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I rise to address some of the issues, particularly the human rights protocol attached to the external trade agreements, raised by the independent Senators. 

The Israeli Ambassador came before the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, where he received quite a questioning.  The same week, a motion by Fianna Fáil Deputies was put before the Joint Committee on European Scrutiny in which we asked that the EU be forced to put this on the agenda.  We have asked that the UN Secretary General carry out a report.  We should take the issue away from the EU, which obviously has a vested interest, and let the UN Secretary General make a determination.  However, we are alone in the wilderness; there are few supporting us.  The big nations in Europe stand idly by on this issue, which is worrying.  Nonetheless, it is worthwhile to pursue it. 

 I have been to the Holy Land, where the situation is disturbing.  We have called on the US to intervene but, as Members can appreciate, the US has enough problems of its own, a lot of them of its own creation in Iraq and Afghanistan, so I do not think we can ask it to intervene here.  It is spending billions a day.  We must look to Europe.  In reality, it is a long way from the US.  The EU has chosen to do nothing, as it did in the Balkans, and we looked to the US to step in.  Senator Hanafin made a great contribution with his suggestion about trade.  Ultimately, money talks.. A total of 75% of its produce comes to the EU.  If we threaten that, as we did with South Africa, things may change.  During the time of apartheid, the UK and the US stood idly by, but eventually things can change.  The process takes a long time, however.  It is not a matter of a triumphal entry into Baghdad and saying "mission accomplished", as some would have it, but it is far more effective - fewer people die.  I commend the Minister and I thank the Opposition Senators and Deputies for their support on this issue.  Obviously the Israelis are not happy; however, this is not about making people happy but saving people's lives.  

Unfortunately, the issue of Sri Lanka, which is not in this motion, has gone off the radar because of the headlines from Gaza.  The Sri Lankan Government has attacked what it declared were safe areas for civilians and imprisoned civilians.  The Minister might take up this issue.  A ceasefire would save lives.  I hope Senator Norris and others will assist in this regard.  

 Ireland has a small army, which we have sent to Darfur, the Lebanon and other places, but ultimately it is trade which will result in a better outcome in the Holy Land.  I fear for what will happen in the immediate future.  I do not think the Israelis have the political will for change.  I said in the House before that it was the most amazing piece of electioneering to start a war to get support before a general election.  It has been done before, but the Israelis seem to have used this tactic in the case of the attacks on Gaza, to the detriment of the Palestinians.  The Iranians are also playing their part in destabilising the region.  They are waging a proxy war through Hamas, also to the detriment of the Palestinians, and the EU is, of course, standing idly by.  The best we could hope for from the USA would be neutrality on the side of the Israelis, but unfortunately it is not even committing to that much.  It is not going to be neutral.  Americans have too many other things on their plate.  Because of this, we must rely on ourselves to put on the pressure.  

When the Israeli Ambassador appeared before the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs, I mentioned a quote from the Old Testament.  We were talking about proportionality in the attacks on Gaza.  Members should know that Israel will attack again because, unfortunately, Hamas will get more rockets from Iran and fire them at the Israelis, and the Israelis will go back in.  The quote from the Old Testament was, "But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty, life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound and bruise for bruise."  The response to that, of course, is that an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.  The Israeli Ambassador, when we asked him about the use of phosphorus shells, did not answer the Chairman, Deputy Woods, but when I asked him to answer the question he eventually admitted that there were phosphorus elements in the shells.  Phosphorus shells are only permitted to be used in open battlefields, not in urban areas such as Gaza.  This is a breach of the Geneva Convention and many other conventions.  We should pursue Israel on this but, unfortunately, it does not seem that our gallant allies in Europe will assist us.  If we have to forge ahead alone we will do so.