Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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8. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade for an update on the recent emergency meeting of European Union foreign affairs ministers. [40573/24]

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Will the Tánaiste provide an update on the recent emergency meeting of European Union foreign affairs ministers regarding the Israeli Government and army attacking the sovereign country of Lebanon, their attacks on Syria and Yemen and their continued attacks on the West Bank and Gaza? What action will the European Union be taking to ensure an immediate ceasefire and the protection of the sovereign country of Lebanon?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this question. I attended the extraordinary videoconference meeting of EU foreign ministers on 30 September. I welcomed High Representative Borrell's decision to convene this meeting given the rapidly deteriorating security situation in the Middle East and the emerging escalation in Lebanon in particular. During the meeting, I underlined Ireland's deep concern regarding the humanitarian catastrophe facing the people of Lebanon and those of Gaza and the West Bank. I again reiterated the need for an immediate ceasefire and an urgent scaling up of humanitarian assistance and the need for allies of Israel to put pressure on it to change course and stop the pursuit of war. I also highlighted the importance of co-ordination on consular efforts at EU level and was clear on our support for UNIFIL. Speaking on behalf of the European Union after the meeting, High Representative Borrell renewed calls for an immediate ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel and for both parties to commit to the full implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701. Hezbollah should stop firing rockets. It is worth noting that Hezbollah has fired 10,000 rockets into Israel over the last 12 months. A ceasefire means Hezbollah stopping firing rockets and Israel stopping its incursion and its indiscriminate bombing of Beirut, which is resulting in the killing of many innocent civilians in Lebanon. High Representative Borrell urged respect for international humanitarian law in all circumstances and called on parties in the region to show restraint in the interests of de-escalation.

Unfortunately, since our meeting on 30 September, we have seen a continuing escalation in violence in the region, including a missile attack on Israel by Iran, continuing rocket fire by Hezbollah on Israel, continuing massive Israeli aerial bombardment and ground incursion by Israeli armed forces. Ireland has repeatedly urged all parties to immediately de-escalate. A regional conflict would be disastrous for all the people of the region and, indeed, beyond. The widening of the conflict also further complicates efforts to achieve an urgently needed ceasefire and the release of hostages held in Gaza. It also complicates the immediate delivery of necessary humanitarian assistance at scale into Gaza, where the situation remains catastrophic.

I will have an opportunity to discuss developments in the Middle East with EU colleagues at the next formal meeting of foreign ministers in Luxembourg on 14 October.

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Does the Tánaiste know what is very disappointing? Although he may not have realised it, he mentioned that Hezbollah has fired 10,000 rockets, which I condemn 100%, but he never mentioned how many Israel has fired. That has been the narrative here all along. There has been criticism of Hezbollah, Yemen, Iran, Syria and everyone else. I know the Tánaiste has commented on this but what we are seeing at the moment is a genocide being committed by Israel. We are seeing the innocent men, women and children of a sovereign country, Lebanon, being killed as they are walking down the street or while they are in their homes. Israel's defence for this is that there is a Hezbollah commander or group in the area but it will wipe out a whole block of people.

The European Union was rightly outraged when Russia went into Ukraine. Where is the outrage for what is happening in Lebanon? Will the Germans or the French supply the Lebanese people with an iron dome system to protect Beirut? There is a system to protect Israeli cities but we will not protect other cities. Where is the protection for the people of Lebanon? What is the European Union going to do? The Tánaiste said that we have called for an immediate ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel. I support that call for an immediate ceasefire but it is not good enough for the European Union to have a double standard in how it views Russia and Ukraine as opposed to Israel and everyone else.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The overwhelming criticism in this House over the last year has been criticism of Israel. Let us be clear about that. That should not exclude criticism and condemnation of actions by Hezbollah or Hamas or of the malign role of Iran in the evolution of the conflict and the wars across the Middle East. The broadest perspective should always be brought to the House and should inform the debate. I have condemned the bombardment of Lebanon. I have condemned the nature of modern destructive warfare repeatedly here and elsewhere, in every forum I have attended. What is happening, the killing of innocent men, women and children, is shocking. The international order is in a very perilous state because of the nature of how wars are conducted. Examples include Russia's destruction of Syria, beginning with the destruction of Aleppo many years ago, Russia's war in Ukraine and Israel's war in Gaza. I agree with the Deputy. As I have said before, Israel will take out a whole block to get one commander, killing 100 or 200 people. That seems to be the attitude. It is inhumane. It is completely against international humanitarian law. Ireland has been a strong supporter of the Palestinian Authority. We have given substantial humanitarian support.

At the EU meetings, I have seen that the EU is divided. The EU in its totality does not have a shared position. There are fundamental differences between member states on this question. Ireland aligns itself with like-minded states on the Palestinian question. We align ourselves with Spain, Belgium, Malta and others who fundamentally believe in Palestinian self-determination. The vast majority believe in a two-state solution but one has to question how we can ever get to that given the level of destruction going on at the moment.

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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The Tánaiste has just mentioned the two-state solution. The two-state solution is dead in the water. There are 700,000 illegal settlers in place. How can there ever be a two-state solution when Israel is driving people from land they have owned for generations? Innocent Palestinians are being murdered, tortured and persecuted and the only thing they are guilty of is owning land in the West Bank that the Israelis want for illegal settlers. This has been condemned by the United Nations but the Israelis still do it. I do not have any issues with the Israeli people. This is about the Israeli Government and Netanyahu. He does not care who he kills or tortures or what part of the world they are in. He only cares about his regime, his far-right policies and staying in power. The Tánaiste has said himself that Israel will take out a housing block killing 100 innocent people to get rid of one Hezbollah person. Who is protecting those 100 people? Some 42,000 people have been slaughtered in Gaza. Where is the protection for them? That figure includes 17,000 children. When the history books are written, Europe will be seen as complicit in allowing this genocide to take place. Countries like Germany, France, the US and England can send fighter jets to protect Israel when it is being attacked by Iran. They are not over Lebanon. They are not protecting the Lebanese people. There is a double standard. The European Union says that an immediate ceasefire is needed.

The European Union should immediately stop all weapons going to Israel.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The European Union is not sending weapons.

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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France is, Germany is and Italy is. They all are.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The European Union as an entity.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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They are sovereign countries.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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They are sovereign, independent countries. The European Union is not sending weapons to Israel. For the sake of the public, we need clarity in the debate. The Middle East is complex enough. I think everyone in this House is consistent and unified in wanting this war to end.

Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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Yes.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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France, for example, will have strong interests in trying to protect Lebanon. It does not support the bombardment and has been trying, with the US, to get an agreement between Hezbollah, the Israeli military and the Israeli Government, to no avail, over the last 12 months. When the Hamas attack on Gaza happened, Hezbollah, in solidarity with Hamas, started firing rockets into Israel. A total of 90,000 people left the north of Israel. About 90,000 Lebanese people have had to leave southern Lebanon. Those cities are all deserted because of rockets going over. That is the context of it. I do not agree with any of it. I want to make the point that we should not be disagreeing on this. There has to be a ceasefire and there are two parties to that ceasefire. That needs to happen as well. The destructive nature of modern warfare is quite shocking. The mentality behind it is something that there has to be accountability for. The only place where there can be accountability at the moment is the International Criminal Court. The prosecutor, Karim Khan, has already acted. He has faced significant intimidation and pressure in the US Congress and elsewhere because of his actions. We have been supportive of the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice. We have participated fully because we believe in the multilateral order. It is the only guarantee we have of security and peace.