotlight the shocking situation in Gaza and the deprivation and starvation there. It brings to mind the absolute necessity and imperative of substantial aid being allowed in. I spoke to the King of Jordan and the foreign minister of Jordan, who are working flat out to try to get structured aid back into Gaza. I also engaged with the French Government and others on this issue.

I will attend a UN conference next week in New York, chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, in respect of a two-state solution.

Saudi Arabia?

I hope we can leverage significant international support for pressure to be put on Israel.

For sanctions.

Then there will be the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting after that and then an European Council meeting-----

What about the meeting on 23 June?

This is not a back and forth, Deputy. Deputy Gibney is next.