Press Release: BACIK - LABOUR SENATORS WELCOME TODAY’S DEBATE ON GAZA

Senator Ivana Bacik, speaking as leader of the Labour group of Senators, today welcomed the special sitting of the Seanad to debate the situations in Gaza and Ukraine.

“The Labour Senators group particularly welcomes the recall of the Seanad for today to debate the crisis in Gaza. As Labour group leader, I was in contact with the Seanad leader Senator Maurice Cummins over the weekend about this, and I and the other Labour senators fully supported and welcomed his decision to recall the Seanad to debate the ongoing crisis. I will be leading for the Labour senators in the debate this afternoon and my colleagues will be participating actively in the debate as well.”

“Like all Irish citizens, I and my Labour colleagues are horrified at the large numbers of Palestinian civilians who have been killed in the bombardment by Israel of Gaza. While we condemn the rocket attacks launched by Hamas, and we respect the right of Israel to defend itself, we are deeply concerned at the disproportionate response by Israel in their bombardment and invasion of Gaza. We condemn the killing of over 1000 Palestinian civilians in military attacks by Israel, and we are appalled at the lack of respect for international law and the rules of war shown by the Israeli government. In particular, we join with the international community in condemning Israeli attacks on UN schools where Palestinian civilians, including large numbers of women and children, have been sheltering. We call for an immediate ceasefire, to end the suffering of the Palestinian people and prevent any more civilian casualties.”

“The Labour Party has long supported the aim of achieving a comprehensive multilateral peace agreement between Israel and Palestine which respects international law, and the aim of delivering for the Palestinian people a secure, viable state of their own. We are very proud that as Labour leader and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Eamon Gilmore TD stated full Irish support for recognition of Palestine at the UN in September 2011. We believe that while the priority is for an immediate ceasefire to prevent civilian death and injury, the international community must then work with Israel and Palestine to bring about a peace agreement which will bring about the lifting of the blockade on Gaza which is at the root cause of this devastating conflict, and which will deliver a long-lasting peace to the region based on the two-state principle.”