Lebanon and Gaza
Deputy Gibney condemned Israeli strikes in Lebanon and Gaza and asked why the Government was not doing more. The Tánaiste condemned Israel and Hezbollah, said Israel was breaching international law, and referred to work on the occupied territories Bill.
Reports of double- and now triple-tap strikes are coming through from southern Lebanon. This is when the site of an initial air strike is hit again while medical personnel are in attendance. Four medical personnel were killed yesterday in Mayfadoun. These included two paramedic volunteers: a young man of 22 and a boy of just 16 years old. These are war crimes being committed by Israel and they are chillingly familiar as the tactics it has used in Gaza for the past two and a half years, with the death toll now rising to 72,000. Meanwhile, this globe fails to hold Israel to account.
Why is the Government not speaking up more? When did it last push for the suspension of the EU-Israel association agreement? What is it actively doing towards that? Will the Tánaiste stand in support of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez as he raises his voice louder than ever before in calling out Israel's war crimes? And where oh where is our occupied territories Bill, which the Tánaiste promised would be on the Dáil floor last November?
Comment on this
I condemn outright the actions of Israel and the actions of Hezbollah. Israel is breaching, in my view and the view of the Government, international law. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, has been extremely vocal on this and is working with European counterparts. She has joined a number of statements and the likes speaking very clearly in relation to our foreign policy position around this. We must also condemn Hezbollah. I was in Lebanon not that long ago and welcome the Lebanese Government's very constructive efforts.
In relation to the occupied territories Bill, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, has received updated information and advices from the Attorney General and I expect her to be in a position to update this House shortly. I think we all want an urgent ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel. I hope these peace talks get back under way. I hear some of talk of that, potentially, today. I am conscious there are many Irish troops stationed in Lebanon who serve with absolute distinction as part of UNIFIL. I am pleased the Minister has informed me they are all safe and accounted for. We thank them for their service.